If a problem ever seems too big, too insurmountable, remember Nelson Mandela's words: "It always seems impossible until it's done."

United Nations Foundation

UNITED NATIONS: International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2014 

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

 STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." American Task Force on Palestine's born in Jerusalem Dr. Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

***

The Arab Peace Initiative

Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

My letter to TIME RE Dr. Saeb Erekat's "With Status Quo On Its Side, Israel Happily Rejects Peace"

The Arab Peace Initiative

RE With Status Quo On Its Side, Israel Happily Rejects Peace
http://time.com/81277/with-status-quo-on-its-side-israel-happily-rejects-peace/

Dear Editor,

Dr. Saeb Erekat's passionate pro-Palestine op-ed was excellent! Kudos to Time Magazine for publishing "With Status Quo On Its Side, Israel Happily Rejects Peace"... and kudos to Erekat for reaching out with crucial facts in hopes of generating international support for peace and Palestinian statehood. I think the more people step up to support a just and lasting peace to end the Israel/Palestine conflict, as the Arab League did with the Arab Peace Initiative, the more likely it is that Israel will stop violating international law and the Palestinians basic human rights. 

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Palestinian Identity

A few examples of the separate — and often unequal — rules and standards for Israeli settlers and Palestinian civilians

New York Times: Why Abbas Reconciled With Hamas by Ali Jarbawi

Weighing in... for Palestine (a poem)

Pro-Palestine, Pro-Peace, Pro-Israel.... productive, pragmatic and focused on what can actually help people

Sources ...a poem (for Palestine)

“Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering - remembering and not using your right to hit back.”

Middle East peace: The concrete proof of Israel’s opposition to a two-state solution - the construction of nearly 14,000 homes in occupied territories

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

Reactions to the new unity deal ... for Palestine

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. ... FINDING alternatives to conflict and revenge: The Forgiveness Project

Jordan's King honours winners of King Abdullah II Award for World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014

Palestinians signal willingness to continue peace talks

Abbas: New govt recognizes Israel and rejects violence

King hails outgoing UNRWA chief in Jordan

PBS: Six takes on the Palestinian unity deal

That is real cultural and educational leadership and integrity. It is principled, brave, intelligent and unflinching. It deserves only support, applause and emulation...

American Task Force on Palestine Springs Forward

Outreach: American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) "Our Israeli and Palestinian partners in the Middle East as well as our partners in the U.S. believe as we do that a lasting peace must begin with a commitment to shared security for all."

"Read and remember, take a minute to recall the smell of your grandmother’s za’atar and the taste of balady labaneh, and imagine what would happen if we were to lose it all…" This Week in Palestine

Growing Gardens for Palestine: "And it's up to all of us together"... a Spring poem for Palestine & peace

Peace Building ... civic muscle

• All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." American Task Force on Palestine's born in Jerusalem Dr. Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace 

Arab League summit considers withdrawing Arab Peace Initiative

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=683843

23/03/2014 

KUWAIT (Ma'an) -- As the 25th Arab League Summit to be held in Kuwait next week draws closer, Arab officials told Ma'an that they are considering withdrawing the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002.

The initiative -- which calls for two states on the 1967 borders and a "just settlement" of the refugee issue in exchange for full normalization between Israel and the Arab world -- was largely rejected by Israeli officials after it was approved at the 2002 Beirut summit.

An Arab official in Kuwait told Ma'an that the initiative "would not remain forever an exhibition for Israel to watch."

He also asserted that the summit would definitely oppose recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, a key Israel demand in ongoing negotiations.

The foreign ministers of Arab countries are scheduled to convene Sunday to discuss the summit's draft report.

The summit's subcommittees confirmed to the Palestine envoy to the Arab League Muhammad Subih and ambassador to Egypt Barakat al-Farra that the Palestinian issue would dominate the summit's agenda.

Reviewing the Arab Peace Initiative will be central on the agenda alongside peace talks with Israel, the status of the occupied Golan Heights, and means for supporting Palestinian refugees in Lebanon ...READ MORE

My letter to the NYTimes RE Lift the Mideast Roadblocks

What message do we send?

