| Choose an Conference |
|
The 03/02/2004 'Future of the Middle East', Brussels, March 2nd 2004 The 01/19/2004 In Upper Manhattan, Talmudic Scholars Look Up and Find Cardinals Among The 12/14/2003 Israeli's security fence The 10/25/2003 Medbridge Strategy center The 03/10/2003 Second European Encounter between Jews and Catholics The 12/15/2001 The Forgotten Exodus Find a conference |
 |
|
Middle East: tearing down the wall of misunderstanding
A few days after the seminar organised by the European Commission, several well-known political figures and a number of young representatives of Israeli civil society issued an appeal to Europe to play a more prominent role in promoting peace in the Middle East. They were speaking at a seminar held jointly on Tuesday by the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Israel and the European Jewish Congress.
In the view of most of the Israeli speakers, the feeling of unease being experienced by European Jews, who sense a resurgence of anti-semitism in Europe, is sometimes the result of mutual misunderstanding. "Israel is in a sense a mini-Europe", said the Israeli Ambassador to the EU, Oded ERAN. "We often face the same problems as you: new frontiers, neighbours with persistent conflicts, issues to do with immigration and the coexistence of numerous minorities".
According to François ZIMERAY (PES, F), "Europe today allows us to live in peace. But our young people cannot relate to this message as they do not know the risks of war. Young Israelis and Palestinians do not have this privilege of thinking about future issues". He then underlined what the Israeli-Arab conflict means to Europeans: "Our past comes back to the surface when we see the Middle East on television. Our gaze is a form of therapy, on the one hand in the light of Europe's responsibility for the Shoa, on the other because of our colonial debt."
Cristina GUTIERREZ-CORTINES (EPP-ED, E) saw in the Middle East conflict the emergence of a new symbolism for both Israel and Palestine: "On the one hand, Israel is perceived as pro-American and conservative. On the other hand, Palestine has become a progressive symbol. To support the Israeli position, one needs to have courage. In supporting the Palestinians, one feels one is defending a good cause", she said.
Jan DHAENE (PES, NL) just back from a visit to the region, first of all expressed his "horror" at the construction of the security wall: "As long as we find no solution to the spread of the settlements and the occupation of Palestinian territories, Europe will not be able to help find a solution as these issues are an obstacle to peace". He believed that the Geneva accords signed by civil society representatives last December provided "the only glimmer of hope".
Speaking on behalf of the Jordanian Embassy, Leena Al-HADID stated that Islam did not encourage terrorism. "We must give priority to dialogue. Education must promote peace. No- one likes anti-semitism. And no-one wants hatred or rancour."
Knesset Member Yuri SHTERN, accusing Yasser Arafat of being a "terrorist", criticised the European Union, which he said did not condemn Palestinian terrorism strongly enough.
"I am tired of being afraid"
The audience then heard speeches by several young representatives of Israeli civil society. According to the Chair of the World Union of Jewish Students, Peleg RESHEF, it was essential to pursue dialogue between young people: "It is difficult for a young European to understand the complexity of Israeli society. At the same time, Israel must also learn more about European diversity". Dan DUBINER, Chair of the Young Israeli Forum for Cooperation, highlighted the importance of an intercultural dialogue, both between Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe and between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. He then called on the EU to allow young Israelis and Palestinians to take part in the Erasmus educational exchange programme, which would foster "better understanding and greater mutual tolerance".
Nathalie NARCYZ, an Israeli student, voiced her "frustration" at the image of Israel in the European media, saying "I have the impression that people are not well informed about the realities we face every day". Elinor KAFTORY, also a student, then described the state of mind of young Israelis who live in daily fear of fresh attacks: "I am tired of being afraid. And I am afraid all the time", she said.
Winding up, Avraham BURG, former Speaker of the Knesset, said that thanks to the Geneva accords, civil society had "reintroduced an optimistic alternative" to violence. He referred to mistakes made when the Oslo accords were concluded: "At the time, the two sides did not devote enough attention to the needs of civil society, to enable it to manage this new reality of peace". The consequence had been "an inevitable collision between the construction of Israeli settlements on the one hand and a culture of hatred maintained by the Palestinians on the other". To break this vicious circle, Mr BURG urged both sides to "respect the sacrosanct elements" of the other, whilst being "sensitive to the pain felt by the other".
Mr BURG went on "If there is a positive element that the Palestinians have been able to draw from the Israeli occupation, it is that they are ready for democratic political organisation". Addressing the Europeans who accused the two sides of a lack of dialogue, he called on them to "swallow their pride" and to "speak to the Americans". Lastly, Mr BURG touched on the role of religion in politics. "Ladies and gentlemen. God has come back in the 21st Century!" he exclaimed. "The more we neglect the religious dimension of the Israeli-Arab conflict, the less we will be able to resolve it by political means".
