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| RECENT
ACTION |
| ADA
issues statement on Gaza disengagement |
On
August 15, 2005, Israel begins the disengagement
from Gaza. We applaud the courage and determination
of the Israeli Government, and fully understand
the hardships that settlers displaced from their
homes must endure. However, we must raise the alert
that the withdrawal will be positive and fruitful,
only if it serves as the beginning of peace negotiations
between the democratically elected representatives
of the Palestinian people and the State of Israel.
As was stated in a New York Times editorial on March
23, 2005, "Israel can't simply exchange Gaza
for more settlements in the West Bank. There is
no realistic substitute for a negotiated resolution
of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, and such a pact
will never happen without Israeli withdrawal of
most of its settlements."
We issue this alert as a group of concerned Jewish
and Arab Americans who have come together to work
for a just and durable peace amongst Israelis and
Palestinians in the Holy Land. As a group, we believe
that, despite the wide differences in their respective
interpretations of this vexing conflict, the interests
of the Israelis and the Palestinians have never
been more synchronous than they are today, and the
dangers of not achieving peace have never been more
grave for both peoples.
These are very critical times for the peace process
wherein the window of opportunity for effective
action is very narrow. If a just, equitable and
lasting two state solution to the conflict is not
reached in the very near future, the alternative
in the years ahead will be disastrous for both Israelis
and Palestinians. Perpetuation of violence and failure
to achieve a genuine peace will undermine the future
existence of Israel as a permanent democratic Jewish
state.
Failure to extend the Gaza disengagement into most
of the West Bank settlements, and failure to support
Mr. Abbas and the Palestinian Authority in building
the political, economic, and security infrastructure
of a potential contiguous, viable, and independent
Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, will
insure the demise of the two-state solution, and
the perpetuation of violence and suffering for both
peoples for decades to come.
We urge the U.S. Government to exercise its influence
on both the Israelis and Palestinians, in an even
handed manner, to achieve a negotiated settlement
while this window of opportunity is still open.
We recognize that the US Government will not exercise
this option without the prodding and support of
mainstream Jewish and Arab organizations in the
United States.
In addition, Congress should support rather than
obstruct aid to the Palestinians since building
up a strong democratic Palestinian Government is
in the best interest not only of the Palestinian
people but more important, in the interest of Israel
and the United States. |
| PAST
ACTION |
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| (back
to Action) |
|
ADA hosts
Hanan Ashrawi in Boston
ADA
begins 2004 with its first fundraiser
ADA
hosts Debra DeLee and Jim Zogby at Lesley University |
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| Palestinian
peace activist Hanan Ashrawi
speaks at ADA sponsored
event
Dr.
Hanan Ashrawi, longtime
advocate for peace between
Israelis and Palestinians,
spoke on May 5, 2004 at
the Cathedral of St. Paul's
in Boston. The talk, entitled
"The Context and
Imperatives of Peace"
was co-sponsored by the
ADA, the Episcopal Diocese
of Massachusetts, the
American Arab Anti Discrimination
Committee and Sabeel.
Dr.
Ashrawi is currently the
founder and Secretary
General of MIFTAH, the
Palestinian Initiative
for the Promotion of Global
Dialogue and Democracy.
For
more information, call
the ADA at 617.803.4455.
To
view the flyer for the
event, click here.
"Since
the essential requirement
for peace lies in sharing
the land of historical
Palestine, it follows
that there has to be a
shared legitimacy based
on parity and mutuality.
Neither side can (or should
be allowed to) destroy
the other physically,
emotionally or legally.
A full admission of equal
value to human lives and
rights must be internalized,
with no claims to superiority
on those most essential
human values and attributes;
A human and humanistic
strategic approach to
peace is by definition
one of integrated empowerment
rather than the strategems
of power politics or coercion
or military control."
-
Hanan Ashrawi, Sydney
Peace Prize Recipient,
November 5, 2003
(return
to top)
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| ADA
begins 2004 with Winter
Fundraiser |
|
Perhaps
more with the intention
of generating a buzz than
actually raising money,
the ADA held its first
fundraiser at the home
of Board Member Shukri
and his wife Randa Khuri
on January 11. By all
accounts, the event was
successful on both fronts,
securing financial stability
for the coming year's
operations while maintaining
an inspiring sense of
excitement for the ADA's
intentions. |
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The
program for the evening
featured ADA supporters
explaining their hopes
for what the group, with
its unified purpose and
makeup, has the ability
to do. Host Shukri Khuri
started it off with a
message of hope for the
New Year, explaining that
"what brings us together
is our common caring for
an incredibly serious
topic, and that we all
want to see peace and
security for both the
Palestinians and Israelis."
