23-11-2008
Israel:Peace activists take bold initiative
The Israeli Leftist organisation, Peace Now, has taken the daring move of advertising its support for the Saudi Arabian peace proposal in various Arabic language newspapers printed and distributed throughout the occupied territories. The peace plan in its essence calls for Israel to withdraw to its pre-1967 borders in exchange for normalisation of relations with the Arab and Islamic world.
Peace Now leader, Yariv Oppenheimer, stressed the need for peace activists to make sure that Palestinians were aware that there were still Israelis that are serious about peace and willing to make compromises. ‘We are not all settlers’ commented one member of the group.
Critics of the Saudi peace plan worry that Saudi Arabia, despite its position of prestige within the Arab and greater Islamic world, does not speak for all Muslims. Peace Now dismisses these concerns ‘The Saudi initiative is a milestone in itself and a great development: we should seize the opportunity to normalise our country’s existence’ one long-time activist argued. ‘The Ariel Sharon approach has not worked and with George Bush no longer President, it is hoped the new administration under Barack Obama will help us build this bridge’.
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