Ppc newsletter 2011

PALESTINAN PEACE COALITION

GENEVA INITIATIVE

NEWSLETTER 2011

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PALESTINAN PEACE COALITIONGENEVA INITIAVE

Dear friends,This newsletter includes briefings of our activities during the first half of year 2011. The PPC’s activities aim to influence decision-makers, opinion leaders and the wide audience in Palestine as well as the international key stake-holders towards reaching a comprehensive and a just solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The solution that we seek is a two-state solution here the two nations are guaranteed to live side by side in peace.

We are working on achieving this goal through the expansion of international support of reaching a peaceful agreement and settlement for the conflict – a settlement that is in agreement with the UN resolutions.

Based on our belief that the Palestinian reconciliation is vital for any further progress in the Peace Process, we have created a platform for debaters from all political parties, civil community bodies, syndicates and various social movements in order to achieve Palestinian reconciliation.

Thanks to the generous support of our partners we will be able to work for achieving our goals of promoting a culture of peace, dialogue and non-violence within the Palestinian society.

Sincerely,The Palestinian Peace Coalition

Geneva Initiative

«Stressing the Importance of Media’s Role in the Arab Political Movement ».

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC) hosted a political seminar on March 23rd, 2011, in Ramallah. During the seminar, the participants emphasized the significance of the media’s role and impact on the uprisings and mass protests taking place in the Arab World. The participants discussed the role of the new media, e.g. Facebook and Twitter, and their widespread usage among youth groups and movements, and the effect they have on the success of such movements.

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«The Arab World’s Changes and their Effect on the Palestinians»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) hosted a conference in Gaza City, on April 20th, 2011. The subject of the conference dealt with the recent changes in the Arab world and their potential effect on the Palestinian territory.

«The Reconciliation and the Prisoners»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition hosted a political seminar in cooperation with Tubas municipality, on May 15th, 2011. The seminar focused on the Palestinian Reconciliation and its impact on Palestinian prisoners.

«The Palestinian Youth and Reconciliation»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition hosted a conference in Gaza, On May, 23rd, 2011. The conference’s main topic was the role of youth in making reconciliation possible. The participants called for creating the appropriate environment for ending the division and for establishing reconciliation.

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»The Situation in the Jordan Valley “Al Aghwar”

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) organized a political meeting at the local council’s hall in E’in Al-Bayda, Tubas, Northern Valleys. The meeting was held in cooperation with the Palestinian Prisoners Club on the 44th anniversary of 1967 occupation of the Palestinian Territory. The meeting highlighted the importance of the Jordan Valley for the future of the Palestinian state.

« No to split, yes to reconciliation»

On March 15th, Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) launched the initiative of «No to split, yes to reconciliation» in Ramallah. The initiative came as part of a campaign by Palestinian youth that called for ending the split.

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«Emphasizing the Role of Youth in the Political Process»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) hosted a seminar on “Emphasizing the Role of Youth in the Political Process”. The activity took place on April 23rd, in Ramallah city. The seminar discussed the current developments in the Arab World and in Palestine. The seminar concluded with the participants’ call to unifying the efforts towards achieving unity and ending the division. They stressed the need for cultivating various efforts in order to develop youth participation in creating and advancing change.

«Role of New Media in Setting Political Agenda»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) hosted a workshop on May 11th, 2011 in Bethlehem. The workshop was organized in cooperation with the Palestinian Bible Society in Bethlehem. During the workshop, the participants stressed the importance of the media in shaping public opinion and setting political agenda.

«Non-violence and Peaceful Resistance»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) convened a workshop titled «Non-violence and Peaceful Resistance» on March, 13th, 2011 in Ramallah. The participants stressed the importance of having a united body for non-violent resistance in view of the preferred examples of Ni’lin and Bil’in that resist the Israeli occupation through use of peaceful and non-violent means.

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Palestinian Youth calls for an active role

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) hosted a workshop of «Youth Debate» in Gaza city on April 9th, 2011. The workshop was attended by a large number of young men and women. The event was held in coordination with Olof Palme International Institute (OPIC) and aimed to empower youth and increase their political participation. They called for more activities, youth initiatives, workshops and debate sessions among youth groups.

