A Glimmer of Hope for the Middle East

Last year. Forum 2000 delegates supported a proposal to send a special envoy to the violence-stricken Middle East with the goal of bringing the hostile sides in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict back to the negotiating table. It was to happen on the level of civil society so as not to unnecessarily repeat the actions of political representatives. As it has turned out, there has not been much negotiating between any officials in the past twelve months. This merely highlights the need for people from both sides, even at the most fundamental level, to come together and talk about what continues to prevent them from reaching a peace agreement.

Therefore, it should be considered a real Forum 2000 success that a group of Israelis and Palestinians have done just that. Among them were Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi from the Palestinian Society for the Study of International Affairs in Jerusalem, and his compatriot Dr. Manuel Hassassian, executive vice-president of the University of Bethlehem. The Israeli side was represented by former head of the Office of Prime Minister, Gilead Sher, who took part in the ill-fated negotiations at Camp David more than a year ago. Current Foreign Minister and veteran of the Israeli peace camp, Shimon Peres, briefly attended the morning session.

Also present were Karel Schwarzenberg and Ivo Silhavy from the Office of the Czech President, who undertook the mission in September as Vaclav Havel's special envoys. The European Union was represented, too -Mr. Matti Wuori, a deputy of the European Parliament body for monitoring human rights around the world and member of the chamber's commission for foreign relations, came to assert the EU's genuine interest in resuming negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Chairing the roundtable discussions, which lasted for more than six hours, was H. R. H. Hassan bin Talal. By his side sat Forum 2000 representatives:
former South African president, Mr. Frederik Willem de Klerk, rabbi Albert Friedlander, and Students' Forum coordinator Ondrej Liska. After spending most of the day sequestered in the former presidential residence in the Castle's Royal Gardens (where the Forum 2000 Foundation is located these days), discussion participants informed the press of the results of their meeting.

The Need to Talk to Each Other
"We were able to have an open exchange of ideas with the intention of following it up through further contacts," said Prince Hassan. "In our difficult Middle East situation conversation is very necessary. We acknowledge the importance of a larger vision of human and resource development in the whole region and a deep respect for all cultures and religions as a context within which to address specifics of Israeli-Palestinian relations."

According to Prince Hassan, the group was keen to make a modest contribution to the goal of peace, and very much encouraged the political leadership and civil society organizations to create an atmosphere conducive to the resumption of meaningful dialogue.

Mr. De Klerk then shared his personal experience with South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which also dealt with mutual distrust:
"The lesson we have learned is that the only way peace can be achieved is when legitimate leaders talk to each other. I don't know of any peace which has been achieved anywhere in the world when people shout at each other or ignore each other, or between whom there is a wall of silence. Only when you talk - whether it is with your neighbor, between countries, or between movements - only when legitimate leaders talk to each other can you make a breakthrough. And only if you can achieve, as a starting point, a basic mutual trust in each other's commitment to a negotiated solution."