Annual Report English

Opening windows for an agreement.

The Geneva InitiativeA n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 1

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Dear Friends,

Gadi Baltiansky [email protected] [email protected]

Andrea Diamond Director of International Relations

This past year has been a slow one for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. But it has been an active year for us.

With over 100 events that included over 6,500 participants, we have continued our work to bolster public support for the two-state solution. The political atmosphere has not been easy, but with 58 percent of the public’s support for our parameters for an agreement, we have all the reasons we need to persist forward.

Enclosed, in a few short pages, is a snapshot of some of our activities during the past year.

As we head into 2012, we will continue to stress this basic point: the status quo is not sustainable. The current diplomatic impasse will shift one way or the other and we should not adopt a wait-and-see approach. While we cannot predict the future, we certainly can try to shape it.

We hope you will join us in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Part One Target Groups

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Geneva in Politics

In 2011 we continued to deepen our relations within the parliamentary arena through ongoing activities with Knesset members from across the political spectrum.

Shas

This year, we expanded our activities with the Shas party. We have been working with cabinet ministers, members of Knesset and activists in conjunction with Palestinian counterparts to encourage them to promote the peace process.

Part 1 >> Target groups

MK Daniel Ben-Simon (Labor), Brig. Gen. (res.) Ilan Paz, Minister Yossi Peled (Likud), MKs Nachman Shai and Shlomo Mula (Kadima) in a conference held in the Knesset in collaboration with the Geneva Initiative (July)

MKs Zehava Galon (Meretz) and Nino Abesadze (Kadima) in a conference at the Knesset in collaboration with the Geneva Initiative (July)

Deputy Speaker of the Knesset MK Yitzhak Vaknin (Shas) speaking at the Geneva Initiative 2.0 Conference held in Switzerland (November)

Former Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs, Ashraf el-Ajrami, meeting with senior political activists from Shas (December)

25 Meetings

Parties

Political Activists

Knesset Members 21

1,0898

Minister Yossi Peled, Likud, at a Geneva Initiative conference (July)

A two-state solution is an Israeli existential interest


6

98

Activities

Participants

I would sign the Geneva Accord with both hands…It’s worth it for our country, our children, and for the peace we all want.

Deputy Speaker of the Knesset MK Yitzhak Vaknin, Shas, Radio Interview, January 2012

Shas members meet Palestinian officialsMinister Margi says seminar organized by Geneva Initiative put things in ‘different proportions’

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KadimaThis year we deepened our relationship with the Kadima party by providing conferences, tours, and events at local Kadima branches across the country.

Likud

Further to our ongoing cooperation with the Heads of the Likud branches around the country, this year we held seminars and tours designed to promote the Geneva Initiative in the current ruling party. Activities were attended by ministers, MKs, and local leaders of major branches.

LaborGraduates of the political course this year led the establishment of the political progress forum in the spirit of the Geneva Initiative. The forum is recognized by the Labor party institutions. In addition to this significant move, MKs and key political activists participated in seminars and conferences held throughout the year.


Geneva Initiative conference at the Kadima branch in Rehovot. From left to right: former Minister of Prisoner Affairs, Dr. Sufiyan Abu-Zaida, journalist Avi Bloom, MK Doron Avital (Kadima), Chairman of the Geneva Initiative, Dr. Yossi Beilin, and former IDF Chief of Staff, Dan Halutz (April)


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150490

ActivitiesActivities

ParticipantsParticipants

No doubt that the Geneva Initiative is an excellent toolbox which can help the leadership reach peace.

MK Doron Avital, Kadima, a Geneva Initiative conference in Rehovot (April)

We will share with other Ministers and MKs what we learned from the Geneva Initiative – it’s important and very useful.

Yishay Zandani, Chairman of the Political Forum, Likud, Radio Interview (January 2012)

MKs Nachman Shai (Kadima) and Daniel Ben-Simon (Labor) at a conference held in the Knesset in collaboration with the Geneva Initiative (July) Minister Yossi Peled (Likud) in a conference at the Knesset in

collaboration with the Geneva Initiative (July)

98 Part 1 >> Target groups Part 1 >> Target groups

Local Authorities Women

This year we continued our extensive activities with Israeli mayors. As part of the activities we held several seminars in Israel and abroad including a seminar where mayors had the opportunity to meet with their Palestinian counterparts and discuss solutions to the peace process. In addition, we held conferences across the country with numerous municipalities.