«The Role of Youth in Making Change»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) hosted a workshop on «Youth’s Role in Creating Change” in Hebron, on April, 12th, 2011. A group of youth activists attended the workshop. The participants stressed the importance of promoting the role of youth in decision-making within their own societies and communities.

«The Media and its Role in making change… Recent Changes in the

Arab World and their Reflection on the Palestinian Issue»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) convened a seminar for a group of media specialists in Bethlehem, on April, 28th, 2011. The seminar focused on the role the media plays in shaping the public opinion and setting political agenda. The participants emphasized the role of new media and social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, in building the bridges of communication and in rapidly spreading information, an issue which can be used in promoting peace.

«Young Leaders Call for Protecting the end of split Agreement”

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI), in corporation with Olof Palme International Institute (OPIC), organized a political seminar in Gaza titled «The Role of Youth Movements and frameworks after the Reconciliation Agreement». The workshop came as part of the continuous effort to promote the youth political participation, as well as empowerment of women.

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PALESTINAN PEACE COALITIONGENEVA INITIAVE «The Palestinian Statehood Bid at the UN»

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) convened a workshop on June 9th, 2011 in Gaza. The workshop was organized in cooperation with the Olof Palme International Institute. The participants discussed the September bid for statehood and the expected difficulties and obstacles ahead.

Impact of the Arab Spring on PalestineThe Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) organized a workshop on the impact of the Arab Spring on Palestine ,on June 13th, 2011. The workshop took place at the Children’s House in Hebron. The participants focused mainly on the peaceful means used by the Arab youth to achieve their objectives of freedom, considering such means as the optimal nowadays, as also proven by Bil’in example of non-violent resistance. Further, the participants discussed the recent changes in the Arab World specifically highlighting the role of youth in actually making these changes.

During the first half of 2011, more than 140 news articles were published on the PPC’s activities. Such articles were published on the newspapers pages, internet media outlets and TV.

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Joint Seminars

Joint Workshop for Russian Speaking Israeli Position-holders and Journalists and their Palestinian Counterparts

On February 10, the Geneva Initiative hosted a joint Israeli-Palestinian workshop for Russian speaking Israeli position-holders and journalists and their Palestinian counterparts. The Israeli-Palestinian dialogue workshop, entitled «Talking Peace,» was held at the Ambassador Hotel in Jerusalem. The day opened with a discussion on «The Political Context.» After lunch, David Edelman facilitated a working group session on «Israel and the Palestinians: Decision Time. Prospects and Perils of the Peace Process.»

Seminar in Rome for Leading Palestinian and Israeli Women

March 2-5, 2011 The Geneva Initiative hosted a seminar in Rome for leading Palestinian and Israeli women in cooperation with the Italian Center for Middle East Peace (CIPMO).The event, which brought together leading Palestinian and Israeli woman for four days of discussions, opened with remarks by a representative of the Province of Rome and of the Analysis and Planning Unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nidal Foqaha and Gadi Baltiansky, Directors General of the Geneva Initiative in Ramallah and Tel Aviv respectively, also spoke during the opening session which was chaired by Janiki Cingoli, Director of the Italian Center for Peace in the Middle

East (CIPMO).

GI Seminar on Water and Environment at The Hague

On March 1st and 2nd, 2011, the Geneva Initiative hosted a joint Palestinian-Israeli seminar in the Hague to discuss water and environment issues.The meeting was the second of a series of three seminars that the Geneva Initiative was holding this year in The Hague with the support of the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The events are designed to present our work on the Annexes to the Geneva Accord to – as well as to solicit feedback, if any, from experts in the field (both Dutch and European). The Netherlands Institute of International Relations (the Clingendael Institute) hosted the seminar. On the Israeli side, participants included Prof. Hillel Shuval (expert on water) and Prof. Alon Tal (expert on the environment). On the Palestinian side, participants included Dr. Abdelrahman Tamimi (expert on water), and Dr. Mohamed Saeed Humaidi (expert on the environment).

