middle east peace initiative - european component

The hope of all ages is a unified world of peace

Building a global culture of heart and a world of lasting peace.

Middle East Peace Initiative(MEPI) 2007 Report.

76% of Israelis and Palestinians favor a two-state solution

Joint Israeli & Palestinian Public Opinion

The OneVoice poll of 23,000 Palestinians and 17,000 Israelis as reported in AP and Ha’aretz found that 76% on each side endorsed the two-state concept - a Palestinian state existing beside a Jewish state, "each recognizing the other as such, both democratic and respecting human rights, including minority rights."

Sources: Associated Press and Ha’aretz, May 2004.

European MEPI Activity 2006-7• March 11 - 17• May 15 - 24• August 21 - 25 • October 20 – 25 • November 12 - 17 • December 4 – 9• January 11 – 16 • February 9 – 14• April 10 - 15• Next MEPI dates • June 22 - 27• August 24 - 29

• MEPI has had 30 visits since 2002

MEPI Strategy• Projects for Peace

Promote constructive dialogue, service and reconciliation activities: Continue to support them from Europe.

• Prospects for Peace – hearing both sides.Neutral, balanced approach

• Bring Ambassadors For Peace from the World to the Region to be involved in this world level problem.

Projects for Peace

• Bereaved Family Forum• Yair Dalal – charity concert• Al-Tariq Youth Democracy

Education NGO• One Voice• Saving Lives Medical

project• Martin Luther King III• Interfaith Dialogue• Bridge of Peace

Rami Elhanen and Ibrahim Khalil

Bereaved Family Forum

Projects for Peace - Concert to Support Bereaved Families Forum

Concert to Support The Bereaved

Families Forum

Yair Dalal

Al- Tariq ‘The Way’ Palestinian Youth

Democracy Education NGO

November - Olivier Sayardi (France) meets Former Knesset Member Moshe Raz

‘All For Peace’ Radio

Dr. Peter Patel

• Saving Lives Medical Aid Agency

• Proposed Three Medical Centres Hebron, Nablus and Nazareth

Without MEPI introducing his organisation to the opinion leaders who are willing to make a difference it could not have happened. “MEPI has opened doors which we would not have been able to open”

Saving Lives Planning Meeting

European MEPI delegates visit to Caritas Baby Hospital Bethlehem June 2007

Visit to Gaza May 2005Computer Training

Centre

Play Football Make Peace

Martin Luther King III Non Violent Approach to Reduce Tensions

Hon. Walter Fauntroy Ex-Congressman

Marched with Rev Martin Luther King Jr

Inter-religious Dialogue

Bridge of Peace - Sisterhood

Prospects for Peace

• 1st Day Palestinian View• 2nd Day Israeli View• 3rd Day Sightseeing, Appointments and

Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum• 4th Day Sightseeing or UN OCHA

Recognizing the Two Narratives

The Palestinian Narrative:

• Fear of Dispossession / 20th Century Jewish Immigration• Nakba of 1948• The 40-year Occupation (West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem)• Spiritual connection to the Holy Land

The Jewish Narrative:

• History of Jewish Persecution• Holocaust• Israel as Jewish ‘Safe Haven’• Spiritual connection to the Holy Land

1st Day Activities Continued

PASSIA – Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs

Dr Hadi Abdul Mahdi

Meeting with Dr. Emil Jarjoui & Mayors of Beit Sahour, Beit Jala and Bethlehem

Daehashie Palestinian Refugee Camp, Bethlehem

Dr. Pietre Beelaerts von Blokland

Former Minister of Housing the Netherlands

Meeting Prisoner’s Relatives

Meeting Pres. Mahmoud Abbas

Meeting Dr. Saeb ErekatChief Negotiator Palestinian Authority

UN Office of Civil and Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Second Day Israeli ViewDavid Hacham

Arab Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Defence

General Dani Yatom MK: Deputy Leader of Labour Party, ex Chief of Mossad.

Israeli View

Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum

Meeting former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak

Prospects for Peace Session

Dr Jonathan Spyer: Herzylia Institute Former foreign press spokesperson in the office of the Prime Minister and Kamal Nawash US Palestinian

Nadia Hillou MK speaking at the Tel Aviv Conference

Prof. Moshe Amirav & Senator Alain Destexhe, Former International Sec Gen of Medicines Sans Frontiers

October MEPI - Willem Van Eekelen former Dutch Minister of Defence, Ehud Yaari Israel TV 2

An Israeli ViewAchiva Eldar Senior Columnist - Haaretz Newspaper

November MEPICeline Fremault MP (Belgium)

They were very concerned for communal peace in Belgium after July-August war.

Mayor Herve Doyan (Belgium)

Walid Sadik former Knesset Member and Deputy Speaker

Visit to UK

Bishop Riah Abu El Assal

'There was no agenda to persuade me either way. The program was very balanced and allowed me to meet and talk with a range of people involved in the conflict. The program was an eye opener and I am very grateful to UPF for taking me and showing me the situation firsthand.'

  'It was a fantastic opportunity to do something I had long wanted to do. I had access to people from the very top and those at the grassroots. I was able to see the conflict through their eyes.'

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill, of Watford UK