A Palestinian woman inspects olive trees that have been severely damaged by Israeli settlers near the West Bank city of Nablus (AP photo by Nasser Ishtayeh) Visualizing Palestine: Since 1967 Israeli authorities have uprooted more than 800,000 Palestinian olive trees... OXFAM: In the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT), olive harvesting is a tradition that can be traced back for centuries. Passed down from generation to generation, olive trees provide Palestinians with an important connection to their history and their land.

RE: Lift the Mideast Roadblocks
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/opinion/lift-the-mideast-roadblocks.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

Dear Editor,

Lifting the Mideast roadblocks requires much more than merely agreeing to a two state solution to end the Israel-Palestine conflict: In order to build a just and lasting peace, all parties must make it a priority to first and foremost respect international law and universal human rights.

In 1948, after the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust, it was impossible to imagine that the innocuous phrase "Jewish State" might inspire victims of horrific bigotry to shape laws and policies in a newly born modern nation state that would harshly discriminate against non-Jews...  "Jewish State" could have come to mean a sovereign country where justice matters, and racism is scorned.  "Jewish State" could have been an inclusive and progressive mindset cultivating respect for the rule of fair and just laws.  Instead "Jewish State" ended up igniting religious extremism, violence and terror on both sides of the conflict.

Appeasing and empowering Israelis who want the land, but not the native non-Jewish population of that land might seem like a reasonable workable approach, but all that does is entrench more of the same cruel status quo whereby citizens and supporters of a Jews-preferred Israel remain motivated and easily able to persecute, impoverish, disenfranchise and displace Palestinian men, women and children.

A fully secular two state solution to once and for all end the Israel-Palestine conflict for every one's sake is the best way forward. Religion should be a personal private choice, not a citizenship requirement- and certainly not a tax payer funded project.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Sam Jadallah: Netanyahu's Silicon Valley visit a lost opportunity

Visualizing Palestine: 20 Years of Talks Keeping Palestine Occupied

Arab League, Abbas reject recognizing Israel as 'Jewish state'

Palestine Refugees in Syria: An Andy Warner Comic

A UN Committee Expresses Concern over Recent Developments in Occupied Jerusalem... The committee said that Israel also continues to construct settlements in East Jerusalem, in violation of international law and in defiance of the international community's repeated calls for ending such illegal acts.

Israeli Settlers Brutally Assault Three Young Palestinians near Ramallah

Plea to the Pope... Ash Wednesday Letter To Pope Francis: Speak Out Against Targeting of Palestinian Children

Official: Israel refused to let Palestinian refugees in Syria return

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu never tires of inventing new hoops through which he insists Palestinians jump. As he acknowledged a few weeks back, it's all part of a cynical game that he plays in an effort to kill the chances for peace....

The Palestinian national soccer team, a source of pride for many, has been under attack by the Israeli state.

Hanan Ashrawi: "Today, 20 years after Baruch Goldstein cut down so many innocent lives in a burst of hateful rage, the poisonous anti-Arab racism that turned him into a mass murderer is alive and well in Israel."

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries
The Office of International Religious Freedom
( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/ )

Refugees and the Right of Return
We call for a just solution to our refugee issue in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194. Our position on refugees is also included and supported in the Arab Peace Initiative (API), which calls for “a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194.” A just solution to the refugee issue must address two aspects: the right of return and reparations.

Refugees, Borders & Jerusalem
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."Eleanor Roosevelt

More than sixty years ago, back in 1949, the Application of Israel for admission to membership in the United Nations (A/818) clearly pointed out that Israel was directly contravening "the previous recommendations of the United Nations in at least three important respects: in its attitude on the problem of Arab refugees, on the delimitation of its territorial boundaries, and on the question of Jerusalem." http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/85255e950050831085255e95004fa9c3/1db943e43c280a26052565fa004d8174?OpenDocument 

It’s important for people to know how far the Palestinians have come to put an end to the conflict with Israel.

The Palestinian Refugee's Right of Return: No issue is more emblematic of the 20th century Palestinian experience than the plight of the approximately seven million Palestinian refugees.

What message do we send?

Reflections By An ARAB JEW by Ella Habiba Shohat "When my grandmother first encountered Israeli society in the '50s, she was convinced that the people who looked, spoke and ate so differently--the European Jews--were actually European Christians. Jewishness for her generation was inextricably associated with Middle Easterness. My grandmother, who still lives in Israel and still communicates largely in Arabic, had to be taught to speak of "us" as Jews and "them" as Arabs. For Middle Easterners, the operating distinction had always been "Muslim," "Jew," and "Christian," not Arab versus Jew. The assumption was that "Arabness" referred to a common shared culture and language, albeit with religious differences."