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Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) Hosts Meretz USA in Ramallah.Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) organized a one day visit to Ramallah for a delegation of Meretz USA board members and activists. The delegation met with PLO Executive Committee Secretary General, Yasser Abed Rabbo at the Palestinian Media Center. Mr. Abed Rabbo briefed the delegation on the current status regarding the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Additionally, the visit included meetings General Director of Palestinian Democracy Forum, Sam’an Khoury, Fatah Central Committee Member Nabil Sha’at and GI Director-General, Nidal Fuqaha.

Geneva Initiative Addresses the Role of the International Community on the Road to September

Sunday, May 22nd, Geneva Initiative’s Palestinian and Israeli co-heads addressed a conference hosted by the Global Strategy Forum in London. The conference, held at the House of Lords in London, addressed the topic, «Looking to September: What Role Can the International Community play in the Middle East Peace Process?»The Geneva Initiative held a presentation entitled «Getting Yes to an Agreement: Next Steps.» Speakers included Nidal Foqaha, Director-General, The Palestinian Peace Coalition – The Geneva Initiative (Ramallah); Gadi Baltiansky, Director-General, HL Education for Peace – The Geneva Initiative (Tel Aviv); Israela Oron, Retired Brigadier General in the IDF and former Deputy National Security Advisor, and member of the Geneva Initiative; and Nazmi Jubeh, an expert in Jerusalem affairs.

Geneva Initiative Meets with Hungarian Foreign Ministry Official in Budapest

July 27, 2011Geneva Initiative representatives –Palestinian and Israeli - met in Budapest with a senior Hungarian Foreign Ministry official who expressed support for the initiative and its activities: «We believe that this is not just important as a political initiative, but also as a mechanism for continuing to create dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. We appreciate the initiative and strengthen its hands in promoting messages of peace on both sides.» Former ministers, former senior military officers, and academics participated in the meeting. Senior Geneva Initiative figures presented the Foreign Ministry officials with the appendices to the Geneva Accord. Additionally, the initiative’s work has been presented both locally and internationally.

Leading Palestinian and Israeli Journalists Meet in Istanbul On August 12 to 14, the Palestinian Peace Coalition-Geneva Initiative, hosted a joint seminar of 15 leading Palestinian and Israeli journalists in Istanbul.. Among the attendants were representatives from, Al Hayat Al Jadida, Al Ayyam, Ma’an News, AP on the Palestinian side and Channel 10, Channel 2, Yediot Aharonot, Ha’aretz, Walla News and Israel Hayom on the Israeli side. For three days, participants debated media coverage of the conflict on both sides, as well as their thoughts on reporting from the United Nations General Assembly in September.

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Geneva Initiative-ACPP Joint ProjectRaising the Palestinian and Israeli Populations’ Awareness on the Environmental Cost of the Absence of Peace, and Promoting a Sustainable Solution in the Framework of the Arab Peace InitiativeSeptember 2010-June 2011

Project LaunchingJoint Seminar, Bethlehem, October 7-8, 2010

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) hosted a joint Palestinian-Israeli Experts seminar in Bethlehem where more than 30 participants attended the meeting from both sides. Additionally, representatives of the international communities from Spain, Switzerland and Norway attended the event as well. During the two-day seminar, the participants discussed the water and environmental situation in the region and ways to safeguard and protect these two sectors.

Joint Seminar, Jericho, June 13th, 2011

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) organized a joint seminar to discuss Water and Environment issues. The seminar was held in Jericho and had 22 participants to talk about the current situation on water and environment at the regional and international level. The participants reviewed the progress and the activities of the program during the last several months and discussed the two sectoral action plans document on water and environment developed by the project.

Municipal Training programs:

The Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC-GI) in cooperation with (ACPP), organized a series of training programs and seminars for municipalities and local councils in the West Bank. The program included six seminars which where attended by participants from different cities and villages in the West Bank. Water and Environment experts gave lectures and presentations on local government, water and environment as well as several municipal issues took place in the training program. The beneficiaries of this program counted more than 180 municipalities personal from the city of Jericho, the Jordan valley and the upper Jordan Valley areas, the city of Nablus, Tubas, Qalqilia, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Hebron and the surrounding areas.

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Ppc newsletter 2011

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