Gershon Baskin is featured in Tom Goudsmit’s documentary film on the Middle East, Israel/Palestine: A Culture of Conflict. In the film Gershon Baskin explains the necessity for learning the truth about the other.
This is a moral issue and an issue concerning the ability of people of the three faiths to live together in this land and in this city.
Peace is not built solely by reaching agreements on paper – this is necessary, but not enough. Peace must be built on the ground – from the bottom up. We must begin to transform words and concepts into new realities.
Gershon Baskin believes that in the absence of real hope that the heads of the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams might actually reach an agreement, it is the local leaders who provide the real hope that peace is reachable and not solely a vision on the horizon that continually moves away from us.
Gershon Baskin, in a meeting with the head of the Palestinian Water Authority, Mr. Shaddad Atilli, proposes to ship water from Turkey to Gaza using Spragg water bags.
Gershon Baskin calls Palestinians and Israelis who support real peace with Palestinians to wake up now and to begin to prepare the strategy for failure, that we hope will never have to be used. Failure in negotiations may happen. Violence after failure should not be the answer. It is time to get smart.
Gershon Baskin feels that the fulfillment of Palestinian national aspirations is what will enable the ultimate fulfillment of Jewish national aspirations. Our security is their security, their security is ours. Time is running out for both of us, but there is still sufficient time to reach an agreement that will save both national movements from mutual destruction.
Gershon Baskin thinks that if the process fails, the time will come for evaluating other strategies and possibilities. Until that time, wisdom calls upon us all to give the process the full chance that it deserves.
Gershon Baskin wishes that thousands of Israelis and Palestinians could join him and walk the Green Line in search of understanding and peace. They too would have the opportunity to experience the real possibilities for creating neighborly relations that would benefit both peoples.
Gershon Baskin wishes wholeheartedly to all of his Palestinian friends: “I hope that you too will soon be able to celebrate your independence!”