The end of Israel’s rule over the Palestinian
people and the establishment of a stable and prosperous Palestinian state
are not only in the Palestinians’ interest.
The end of the occupation will enable the two
peoples to live a normal life it will also solve the grave social problems
that have been pushed aside in both societies. The military victory of
1967 will turn into a disaster if we can’t convert the territorial gains
into mutual recognition and peace. Unless we withdraw from the occupied
lands there will be no peace or security here.
In this part of the world there are two borders
that are now recognized internationally and regionally: the international
border between us and the Arab states and the border of June 1967 between
Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians accept this border. Not only
that, they have shown a readiness to demilitarize the Palestinian state
in relation to heavy weapons, to recognize the annexation of the ring of
Israeli suburbs built in Jerusalem, and other changes in the 1967 border,
on the basis of a mutual agreement and lands swap. The concept of
sacredness of Jewish settlement in the territories prevents the possibility
of creating a viable Palestinian state. Some ten million Israelis
and Palestinians must not be held hostage by the settlements.
Barak’s government has not dismantled even one settlement. It has
invested even more than Netanyahu’s government in developing and strengthening
the settlements.
If this is not lack of honesty, it is a lack
of wisdom. Leaving the settlements in position and expanding them
prevents any possibility of drawing a sensible border between Israel and
Palestine. In fact, it means the conflict will go on forever.
We call upon the Israeli government to announce a freeze in its settlement policy and to recognize the border of June 4th 1967 as the basis for the border between Israel and Palestine. A mutually agreed upon exchange of land is the best way to solve the problem of borders. Most settlements will have to be evacuated. We call upon the Palestinian leadership to announce its readiness to settle the conflict not by violence but by negotiations aimed at peace and full coexistence.
FOR ALL OF OUR SAKES, RETURN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.
ARIE LOVA ELIAV SAMECH IZHAR AMOS OZ
ARIE ARNON A.B. YEHOSHOUA SAMI SAMOCHA
HAIM BE’ER MENI MOUNTNER ELI AMIR
DAN BAR ON RONIT MATALON DAVID (DAVE) KIMCHE
SHLOMO GAZIT MOSHE MAOZ NISSIM CALDERON
DAVID GROSSMAN YEHOSHOUA KENAZ EPHRAIM KLEIMAN
SHULAMIT VOLKOV ARIE NADLER MENACHEM KLEIN
NATHAN ZACH
EMANUEL SIVAN
AVIAD KLEINBERG