Dr. IBISH: Yes.
RAZ: ...for pro-Palestinian advocacy groups in Washington right now?
Dr. IBISH: Definitely, there is one if they take advantage of it. And I think to do that, you have to appeal to the American national interest to get people's attention.
I think there are three paradigm shifts. The first is the one most obviously implicit in your question that there's a new context in which Israeli conduct is being viewed internationally, including in the United States and maybe, in a way, especially in the United States.
There's a second very important paradigm shift on the Palestinian side, especially in the West Bank, where you've seen a real commitment to emerging non-violent strategies, state and institution building in a very high level, settlement boycotts that's non-violent and tries to make a distinction between the settlements and Israel itself. This is a major paradigm shift in the Palestinian approach.
And there's a third paradigm shift and I think it's very important in the context of the ability of pro-Palestine groups in Washington to have a seat at the table, which is I think we are now increasingly, all of us - Jewish Americans, Arab Americans and others, understanding this is not a zero sum conflict. It's not as if everything good for Israel is bad for the Palestinians and vice versa.
But I think it's becoming increasingly clear on both sides we need a partnership and we need it now, because our friends and relatives in the Middle East and our own country here need the same thing, which is a peace agreement, a two-state peace agreement... read more
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