Yossi Beilin: The Prospects for Reviving the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

Yossi Beilin spoke with Meretz USA members at an intimate reception on November 8, 2006.  He addressed the current situation in Israel and questioned what can be done now to achieve peace, emphasizing the need for dialogue with Syria.  Below is a summary of the event.

Dr. Beilin focused much of his discussion on political situation in Israel’s neighboring countries.  Beginning with the Hamas government, he described the gridlock in which Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas have found themselves:  Abbas does not want to negotiate if he can’t count on having concrete results, such as the release of Palestinian prisoners, and Olmert is unlikely to release prisoners without the prior release of Gilad Shalit—but he refuses to negotiate with Hamas on the matter. (Note: Dr. Beilin spoke on the day that the IDF shelled a Beit Hanoun family.  Since then, the New York Times quoted Olmert as saying “He [Abbas] will be surprised when he will sit with me of how far we are prepared to go. I can offer him a lot.”)  Dr. Beilin also explained that feelings of hatred and the desire for revenge are rapidly growing under the current conditions, and suggested that Olmert and the international community allow money to the PalestinianTerritories, on the condition that Hamas agrees to stop violence against Israel.

Above all, Dr. Beilin stressed the necessity of negotiations with Syria, explaining that Israeli-Syrian peace would change the balance of power in the region by weakening Syria’s ties with Iran.  Lashing out at America’s policy of boycotting its enemies, he asked “who else do you make peace with?” and argued that America should not prevent Israel from talking to Syria (since the Democrats had taken over Congress in the previous day’s elections, Dr. Beilin expressed hope that this policy would change).  He maintained that President Assad’s requests for negotiations are sincere and stem from economic need.  Syria will soon run out of the oil reserves that have kept the country rich, and, when it does, it will need to have relations with the United States and the rest of the world. 

Dr. Beilin concluded by saying that the Meretz party must lead the way towards peace.  He noted that Israelis listen to Meretz, particularly after events like the second Lebanon war, and added that Israeli writer David Grossman, whose speech at Rabin’s memorial has generated responses all over the world, is a Meretz member.