UNITED NATIONS: Give Peace a Chance... The year 2014 has been proclaimed the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People... “The objective of the  International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is to promote solidarity with the Palestinian people as a central theme, contributing to international awareness of (a) core themes regarding the question of Palestine, as prioritized by the Committee, (b) obstacles to the ongoing peace process, particularly those requiring urgent action such as settlements, Jerusalem, the blockade of Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and; (c) mobilization of global action towards the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the question of Palestine in accordance with international law and the relevant resolutions of the United Nations.”

History of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, was the result of the experience of the Second World War. With the end of that war, and the creation of the United Nations, the international community vowed never again to allow atrocities like those of that conflict happen again. World leaders decided to complement the UN Charter with a road map to guarantee the rights of every individual everywhere. The document they considered, and which would later become the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was taken up at the first session of the General Assembly in 1946. " http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/history.shtml

U.N. Resolution 194 from 1948 Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible;

The Arab Peace Initiative

Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 1

• All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

 Live by the Golden Rule

Jordan's King urges Arab, Islamic organisations to serve nation’s causes in US... peace efforts should lead to the two-state solution based on international resolutions and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which, he said, was a historical turning point.

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

His Majesty King Abdullah is greeted by leaders of Arab and Islamic organisations in the US ahead of a meeting in Washington on Monday (Photo courtesy of Royal Court)

http://jordantimes.com/king-urges-arab-islamic-organisations-to-serve-nations-causes-in-us

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday met with a number of Arab and Islamic organisation leaders in the US.

Discussions focused on regional developments and the role these entities play in serving Arab and Muslim causes in US decision-making circles.

The King stressed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the core issue in the Middle East, adding that arriving at a just and comprehensive solution to this decades-old conflict requires support from the international community, including Arab and Islamic organisations operating in the US, according to a Royal Court statement.

He added that peace efforts should lead to the two-state solution based on international resolutions and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which, he said, was a historical turning point.

The solution should lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital and that lives side-by-side with Israel.

The Monarch said Jordan places final status issues related to the Middle East conflict at the top of its higher national interests, noting that the Kingdom continues to support Palestinians’ rights, especially in establishing their state on their own national soil.

King Abdullah warned against Israeli unilateral measures, particularly settlement expansion and attempts to undermine the Arab, Muslim and Christian identity of Jerusalem, which, he said, increases tension and instability and affects peace chances.

He underlined the significant role the Arab and Islamic organisations play in supporting US endeavours to push forward the peace process.

Discussions also covered efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, safeguarding the country’s unity and bringing an end to the suffering of its people, and limiting the number of refugees in neighbouring countries, especially Jordan, whose limited resources are under tremendous pressure due to hosting a great number of Syrians.

The King warned of attempts to turn the Syrian conflict into a sectarian one, citing its dangerous effects on the entire region.

His Majesty highlighted a conference that Jordan recently hosted, where leading Muslim scholars examined ways to promote tolerance among the followers of various sects.

The Kingdom also hosted another conference, where discussions focused on the challenges facing Arab Christians, with participants stressing the need to respect all opinions and promote interfaith tolerance.

His Majesty stressed the important role that Arab and Muslim leaders can play in presenting to US decision makers issues facing the Arab and Muslim worlds, adding that they can work to build bridges with the West.

Arab and Muslim communities in the US have had a positive part in building American society and entrenching its values, the King said.

Also during the meeting, the Monarch highlighted the Kingdom’s achievements in its comprehensive reform drive, which is aimed at meeting present and future aspirations of all Jordanians ...READ MORE

“You have to understand that the progressive forces in the Arab world, those that support having a visible relationship with Israel, cannot reach out to it until the Palestinian problem is resolved,” said one Jordanian official. “Moreover, this should also be Israel’s interest, because the only way to stop the Islamic movements from seizing control in the West Bank is through an agreement with the Palestinians.”

