Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 17, 2007 Tevet 8, 5768 | | Israel Time: 15:20 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 05:42 16/12/2007
Planned Madrid peace gathering collapses before even taking off
By Yoav Stern
Tags: peace talks, Israel 

MADRID - An investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars, loads of time and countless attempts at intensive Spanish-brokered talks between Israelis and Palestinians went down the drain this past weekend, when a peace gathering that was supposed to be held here collapsed before it could even get started. Spanish organizers grew tearful as they realized there was no possibility of bridging gaps between the various groups and of reaching even minimal discussion among the hawks - mostly members of the leftist camp in their countries.

The Forum for a Just Peace in the Middle East was supposed to convene over the weekend in a town near Madrid called Alcorcon, with the backing of leftist parties and labor organizations. It was meant to be Spain's contribution to promoting talks between the sides.

S
Advertisement
pain, officials emphasize, is very interested in being involved in advancing the peace process. Its foreign minister, Miguel Moratinos, who is handling the matter personally, said this week: "We managed to send men to the moon, but not to resolve this conflict. We must move forward." But it looks like the failure of this forum will be laid at his door. The background to this failure involves a struggle between the government and leftist organizations over responsibility for holding the meeting.

Contrary to the usual Mideast scenario, this time the camps did not divide along national lines. There were Israeli Jews and Palestinians in both, but ones who hold completely different positions. The conflict between the camps revolves around the question of a worthy end to the conflict: a two-state solution or one state for two peoples.

In Israeli political terms, representatives of the Zionist center and left faced off against radical leftist activists, who were horrified at the prospect of having to talk to those they view as "representatives of the occupation." Yael Lerer, founder of Andalus Publishing and an activist in the Balad party, who was invited to address the forum, told Haaretz that she views the people from Peace Now and the Labor Party as another arm of the occupation, and therefore unacceptable for dialog.

"It is a huge problem when the heads of the organization do reserve duty in the territories and belong to [Labor Party leader Ehud] Barak's camp and then come to Europe and present themselves as belonging to the peace camp. This is not a camp that wants a just and genuine peace," she said.

Delegates from the Zionist left said Saturday that they do not rule out talking with anyone on the other side.

The Palestinian side also divided into two groups: those who boycotted the Israeli presence at the forum and were busy throughout with internal discussions; and those in the mainstream, who are willing to talk to delegates from Zionist parties to advance the establishment of a Palestinian state.

In lieu of the forum schedule, the latter went on tours of Madrid along with their Israeli colleagues.

Israeli Arabs played a key role in the Palestinian camp, spearheading opposition to the official Israeli and Spanish involvement. Amir Mahoul, general secretary of Ittijah, the umbrella organization of Arab civil groups in Israel, led the fight against turning the forum into an establishment affair. He called for an end to the influence of Israel and the Zionist lobby in Europe and the world.

Abd Anabtawi, spokesman for the Israeli Arabs' Higher Monitoring Committee, accused Israel's Foreign Ministry of sabotaging the event. According to Anabtawi, if the various United Nations resolutions do not constitute the basis for peace, there will be only one solution: establishing a secular democratic state in all of Palestine. He rejected the claim that making peace requires negotiating with centrists in Israeli and Palestinian societies.

Acknowledging that this forum lacked any force to impact the situation in the Middle East, Anabtawi blamed Israel for the lost chance to enlist more European support for the Palestinians. "Israel must not force its position on us and on civil society in Spain. The forum was liquidated, murdered in fact, by Israel," he said.