Co-Chair
Ron Goodman echoed the
sentiment, explaining
that "truly this
was the representation
of people being together
over a great sense of
urgency under the common
cause of peace and security.
It was powerful."
CMG
Executive Director Mike
Hager read a memo written
by Roger Fisher, CMG founder
and director of the Harvard
Negotiation Project, after
he addressed the ADA last
year. The statement showed
the urgency for a group
like the ADA; a portion
of it read:
"No
matter how clearly and
persuasively written,
it seems to me that a
couple of pages on the
Middle East would not
be enough to cause the
U.S. to 'change its mind'
and a adopt a new policy
toward Israel and Palestine.
What may well be needed
is an organized stimulant
that can work on a State
Department official, a
Senator, a Congressman,
or a business leader and
persuade them to take
a small step in the right
direction."
ADA
Executive Coordinator
Naseem Khuri jumped on
the momentum generated
by Fisher's assessment,
stressing the need for
involvement and participation
by as many people as possible.
"We are just now
becoming known. We feel
that there are so many
out there who would agree
if they just knew about
it. I urge you to tell
your friends, your neighbors,
your children and cousins."
Khuri
highlighted the group's
plans for the New Year,
adding to the overall
sense of optimism already
generated by a room full
of Arab and Jewish Americans
simply coming together
to not only talk, but
think about working together
in the future.
(return
to top) |
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Zogby
and DeLee Discuss Prospects for Peace and
Arab-Jewish Cooperation |
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Moderator
Amanda Rosseter with DeLee and Zogby |
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(CAMBRIDGE,
MA) In the context of a weary road map and continued
frustration towards the conflict, Debra DeLee,
President of Americans for Peace Now (APN),
and Jim Zogby, President and Founder of the
Arab American Institute (AAI), stressed that
now is the time for the Jewish and Arab American
communities to work together and take action
in an event hosted by the Diaspora Alliance
and sponsored by the Department of International
and Collaborative Programs at Lesley University
and Conflict Management Group.
|
| Entitled
"Beyond the Road Map: Positive Signs
from Arab and Jewish Americans About Peace
in the Middle East," the event took
place at Lesley University in front of an
audience of two hundred and was moderated
by New England Cable News anchor Amanda
Rosseter. The panelists each addressed the
crowd, then answered questions dealing with
the conflict itself, and what the American
Jewish and Arab communities can do to promote
an end to it.
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The
event highlighted differences between positions
of AAI and APN, but stressed how their similarities
were enough to unite the two groups in their support
of a formidable and effective peace process. Zogby
stressed the potential of such cooperation, as
evidenced by recent polls showing the similarities
between the views of the majority of Israelis
and Palestinians. |
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"Despite
the difficulties, pain and fear that exist
on both sides," he said. "When
you poll Arab Americans and American Jews
separately, you get numbers that look
like you're polling the same constituency
within the margin of error.
"'Do
you support an independent Palestinian
state?' Both sides agree, almost nine
out of ten. 'Do you support the right
of Israel to exist as an independent state?'
Both sides agree again, 95 percent of
Arab Americans, 99 percent of American
Jews. 'Should the United States be even-handed?'
Both sides largely agree." |
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Both
Zogby and DeLee applauded the Bush Administration's
initiative to begin a process with the Road
Map, but criticized it for its lack of sustained
involvement in promoting the plan.
"During
the month of August," DeLee said. "The
White House went on vacation. What was needed
was a highly visible, high-ranking, permanent
presence there representing the United States
with more monitors. It's like riding a bicycle.
If you stop peddling, it's not that you slow
down, but it stops, you fall over and in order
to start again you've got to pick up the bike
and start all over again."
Zogby,
while applauding the effort to engage in a process,
criticized how the Road Map was interpreted
to put more responsibility on one side. "The
entire process was made to rise and fall on
the ability of the Palestinians to perform,
to crack down, and by that point, the dismantling
of the Palestinian Authority at the hands of
the Israeli military had already taken place."
Other
issues discussed were those relating to the
role played by the American Christian Evangelical
community in the conflict, the future of the
two state solution in the context of an increasing
Arab population inside Israel, and suggestions
as to what the Bush Administration can do to
promote a process. All issues eventually tied
into the idea of American Arab-Jewish cooperation
and how, if well-structured and organized, it
can work for the positive.
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