By Joëlle Fiss
Press Service
European Parliament
Tel: +32 2 284 10 75
e-mail : foreign-press@europarl.eu.int
For any further information, please contact: Manuel Seiffe; European Jewish Congress; 78, Ave des Champs Elysées; Paris 75008; Tel: +33 1 4359 9463; Fax: +33 1 4225 4528;e-mail : jewcong@wanadoo.fr
A few days after the seminar organised by the European Commission, several well-known political figures and a number of young representatives of Israeli civil society issued an appeal to Europe to play a more prominent role in promoting peace in the Middle East. They were speaking at a seminar held jointly on Tuesday by the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Israel and the European Jewish Congress.
In the view of most of the Israeli speakers, the feeling of unease being experienced by European Jews, who sense a resurgence of anti-semitism in Europe, is sometimes the result of mutual misunderstanding. "Israel is in a sense a mini-Europe", said the Israeli Ambassador to the EU, Oded ERAN. "We often face the same problems as you: new frontiers, neighbours with persistent conflicts, issues to do with immigration and the coexistence of numerous minorities".
According to François ZIMERAY (PES, F), "Europe today allows us to live in peace. But our young people cannot relate to this message as they do not know the risks of war. Young Israelis and Palestinians do not have this privilege of thinking about future issues". He then underlined what the Israeli-Arab conflict means to Europeans: "Our past comes back to the surface when we see the Middle East on television. Our gaze is a form of therapy, on the one hand in the light of Europe's responsibility for the Shoa, on the other because of our colonial debt."
Cristina GUTIERREZ-CORTINES (EPP-ED, E) saw in the Middle East conflict the emergence of a new symbolism for both Israel and Palestine: "On the one hand, Israel is perceived as pro-American and conservative. On the other hand, Palestine has become a progressive symbol. To support the Israeli position, one needs to have courage. In supporting the Palestinians, one feels one is defending a good cause", she said.
Jan DHAENE (PES, NL) just back from a visit to the region, first of all expressed his "horror" at the construction of the security wall: "As long as we find no solution to the spread of the settlements and the occupation of Palestinian territories, Europe will not be able to help find a solution as these issues are an obstacle to peace". He believed that the Geneva accords signed by civil society representatives last December provided "the only glimmer of hope".
Speaking on behalf of the Jordanian Embassy, Leena Al-HADID stated that Islam did not encourage terrorism. "We must give priority to dialogue. Education must promote peace. No- one likes anti-semitism. And no-one wants hatred or rancour."
Knesset Member Yuri SHTERN, accusing Yasser Arafat of being a "terrorist", criticised the European Union, which he said did not condemn Palestinian terrorism strongly enough.
"I am tired of being afraid"
The audience then heard speeches by several young representatives of Israeli civil society. According to the Chair of the World Union of Jewish Students, Peleg RESHEF, it was essential to pursue dialogue between young people: "It is difficult for a young European to understand the complexity of Israeli society. At the same time, Israel must also learn more about European diversity". Dan DUBINER, Chair of the Young Israeli Forum for Cooperation, highlighted the importance of an intercultural dialogue, both between Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe and between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. He then called on the EU to allow young Israelis and Palestinians to take part in the Erasmus educational exchange programme, which would foster "better understanding and greater mutual tolerance".
Nathalie NARCYZ, an Israeli student, voiced her "frustration" at the image of Israel in the European media, saying "I have the impression that people are not well informed about the realities we face every day". Elinor KAFTORY, also a student, then described the state of mind of young Israelis who live in daily fear of fresh attacks: "I am tired of being afraid. And I am afraid all the time", she said.
Winding up, Avraham BURG, former Speaker of the Knesset, said that thanks to the Geneva accords, civil society had "reintroduced an optimistic alternative" to violence. He referred to mistakes made when the Oslo accords were concluded: "At the time, the two sides did not devote enough attention to the needs of civil society, to enable it to manage this new reality of peace". The consequence had been "an inevitable collision between the construction of Israeli settlements on the one hand and a culture of hatred maintained by the Palestinians on the other". To break this vicious circle, Mr BURG urged both sides to "respect the sacrosanct elements" of the other, whilst being "sensitive to the pain felt by the other".
Mr BURG went on "If there is a positive element that the Palestinians have been able to draw from the Israeli occupation, it is that they are ready for democratic political organisation". Addressing the Europeans who accused the two sides of a lack of dialogue, he called on them to "swallow their pride" and to "speak to the Americans". Lastly, Mr BURG touched on the role of religion in politics. "Ladies and gentlemen. God has come back in the 21st Century!" he exclaimed. "The more we neglect the religious dimension of the Israeli-Arab conflict, the less we will be able to resolve it by political means".
By Joëlle Fiss
Press Service
European Parliament
Tel: +32 2 284 10 75
e-mail : foreign-press@europarl.eu.int
For any further information, please contact: Manuel Seiffe; European Jewish Congress; 78, Ave des Champs Elysées; Paris 75008; Tel: +33 1 4359 9463; Fax: +33 1 4225 4528;e-mail : jewcong@wanadoo.fr