Related articles:
  • EU pledges to back any Israeli-Palestinian peace deal with aid
  • Syrian official in Madrid calls for fresh negotiations with Israel
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us
    No rights
    The gov't won't grant rights to Palestinians west of fence, according to a report.
    Right to a child
    The Welfare Min. is launching a policy that would allow single-sex families to adopt.
      1.   Monty Pythonesque 06:02  |  Robert Daniel Pickar 16/12/07
      2.   Secular democratic state? Sure, no problem 07:47  |  Stephen in New York 16/12/07
      3.   Forum lacked force 08:06  |  Wade 16/12/07
      4.   Robert Daniel Pickar -- Exactly. This is Hilarious! 08:32  |  Gina 16/12/07
      5.   Stephen # 2 08:45  |  Uri 16/12/07
      6.   another idiots convention collapses 08:47  |  victor hardman 16/12/07
      7.   Glad it wasn`t US funds wasted this time! 09:17  |  Gina 16/12/07
      8.   To Yael Lehrer: Don`t put ideology before common-sense 09:47  |  AA 16/12/07
      9.   Very misleading article 09:52  |  Eyal 16/12/07
      10.   Why was the core issue of the Boycott not in Article? 10:12  |  Eyal 16/12/07
      11.   Spanish trip 10:44  |  Colin 16/12/07
      12.   One state is more just, two states more humane, less bloody 11:16  |  Ivar 16/12/07
      13.   No wonder the gathering has failed 11:21  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      14.   3. Wade: Forum lacked force 11:24  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      15.   4. Gina 11:26  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      16.   #9 Eyal 13:07  |  Sarah 16/12/07
      17.   THOSE WHO DIVIDE HOLYLAND WILL BE DIVIDED,PIECE BY PIECE BY PIECE 13:34  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 16/12/07
      18.   It`s a two way street 14:18  |  Motic 16/12/07
      19.   Spain, another `win` for terrorists! 14:36  |  Petra 16/12/07
      20.   The Reference Document of the Forum for a Just Peace 14:48  |  Eyal 16/12/07
      21.   To Sarah #16 15:11  |  Eyal 16/12/07
      22.   Eyal 16:46  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      23.   Onevoice 17:03  |  bystander 16/12/07
      24.   Klaudia`s Diner... Today`s Special ...Pate of Dove 17:05  |  Klaudia 16/12/07
      25.   Eyal (2nd try) 17:15  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      26.   Eyal (2nd try) 17:16  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      27.   #21 Eyal 17:30  |  Sarah 16/12/07
      28.   KUTW -- thanks for the pertinent info 18:25  |  Gina 16/12/07
      29.   KUTW 18:29  |  Gina 16/12/07
      30.   Gina 18:59  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      31.   Eyal (3rd try) 19:12  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      32.   Yuval and Gina 19:44  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      33.   Eyal 19:57  |  KUTW 16/12/07
      34.   2nd Try,These clowns! No wonder Mishal said that Palestinians 21:12  |  lakshmi 16/12/07
      35.   The single "secular" state - no sense of history 21:17  |  Jan 16/12/07
      36.   #27 Sarah 21:29  |  Eyal 16/12/07
      37.   KUTW 22:04  |  Gina 16/12/07
      38.   37Gina 00:10  |  KUTW 17/12/07
     Today Online
    Ron Breiman: Greater Israel - Not Peace Now but Zionism Now
    Responses: 55
    Moshe Arens: The IDF must move into Gaza to curb Qassams
    Responses: 35
    Editorial: Replacing Beilin, brave weakling who shifted the map
    Responses: 20
    Cabinet okay for controversial Temple Mount excavation
    Responses: 22
    U.S. weighs helping Egypt block arms smuggling to Gaza
    Responses: 36
    Israeli study - one of year's 50 top scientific breakthroughs
    Responses: 43
    Rosner's Domain
    Without the Reform movement in Israel, there's no Reform movement
    Guest: Americans say there's no need nor point in creating Palestinian state
    So, Should American Jews have a voice in shaping Israel's policies?
    Fewer Israelis say peace personally important (What to Read)


    More Headlines
    15:18 Barak pledges to spend NIS 320 million on reinforcing south
    14:21 FM: Israel is committed to creating Palestinian state
    14:40 'Hava Nagila' enters race for Christmas No. 1 in Britain
    15:17 Galilee militant gets life term for kidnap-murder of IDF soldier
    11:31 U.S. weighs plan to help Egypt block arms smuggling to Gaza
    13:24 Russia sends first shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran power plant
    13:03 IDF soldier arrested for dealing drugs to hundreds of Haifa teens
    13:29 Hamas: Advanced defense plan ready for when IDF enters Gaza
    14:34 Human Rights Watch urges U.S., EU to condition Jordan funding
    10:06 Jihad: Shalit looked wounded when abducted, witness says
    11:24 Ministers okay bill to compensate families of murder victims
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Inbal Jerusalem Hotel
    Unbeatable rates at the Finest hotel in Jerusalem
    Invest in Macedonia
    New Business Heaven in Europe
    Long-term Israel programs
    MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants.
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Dead Sea Salt
    Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off!
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt.
    Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel
    Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !
    Home| TV| Print Edition| Diplomacy| Opinion| Arts & Leisure| Sports| Jewish World| Underground| Site rules|
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved