Many of us identified with the Israel “side” of I-P discussions often state our belief that most “pro-Israel” participants support a genuine two-state peace settlement. Many of those on the “Palestine” side often state their support for Israel’s continued existence alongside a (desired) state of Palestine. Under the motto Two States / Two Peoples / One Peace, The June 5th Initiative gives us, and all DKos members interested in an end-of-conflict peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, the opportunity to demonstrate where we stand, and to try to make a difference in the real world.
Below the fold, I reproduce the (brief) text of the Initiative. If you can support it, please say so in the comments and go here to add your real name to the public list of endorsers from around the world.
If you are a member of Daily Kos, please add your name and rec here
Thank you for your consideration.
The June 5th Initiative
Mission Statement
June 5, 2007 will mark 40 years since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Over the years, Israelis and Palestinians have been fighting each other endlessly, ferociously resulting in death, devastation, and destruction. In recent years polls repeatedly show that the silent majorities of both peoples understand that they have no other national home, and that neither side is going to leave their homes. Hence, most people believe that it is time to reach an historical peaceful compromise, ending the occupation and ending the conflict.
During the week of June 5, 2007 the June 5 Initiative for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, a civil society initiative together with various NGOs and individuals, will send a loud and clear message to the peoples and leaders of the region and around that world that the silent majorities of Israelis and Palestinians accept a peaceful compromise based on the “two-states for two peoples” formula on the basis of the 1967 borders. For the first time in years, events and demonstrations for peace will be conducted in both Palestine and Israel.
We leave the details of the peace agreement to our leaders, but we want to show our support for an historical compromise for peace. We call on our leaders to initiate non-stop negotiations for peace until full agreements are reached. We affirm that there are partners for peace on both sides. We assert our commitment to the principle that the Palestinian and the Jewish peoples have a right to a state of their own, and that they have a right and deserve to live in peace, security and prosperity.
An international list of endorsers may be found here.
Original Tags: Peace, Israel, Palestine
Dr. Saeb Erekat, Jabril Rajoub, Hanna Siniora, and Ziad Abu Zayyad.
I am not an active member of Daily Kos.
However, can you explain who or what organization is backing this effort?
Is this “group” supporting the End the Occupation rally in Washington, DC on June 10?
Ehud Barak advocates “two states for two people” and a divided Jerusalem
May 11, 2007
Jerusalem – Ma’an – Israeli Knesset member and leading member of Israel’s Labor party, Ehud Barak, advocated on Friday a two-state solution – “two states for two people” – with the division of Jerusalem.
Barak’s statement came during a conference for Labor party activists in Kiryat Taf’on, in which he clarified his political program and his plan for a peaceful agreement with the Palestinians. “Within the peace agreements, Jerusalem will stay without the Arab districts in it, and there will be no harm to the religious places,” he said.
He added, “There will be no agreements with enemies unless they understand that it is not possible to exhaust Israel with terror or weaken it militarily”.
The Israeli Labor Party is due to hold party elections on 28 May and many expect Barak to win. He may then push for new Israeli parliamentary elections. “If on May 28, I am elected leader of the Labor Party, and the prime minister [Ehud Olmert] has not yet reached personal conclusions, I will push for new Knesset elections,” he told a press conference last week, according to the Israeli media.
If you visit their website — link in diary — you’ll see who is involved. I’ve already noted above some of the Palestinian endorsers.