What the Conflict is About – Gershon Baskin

Gershon Baskin believes that the only solution to the Israel Palestinian conflict is dividing the land between the river and the sea.

Gershon Baskin shares personal stories of growing up, of being Jewish, of a member of a Zionist youth movement, of being involved politically and of dedicating his life towards promoting peace.

The address was presented at the World Affairs Council of Houston in the Hilton Houston Post Oak in Houston Texas on Israel’s independence day on April 23, 2015.

The World Affairs Council of Houston is a nonpartisan organization that is committed to free and fair discussion. The ideas and views presented by its featured speakers are their own and are not necessarily held by the Council, its staff, or its affiliates.

The Council presents speakers that it has found contribute insightful perspectives on global affairs. The Council encourages its members to conduct additional and varied research to further their understanding of these topics and arrive at their own conclusions.

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Gershon Baskin

Gershon Baskin is one of the most recognizable names in the Middle East Peace process. He is a political and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to peace between Israel and its neighbors. His dedication to creating a culture of peace and environmental awareness, coupled with his impeccable integrity, has earned him the trust of the leaders of all sides of the century old conflict. Few people have such far-reaching and positive impacts on promoting peace, security, prosperity and bi-national relationships. Gershon is an advisor to Israeli, Palestinian and International Prime Ministers on the Middle East Peace Process and the founder and director of IPCRI, the Israeli-Palestinian Public Policy Institute. He was the initiator and negotiator of the secret back channel between Israel and Hamas for the release of 1,027 prisoners – mainly Palestinians and Arab-Israelis of which 280 were sentenced to life in prison, including Yahya Sinwar, the current Palestinian leader of the Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The prisoners were imprisoned for planning and perpetrating various attacks against Jewish targets that resulted in the killing of 569 Israelis in exchange for one Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit. Gershon is actively involved in research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, environmental security, political strategy, peace education, economics, culture and in the development of affordable solar projects with the goal of providing clean electricity for 50 million people by 2020. He is a founding member of Kol Ezraheiha-Kol Muwanteneiha (All of the Citizens) political party in Israel. He is now directing The Holy Land Bond and is the Middle East Director for ICO – International Communities Organization - a UK based NGO working in conflict zones with failed peace processes.