01/27/2007 MidEastWeb:
http://www.mideastweb.org/log/archives/00000563.htm
The Oslo process failed because of strong lobbies that militated against peace in both Palestine and Israel. Whatever their numbers, they were organized and succeeded in dictating the public agenda. The peace process will not recover from the Oslo disaster until and unless Israeli and Palestinian political leaders understand that peace is politically viable; that there is a large, organized and dedicated constituency in Israel and among Palestinians that insists on a peaceful future for both people in two states. This constituency will need to take over the political arena, and to outshout the advocates of Greater Israel, “Security,” “One State Solution,” Sharia law, “Justice,” “resistance,” and other panaceas that have been obstacles to peace for almost a hundred years.
This constituency is not built in a day. The Onevoice movement has made a start toward building it, by slow and meticulous organizational work in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Last week in Davos, they confronted Palestinian and Israeli leaders with a public plea for peace.
Onvoice Israel Program director Adi Balderman said “The time has come to listen to the voice of the moderate majority, and to prevent violent extremists from hijacking our lives, the lives of millions of Israelis and Palestinians … We will not accept any more excuses or delays.”
From Jerusalem, Saad Mashaal said, “Our city, Jerusalem, open for all
religions, must help us exemplify a shared destiny for Palestinians and Israelis, a destiny of partnership for a better future. Let One Voice be heard form Jerusalem, a voice of moderate people from all over the world. “
From Ramallah, Nisreen Shaheen told the leaders, “Enough promises, enough excuses, enough suffering … Help us not to lose hope, help us strengthen this movement, help us strengthen our leaders, that they may sit down at the table and stand up with a fair and lasting peace agreement.”
The respective Israeli and Palestinian leaders totally agreed of course. They are all for peace, and they all want peace, only they are not quite ready to do anything about it. Ms. Livni is for peace, and Mr Peres is for peace, but they are building settlements. Mr. Abbas promises peace too, but he is busy making a pact with Hamas to promote “resistance” and turn the guns of the Palestinians against Israel. They are not fooling anyone, are they?
The time has not yet come. The movement must become larger, much larger, and much more insistent. Politeness will give way to firmness and firmness to obstinacy. Polite videocasts in Davos must one day become mass demonstrations in Jerusalem and Ramallah, in Gaza and in Tel Aviv.
Like water on stone, determination and persistence must wear out the hard rock of extremism.
It won’t happen until we make it happen. Until then, we will only get more promises.
Ami Isseroff
Video footage:
A video-cast message from Nisreen Shaheen in Ramallah.
OneVoice Israeli and Palestinian activists mobilizing against extremism.
Adi Balderman from Tel Aviv
Saed Mashaal and Eran Schafferman, East Jerusalem