Geneva Initiative Conference at Kadima's Rishon Branch |
Geneva Initaitive hosted a discussion on "Come September: a political tsunami or our agreement?" Kadima MKs Shlomo Molla and Shai Hermesh, former PA minister Sufian Abu Zaida, and Brigadier General (Res.) Israel Oron, spoke about the series of speeches by Prime Minsiter Netanyahu and President Barack Obama that took place in May, as well as path ahead towards September.
The MKs called on Netanyahu to accept the principles laid out by President Obama last month and to enter negotiations based on 1967 borders with land swaps. The conference was opened by the head of Rishon's Kadima Party, who congratulated the Geneva Initiative on its activities and for organizing the event, adding: "Peace will look about the same as the Geneva Initiative." Gen. (Res.) Israel Oron, a Geneva Initiative representative, said: "In the early days, the Geneva Initiative was considered the radical left. Today I see a similarity between what Bibi says and what we say." She also suggeted that Geneva is a useful platform for an Israeli leader, which can be the basis for negotiations, in whole or in part. The problem, she noted, "is that most of us want peace but do not believe it's possible. There are dozens of excuses why not to make peace. I want to offer you a look at Geneva and see this thing possible. At the same time to separate the agreement and its application. We can reach an agreement with the Palestinians on final borders, Jerusalem and refugees, above all, security. All of this is in the Geneva Initiative. The application can be in stages." MK Shlomo Molla welcomed the Geneva Initiative and said: "Two years ago 95 percent of the solution to the conflict was agreed between Abbas and Tzipi Livni. The process did not explode or end because of a lack of a partner on either side but because of the election. The previous government had left a thick file on negotiations based Bush's letter, Annapolis, and the Roadmap. They talked about everything--Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements.... The previous government was not required to freeze settlements because Abbas knew it was serious about reaching an agreement."
Former Minister for Prisoner Affairs in the Palestinian Authority Sufian Abu Zaida came to represent the Palestinian position at the meeting: "Since Madrid we have been trying to find formulas to solve the conflict. Because much has changed since then, for example from the Israeli side there are more settlements and on the Palestinian side, more refugees, we are prepared to compromise with land swaps. One reason that delayed an agreement between Abbas and Olmert was Ariel--Olmert insisted it be part of Israel but the Palestinians have a problem because it is deep into Palestinian territory... The Palestinians problem is not the Jews who live in Ariel, but the area's location." Gen. (Res.) Israel Oron concluded the discussion by asking, "What's best for the State of Israel today? Israel's interest is the establishment of a Palestinian state. If there is no Palestinian state between Jordan and the sea soon there will be a Palestinian majority. If I am a Zionist and want to live in a Jewish and democratic state I have to be in favor of a Palestinian state, otherwise I've got two choices -- to live in a country that is not democratic, that is, Arabs have no right to vote, or alternatively, a country with no Jewish majority and which is controlled by Palestinians, who, with all due respect to my friend Sufian, I do not want to rule me." Following the conference speakers were several quotes in the media: Walla News "The Palestinian reconciliation agreement is positive for Israel," said Former Minister of Prisoner Affairs in the Palestinian Authority, Sufian Abu Zaida today (Sunday). Abu Zaida said at a meeting initiated by the Geneva Initiative with members of Kadima in Rishon Lezion, that "the main dispute between Fatah and Hamas is the composition of the government..." MK Shlomo Molla (Kadima) called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to accept the principles laid out by Obama and get back to negotiations on the basis of the '67 borders with land swaps. NRG Ma'ariv MK Shlomo Molla said at a meeting of the Geneva Initiative in cooperation with the Kadima party that "the Prime Minister should agree to the principles laid out by Obama and enter negotiations on the basis of 1967 borders with territorial exchange.
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