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]    

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.570661

Jordan's King Abdullah, right, speaking to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Royal Palace in Amman, Jan. 10, 2012. Photo by Reuters

A new, improved Jordanian option

'You have to understand that the progressive forces in the Arab world, those that support having a visible relationship with Israel, cannot reach out to it until the Palestinian problem is resolved,' said one Jordanian official.

By Reuven Pedatzur | Jan. 27, 2014

The recent surprise visit to Jordan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indicative of the importance the premier attributes to the Hashemite kingdom’s role in advancing the diplomatic process, and particularly to its role in the future, if and when a Palestinian state is established. The substance of Netanyahu’s talks with King Abdullah a week and a half ago have not leaked, but the king’s positions and strategic plans can be discerned from off-the-record conversations with senior Jordanian officials, some of them with direct access to the royal palace.

The most important message emerging from the talks with the Jordanians is their assessment that it is vital to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian agreement that will lead to the end of the conflict. Such an agreement will not only allow Jordan to publicly improve its relations with Israel, but will have far-reaching implications for Israel’s relations with other countries in the region.. READ MORE

found via ATFP front page   

ATFP (The American Task Force on Palestine) categorically and unequivocally condemns all violence against civilians, no matter the cause and who the victims or perpetrators may be.

Leaders must seize opportunity for peace and security... "The Arab League's peace initiative has regained relevance. The initial position between the parties is bleak, but the status quo is not an alternative. The Israelis and the Palestinians must now seize what is perhaps the last opportunity to create peace and security."

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=603808

Gunilla Carlsson is Sweden's Minister for International
Development Cooperation.

By Gunilla Carlsson

As I now return to Palestine and Israel, I do so with increasing frustration that the chance of a two-state solution risks being squandered.

Developments on the ground speak for themselves. The illegal settlements are expanding and displacing Palestinians who are forced to endure daily harassment and blockades. Many people have to spend hours at checkpoints on their way to school or work. Some are plagued by the fear of being thrown out of house and home. In Gaza, almost total isolation continues.

Every year, the Palestinians' internal political divisions are growing, as is the violence. And on the other side of the barbed wire, the Israelis are living in growing insecurity and isolation, in a region in a process of rapid change.

There is a risk that this frustration will grow and that the world will turn its back on the Israelis and Palestinians. We have a joint responsibility for, and self-interest in, continuing to fight for peace in the Middle East. Twenty years after the Oslo Accords there is still a chance to reach a two-state solution. The United States is currently making significant efforts to enable the parties to return to the negotiating table. The EU is ready to support these negotiations.

The Arab League's peace initiative has regained relevance. The initial position between the parties is bleak, but the status quo is not an alternative. The Israelis and the Palestinians must now seize what is perhaps the last opportunity to create peace and security. Time is running out, and it is not a day too early.

Despite continued occupation and a lack of political progress, Palestinian state-building has advanced. The international community shares the assessment of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank that the Palestinian institutions live up to the demands that can be made of a functioning state. Today there is a basis -- albeit a fragile one -- for a Palestinian state.

A new strategy will soon be drafted for Sweden’s development cooperation with our Palestinian partners. Sweden will continue to take its responsibility. We will continue our commitment to the whole of the Palestinian territories -- the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

We will focus on contributing to Palestinian state-building efforts. At the same time, we will take the lead in combating the negative development in "Area C" of the West Bank, where the Palestinian institutions are not allowed to operate and where the settlements are displacing the local population.

Sweden's development assistance should make a difference where it is most urgently needed. The Palestinians have become the most aid-dependent people in the world. Development assistance to Palestine is associated with very major risks and the challenges are considerable.

Development assistance requires political progress to yield long-term sustainable results. The occupation and the expanding Israeli settlements are the main obstacles to a two-state solution and also explain the aid dependency. Freedom of movement for people and goods within and out of the Palestinian territories must improve dramatically if the economy is to take off and unemployment is to be reduced. This applies in particular to Gaza, where Israel must do a great deal more. Its isolation is morally reprehensible and politically counterproductive and makes development assistance more expensive.

As for the Palestinians, they must deepen their reform policies, combat all forms of violence and fully respect human rights. The political divisions must end and democratic elections must be held.

Sweden is also an important donor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, having contributed approximately $56 million last year. UNRWA has been in existence since 1949 and currently supports five million refugees in the region. We will continue to help alleviate suffering by financing homes, medical care and education. But in the long run this is unsustainable, including from a donor perspective.

