Two and a half years ago, opposition members in the Israeli Knesset began meeting with high-ranking Palestinian political figures to negotiate an end-all peace treaty in the region. Their intent was to demonstrate that negotiations between both parties are indeed possible. After two and a half years of working side by side, the group has not only shown that cooperation is possible, but also that a fair and lasting end to the bloodshed is still attainable.
The fruit of their labor, the ‘Geneva Accord,’ is being hailed by some as the definitive end to hostility and derided by others for promising “useless hopes. What right,” Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has asked, “do members of the Left have to suggest steps that Israel can’t, and will never take?” However, this fails to capture the crucial aspect of the Geneva Accord: that a treaty can emerge that is agreeable to both sides. The Accords are a truly indigenous effort by Israelis and Palestinians to hammer out a final status agreement. As opposed to the Oslo and Camp David accords, which left the most difficult aspects of the negotiations for last, the framers of the Geneva Accords recognized that no meaningful peace could come without addressing these painful issues. Thus, the accords contain agreements on land swaps, settlements, borders, control over Jerusalem, holy sites, refugees, and more. Moreover, the Accords, as agreed upon by both the Israeli and Palestinian officials involved in their signing, are intended to be a “final status agreement,” meaning that once they would go into effect, neither side would be allowed to press further claims upon the other on the issues agreed upon within the Accords.
Regardless of whether the current leadership in Israel and Palestine has the courage to implement the Accords, the spirit of cooperation that this process has brought about will remain in full force. Both Israelis and Palestinians are being shown that there is someone to talk to on the other side, contrary to what they’ve come to believe. The potential for peace is only strengthened by this humanizing process.
On November 20th, the treaty will be signed by negotiators from both sides. Peace organizations the world over are mobilizing to mark the signing and Wesleyan is no different. All week long, Third Path is tabling outside of MoCon and the Campus Center with a petition backing the process behind the Accord and its five central tenets. We will also have telephones available to call our members of congress and let them know how important this process is to us. All are urged to sign the petition or at least pick up a brochure to learn more about the Accord. On the 20th, Third Path will be holding a candle-light tribute to mark the signing of the Accord at 6 PM in front of the Campus Center. All are urged to come and show their solidarity with those that are striving for peace in Israel and Palestine.
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