Gershon Baskin was a panellist in the Oslo Freedom Forum, where he shared stories and brainstormed ways to expand freedom and unleash human potential in a panel that was a display of humanity, solidarity, and hope for the future. The panel provided an international humanitarian law-based analysis of the situation in Gaza.
Moderator: Hilde Sandvik
Speakers:
Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway
Ambassador Marie Antoinette Sedin, Palestinian ambassador to Norway and Iceland
Gershon Baskin, Israeli Columnist and Political Activist
Mustafa Barghouti, Head of the Palestinian National Initiative
Gershon Baskin feels that Mustafa Barghouti, Head of the Palestinian National Initiative presented the voice of yesterday in the panel. Nothing that he said was new or interesting. The audience learned nothing from them and were certainly not inspired by them. There are Palestinians who have gone beyond the victimization narrative and are looking towards tomorrow and know that this war must be the last war – without giving up their identity as proud Palestinians or their just rights as Palestinians. Enough of the fossils of yesterday – we need new and challenging, compelling voices like Ahmed Alkhatib, Ali Abu Awad, and Samer Sinjilawi.