In Israel in particular, there are many people who claim that now is not the time to make peace with the Palestinians. When the region is in flames, there is a danger of short-sightedness taking over. And in a cruel twist of fate, the Syrian conflict is forcing Palestinian refugees to move again. They have become the refugees of refugees in the Middle East.

Growing regional instability means that the window of opportunity for a two-state solution is closing. But history will condemn those who do not see the opportunity to find a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before it is too late.

Israel must realize that occupation is an unsustainable policy in the long run -- for its own sake and for international, regional and economic reasons. Cooperating with the Palestinians is where the opportunities lie -- not in threatening the country’s democracy and security.

The Palestinians must come together in a shared vision of democracy and use peaceful means to achieve recognition from and coexistence with their neighboring country Israel. And this must be followed up with resolute leadership for a united Palestine – for and with all Palestinians.

Frustration must not be allowed to prevail. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders must seize this opportunity for peace and security now.

My letters 4-21, 4-24 & 5-1-2013 RE Salam Fayyad's state building efforts & The Arab Peace Initiative

RE Kerry makes headway with Middle East peace, but violence flares
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0430/Kerry-makes-headway-with-Middle-East-peace-but-violence-flares?nav=87-frontpage-entryNineItem

Dear Editor,

The Arab Peace Initiative is sensible, realistic and an admirable first firm step towards actually ending the Israel-Palestine conflict and all the many negative ramifications created by that conflict.

Kudos to all who are courageous and compassionate enough to help shape and sustain a just and lasting peace with real security for all, regardless of supposed race or religion.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES

This Week in Palestine: Palestinian Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad "This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision of establishing a functional framework where government is accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most effective way possible in decision-making and governance."

Israeli forces uproot 700 olive trees near Jenin

CNN online Dean Obeidallah: I'm Muslim, and I hate terrorism

Hussein Ibish: Fate of Christians will define the Arab future

"I come from there and I have memories... "

*******

LIKE ATFP - The American Task Force on Palestine

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine..."

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)   Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

Palestinian Refugees(1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

Empowering Peace & Palestine

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside.  What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them.

UN Resolution 194 from 1948  : The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.

*************



RE: Goodbye to All That by Thomas L. Friedman
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/opinion/friedman-goodbye-to-all-that.html

Dear Editor,

There are many nails in the coffin of the two-state solution and the cherished dream of a free Palestine.... and the cherished dream of a just and lasting peace here there and everywhere.

The insulting assertion by some that Fayyad was a "stooge" for America helps hate mongering anti-Palestine activists and agent provocateurs lay the groundwork for mainstream America and our leadership to become even more alienated from Palestine. 

Anti-America rhetoric has serious ramifications beyond merely hurting the feelings of Americans, and jeopardizing future funding of Middle East state building efforts and UNWRA.

Anti-America rhetoric, as well as anti-Israel rhetoric, fuels terrorism... " What makes young men, in the prime of their lives, believe that killing others, including at a sports event, is some kind of sacred duty? And can they really identify with an imaginary "nation," one that transcends boundaries and ethnicities, no less? And what will it take to make people on all four corners of earth unite in putting an end to this barbaric pattern and bringing such young men to their senses?" Hassan Khader: Mourning Martin Richard

Fayyad was good for Palestine, not only because of his non-corrupt, institution-focused leadership, but also because he was a darn good diplomat and role model.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
"When concepts such as democracy, secularism and liberalism are stigmatized and discredited as products of an alien and hostile culture, their Arab advocates are crippled from the outset... A basic decision needs to be made. We can resign ourselves to downplaying and shortchanging these concepts. Or we can reassert and redefine them by demonstrating in practical terms how these values -- along with our system of entrepreneurship -- have informed American success and are fueling growth and progress around the world." Dr. Ziad Asali

ATFP Thanks PM Fayyad for his Service, Reiterates Importance of Institution-Building

April 15, 2013

At Cornell, Panelists Call for Solution to Conflict in Middle East

Hussein Ibish: Fate of Christians will define the Arab future: "States will become, at best, merely the geographical battlegrounds and, at worst, the principal weapons of repression between battling groups of intolerant religious fanatics."

Gifts of Glass

Our words have a way of echoing out into either war or peace....

