On the evening of Sunday, May 26th, Geneva Initiative held a gathering for community leaders in the northern town of Ma'alot-Tarshiha.

Ma'alot Mayor Shlomo Buchbut delivered the opening statements, greeting the approximately 80 people in attendance, many of them members of the municipality.

Next, GI signatory Col. (Res.) Shaul Arieli lectured central issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Next, the audience heard a panel discussion with former Palestinian minister for prisoner affairs, Sufian Abu Zaydeh, GI co-architect MK Yossi Beilin, MK Danny Yatom (Labor), and Mayor Buchbut.

Mr. Abu Zaydeh told participants that the Palestinians would support Israeli-Syrian negotiations. "Such negotiations," he said, "would not sabotage the negotiations with us, but rather greatly aid them. Any successful negotiations would improve inter-relations in the region."

During the discussion, MK Beilin said, "If there will be no peace by the end of 2008, there is no reason for there to be peace during 2009. An opportunity for a leader such as Abbas will not repeat itself for Israel. Israel's conflict with the German's cannot be equated with its conflict with the Palestinians, yet, Israel established relations with the Germans as early as 1952—so in practice, every conflict can be solved."

MK Yatom said that just as Israel was unable in Lebanon to stop the Katyushas with military force, a military operation would similarly not be enough to solve the situation in Gaza. "We must work towards a ceasefire."