Middle East Peace Process
Is Peace Possible - A 4 Part Series by the Atlantic on Borders, Security, Refugees and Jerusalem
Part 1 - Borders and Land Swaps
Peace Talks in Fall of 2010
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Nof Zion, one of the controversial settlements in East Jerusalem, has been building all through the settlement freeze. . |
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Dec. 8, 2010 - The peace process has been stalled since the expiration of the settlement freeze in September. Despite the US offering numerous guarantees and other sweetners in return for a 90-day settlement freeze, the Israeli government has now officially declined the offer. In the meantime, Brazil and Argentina have joined several other nations in unilaterally recognizing Palestine as an official state within the "1967 borders" (the 1949 Armistice Line). Read more:
Gershon Baskin: Encountering Peace: The House is on FireBBC : Middle East Peace Talks: Settlement Row "Crisis"
Haaretz: Israel Warns Argentina: Recognition of Palestinian State Shatters Peace Process September, 2010 - Peace Now estimates that
600 new settlement units have been started since the settlement freeze expired last week. President Abbas has threatened to walk out of any prospective talks if settlement building increases, but has hinted he would accept an implied freeze. Settlement construction never completely stopped during the freeze, as 2000 units were still being built as "exemptions" and 500 new units were announced during the freeze. Look for clarification in a report due Monday from Peace Now.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also introduced a new demand into the mix: that Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state. This demand comes on the heels of a new initiative for a loyalty oath to the Jewish state that all non-Jews would be required to take to become citizens of Israel. Palestinians are questioning what this means for the 20% of the Israeli population that is Palestinian, both Muslim and Christian.
Although Israeli settlement building has continued in many areas due to exemptions, and in East Jerusalem, which was exempted from the freeze, there have been delays in some building. Now, though estimates vary, according to Peace Now, the building of some 13,000 units could begin without any further approval, with plans for an additional 25,000 unites. Building has resumed with celebrations in at least four settlements whose building had been halted.
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Israeli and Palestinian women protest regularly together for peace with justice. |
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The Middle East Quartet (The European Union, the United States, the Russian Federation and the United Nations) issued
a statement expressing its strong support for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which they say can resolve all final status issues within one year. The Quartet reaffirmed its full commitment to its previous statements, which provide that negotiations should lead to an agreement that ends the occupation that began in 1967 and results in the emergence of an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors. The Quartet also confirmed its determination to support the parties throughout the negotiations and in the implementation of an agreement.
On
Sept 23 President Obama addressed the UN General Assembly, citing the dangers of not reaching the two-state peace solution. [
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If an agreement is not reached, Palestinians will never know the pride and dignity that comes with their own state. Israelis will never know the certainty and security that comes with sovereign and stable neighbors who are committed to co-existence.
President Barack Obama
In addition, continued violence and tension permeates the area. Two Palestinians were killed in Silwan, where a small number of settlers have moved in and contracted with private security forces that Palestinians claim regularly invade their houses and are not accountable for behavior. Israelis say they need the extra security due to Palestinian hostility at their presence. Two Palestinians were killed at anti-settlement rallies in Gaza, and there were shootings by Palestinians of Israelis in the Southern Hebron hills. This all follows the killing of four Israelis and an unborn child near the conflicted city of Hebron and two shootings by Palestinians of Israelis near Ramallah days before the talks were to start.
We of course pray for the victims and families who have been killed. This violence and tension only highlights the urgent need to bring peace with justice to Israelis and Palestinians who have suffered too long. This year (until end of July), 105 Palestinians and 11 Israelis have been killed (according to the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem), and tension and violence between Palestinians and Israeli settlers have escalated, exacerbated by the continuing expansion of illegal Israeli settlements. Every Friday, Israelis and Palestinians join together in Sheikh Jarrah for a demonstration against planned settlement expansion there.
For more summary information on the peace talks, see BBC Summaries of Questions and Answers about the Peace Talks and Where the Peace Talks Stand
The Church's Voice:
The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land (CRIHL) met in Jerusalem on Monday, September 20, and drafted this statement which was copied to Senator George Mitchell in support of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. The CRIHL represents the high religious authorities of the Holy Land: the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs (Waqf), the Palestinian Sharia Courts, and the assembly of the Heads of Churches of Jerusalem.
CMEP Bulletin containing more analysis and links, including a peace litany and an NPR interview about lessons learned from the Camp David negotiations in 2000.
Bishop Hanson joined other church leaders in a letter to President Obama promoting the urgency of peace talks and changes on the ground in Palestine and Israel. CMEP Letter to Pres. Obama | ELCA press release
The Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, is in Israel/Palestine with a delegation speaking out for peace with justice. He has commented on the killing of Israelis and on Palestinian Christians, especially the Palestinians' fragile residency status in Jerusalem:
World Council of Churches Statements:
Background and Links: