Insights

Gershon Baskin asks why did the P2P projects cease to work when they were needed the most? Why did the P2P projects fail to produce the desired goals? How could P2P projects have greater impact?

Abu Mazen recognizes that Gershon Baskin’s work has always stood as an example of the kind of relationship that both the Palestinian and the Israeli people deserve: commitment to dialogue as the means for advancing joint interests and for resolving disputes.

Gershon explains the importance of investing a lot more energy and thought into how to integrate the bottom-up peace making process within their overall strategies.

Gershon Baskin feels that Mitzna’s victory can be a turning point and it is now it is up to us to make the real difference.

After many more casualties on both sides, the sides will come back to the only real viable solution to the conflict – real political separation together with economic cooperation and integration.

Israelis and Palestinians who know that eventually we will reach peace…must not give in to the emotional drive to cut links and contacts. Quite the opposite, we must remain committed to dialogue aimed at planning our future together through a vision of cooperation, mutual respect and dignity.

Gershon Baskin shares his ideas about what can be done from “bottom-up” to create peace

Both sides benefit from this arrangement in meeting the needs and demands of both sides. Israel gets verification of the arrests, trial and imprisonment of suspected terrorists. Arafat gets guarantees against Israeli bombings of Palestinian prisons. Both sides gain significant American, Canadian and EU encouragement to implement the ceasefire. Perhaps this model of American, Canadian and EU observers can also serve both sides in guaranteeing the implementation of future agreements and arrangements between them.