Daniel Lubetzky

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“We must think differently, look at things in a different way.
Peace requires a world of new concepts, new definitions.”
-Yitzhak Rabin

Two painfully poignant articles came across my email box indicating the resentment Palestinians have towards President Abbas for participating in a peace conference in Israel amidst the war with Hamas in Gaza, and Hamas’s fury that Abbas has not done more to support them.

It is true that Abbas is stuck in between, and weakened by, violent extremism on both sides – from the kidnapping and murder of there Israeli teenagers, to the live burning of the Palestinian teenager in Shuafat – and that he can exert little influence on, or neutralize, either the extremists from Hamas or the extremist Israelis from Habait Hayehudi who fan the flames of hatred and seek to annex the West Bank.

But that is only part of the analysis. The true losers from all of this are ALL OF US. Every Israeli, Palestinian and international citizen is worse off, whether they realize it (as moderates do) or they don’t (as some extremists may think).

This is a wake up call to all of us.

These articles provide further proof – as if any was actually needed- to the Jews and Israelis and Westerners who have been brainwashed to think that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is an extremist (!) or a ‘terrorist’ (!) by hateful edicts from Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon to Economic Minister Naftali Bennett, to even Netanyahu on some occasions – that President Abbas is the strongest partner for peace and non-violent means to achieve it, equal in those values and temperament to President Shimon Peres, as the departing statesman has said himself.

And unless moderates on all sides stand up to seize back the agenda for conflict resolution and buttress the heroic moderate leaders who show strength in their courage and principled determination to pursue a two state solution through non violent means and through acknowledgment of the other, as Abbas has, and as Olmert had, and as Tzipi Livni and Isaac Herzog have courageously and selflessly and steadfastly done also, all of us will share the blame for the Balkanization and Lebanonization of the Holy Land.

Time we wake up and mobilize.

This article from David Horovitz is worth reading to remind us of the essence of the problem with Hamas. Horovitz has written equally compelling articles highlighting why President Abbas is heroic and worthy of support by the International community, and that it is a travesty that Netanyahu has weakened Abbas and strengthened Hamas. This article – and Horovitz – does not condone the occupation. That must end and Palestinians deserve a State with freedom, equality and mutual respect and recognition with Israel. But none of that would quell Hamas’s thirst to destroy all of Israel.

This piece about Shimon Peres made me shed many tears – what a historic and beautiful figure.

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“Whichever way this case ultimately ends, it is a great tragedy for Israel and for the worldwide Jewish community, whenever a beloved and distinguished figure is convicted and sentences for a crime. Ehud Olmert, though controversial among right-wing Jews in America, is a respected and beloved figure throughout the Jewish world. I am sure I speak for many when I express sadness regarding his conviction and sentence. I am sure I also speak for many when I express confidence in the Supreme Court of Israel and its long and distinguished record of applying the rule of law with compassion and equality to all of its citizens, regardless of rank.”

–Alan M. Dershowitz on Ehud Olmert’s sentencing

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Kol hakavod to David Broza on his wonderful work to bridge the divide between Palestinians and Israelis! Read the full New York Times piece after the jump.

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On Sunday, the Knesset Caucus for Ending the Israeli-Arab conflict, which OneVoice Israel was instrumental in establishing, brought over 300 Israeli students to Ramallah  for a personal and candid meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The landmark discussion underscored that the centrist majority of Israelis and Palestinian supports an agreement on the core issues that is in the mutual interests of both sides. I’m so proud of the OVI team’s efforts. Read the New York Times coverage of the event after the jump. 

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Julianna Storch

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“My many years of involvement in the peace process teach me that the approaching decision is unlike previous ones. This is a watershed moment after which Israel will face a completely different situation – one which will be governed by new realities much less favorable than those Israel faces today. If Kerry’s mission fails, Israel will miss a historic window of opportunity to achieve an agreement that is optimal from its viewpoint. In the future, Israel may be forced to accept a bad agreement or live without an agreement, thereby compromising its Jewish or democratic character.”

- S. Daniel Abraham, Haaretz, Kerry Can Survive Failure, but Can Israel?

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The secret to Jewish survival has been a thoughtful balance of flexibility and rigidity – flexigidity, according to Gidi Grinstein, author of Flexigidity: The Secret of Jewish Adaptability. Grinstein encourages Jews in Israel and abroad to think critically about how the flexigidity approach can remedy problems facing their respective communities.