Growing Gardens for Palestine: Nominating a hero

"Resuscitating the peace process"...excellent cartoon from the Baltimore Sun

HEAR PEACE - SEE PEACE - SPEAK PEACE.... be peace

 
Crowdsourcing Peace: By going over the heads of Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Obama is demanding that their people step up.

LIKE ATFP - The American Task Force on Palestine

"I come from there and I have memories... "

*******
"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine..."

What is an Israeli settlement

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)   Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

Palestinian Refugees(1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

Empowering Peace & Palestine

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside.  What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them.

UN Resolution 194 from 1948  : The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.

The Arab Peace Initiative

Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

4. Assures the rejection of all forms of Palestinian patriation which conflict with the special circumstances of the Arab host countries.

5. Calls upon the government of Israel and all Israelis to accept this initiative in order to safeguard the prospects for peace and stop the further shedding of blood, enabling the Arab countries and Israel to live in peace and good neighbourliness and provide future generations with security, stability and prosperity.

6. Invites the international community and all countries and organisations to support this initiative.

7. Requests the chairman of the summit to form a special committee composed of some of its concerned member states and the secretary general of the League of Arab States to pursue the necessary contacts to gain support for this initiative at all levels, particularly from the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the Muslim states and the European Union.

 

**************

 

 

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-fayyad-20130420,0,2859547.story 

 

I totally appreciate and agree with your pro-Palestine editorial- and I think that it is a huge shame that so many people  sabotaged and/or scapegoated Fayyad, rather than appreciating his wisdom and his many positive contributions to Palestine.  He is indeed a hero.

My letter to the NYTimes RE To Achieve Mideast Peace, Suspend Disbelief by Dennis B. Ross

Palestinian Statehood

 RE: To Achieve Mideast Peace, Suspend Disbelief By DENNIS B. ROSS
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/03/03/opinion/sunday/opinion-israel-palestine-mideast-peace.html?ref=global

Dear Editor,

"Starting a Virtuous Cycle" certainly will not be easy, but there really is no other way out of the Israel-Palestine conflict.... And Ross is right to point out (as many others have before him) that "If the two-state solution is discredited as an outcome, something and someone will surely fill the void. Already the Islamists of Hamas, with their rejection of two states, seem primed to do so. The moment Islamists come to define Palestinian identity is the moment when this conflict will be transformed from a national into a religious one — and at that point it may no longer be possible to resolve."

In the spirit of actually ending the Israel-Palestine conflict I have to admit I think Ross's specific ideas on how to empower peace and Palestinian statehood at times miss the mark. The Arab Peace Initiative does a much better job of actually honoring international law and respecting universal basic human rights.... and convincing me that a just and lasting peace is not only possible- but necessary for everyone's sake.

As Ziad Asali wisely points out "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine."

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Understanding the Current Palestinian Financial Crisis: In the long term, the only cure for the PA's recurrent budget deficit would be sustained, productive growth led by the private sector—not one bankrolled by massive foreign aid in a highly constrained and heavily distorted setting

Dear Miftah- A campaign to talk up a two-state solution

Jordanian Diplomat Marwan Muasher (his country’s first ambassador to Israel, where he made many friends) points out the importance of The Arab Peace Initiative... & the fact that Obama Should Try to Help Solve Conflict

"We really hope everybody will step back a little and try to find a way to proceed very calmly and very thoughtfully in these next days (and) leave the opportunities for peaceful resolution open." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

                                                                       *******

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine..."

What is an Israeli settlement

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)   Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

Palestinian Refugees(1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

Empowering Peace & Palestine

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine."

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside.  What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them.

UN Resolution 194 from 1948  : The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.

The Arab Peace Initiative

Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

4. Assures the rejection of all forms of Palestinian patriation which conflict with the special circumstances of the Arab host countries.

5. Calls upon the government of Israel and all Israelis to accept this initiative in order to safeguard the prospects for peace and stop the further shedding of blood, enabling the Arab countries and Israel to live in peace and good neighbourliness and provide future generations with security, stability and prosperity.

6. Invites the international community and all countries and organisations to support this initiative.

7. Requests the chairman of the summit to form a special committee composed of some of its concerned member states and the secretary general of the League of Arab States to pursue the necessary contacts to gain support for this initiative at all levels, particularly from the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the Muslim states and the European Union.