During 2011, we established the “Women’s thinking forum to promote a peace agreement,” a continuation of the joint women’s seminar. Dozens of leading women from prominent companies and from the media on both sides met regularly in Tel Aviv and Ramallah to discuss new ways to promote the peace process.

10 Activities

Mayors

Participants82426

Seminar for mayors in Netanya. From left to right: Dr. Yechiel Lasri (Ashdod), Haim Avitan (Hadera), Benny Vaknin (Ashkelon), and Dov Tzur (Rishon LeZion) (February)

Participants on a tour in Ramallah for leading women (September)

Participants in the “Women’s thinking forum to promote a peace agreement” in a meeting with Palestinian women in Ramallah (September)

Mayor of Ra’anana, Nahum Hofri, at an Israeli-Palestinian joint seminar (Turin, Italy, November)

Women must take part in the most crucial decisions that affect their lives and their futures.

Brig. Gen. (res) Israela Oron, at a Geneva Initiative seminar (March)

Mayor of Ra’anana Nahum Hofri, at a Geneva Initiative joint seminar (November)

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147

Activities

Participants

I thought that peace was impossible until I encountered the Geneva Initiative.


Immigrant Communities The Next Generation

Our activities this year continued to focus on immigrants from the former Soviet Union and from the Ethiopian community. Activities included conferences for the Russian-speaking public, meetings between senior journalists from the Russian and Palestinian media, as well as seminars and tours for senior activists from immigrant communities.

Thinking of tomorrow, the Geneva Initiative has continued this year to turn to various groups of young leaders, student leaders and young journalists. Outreach to this group included work with political activists, student associations, and parliamentary assistants.

824 824

Ksenia Svetlove (Channel 9), Brig. Gen. (res.) Israela Oron, and former Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Affairs, Ashraf el-Ajrami, in a seminar held for leaders of immigrant associations from the former Soviet Union (April)

Tour for bloggers and social media activists in the area of Jerusalem under the guidance of Col. (res) Shaul Arieli (April)

Author A. B. Yehoshua in a Geneva Initiative conference for the Russian-speaking community held in collaboration with MK Nino Abesadze (Kadima) in Tel Aviv (May)

Geneva Initiative conference for the Russian community (May)

The continuation of the occupation guarantees the continuation of racism.

MK Shlomo Molla, Kadima, at Geneva Initiative seminar for the Ethiopian community (April)

15 31

622 1,074

Activities Activities

Participants Participants

The silent majority needs to wake up and support the Geneva Initiative. If we don’t do it, nobody will do it for us.

Vicki Idzinski, a leading youth activist in the Russian-speaking community, at the Geneva 2.0 Conference (November)


GenevaInternational

As the international community continues to play a key role in helping Israeli and Palestinians move forward in negotiations, the Geneva Initiative has been active in many different international forums and conferences. We met with dozens of foreign representatives from numerous countries and international organizations.

82439

2,875

Activities

Participants

President of Switzerland Micheline Calmy-Rey, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York (September)

The Geneva Initiative is today a consolidated, detailed proposal, compatible with internationally accepted parameters.

Participants in the Geneva Initiative conference 2.0 held in Switzerland (November)

Chairmen of the Israeli and Palestinian Geneva Initiative, Yossi Beilin and Yasser Abed Rabbo, with former representative of the United Nations Terje Larsen (New York, September)

Former French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, speaking at a Geneva Initiative conference (Tel Aviv, May)

Former President of Switzerland, Micheline Calmy-Rey, speaking at the Geneva Initiative 2.0 Conference (November)

Taglit-Birthright participants from North America listening to a lecture at the Geneva Initiative office in Tel Aviv (January)

14 Part 1 >> Target groups

Palestinian Partners

Together with our partners in Ramallah, we held several three-day joint seminars with members of Knesset, mayors, political activists, journalists and prominent women on both sides.

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222

Joint Seminars

Participants

Director General of the Geneva Initiative (Ramallah), Nidal Fuqaha, and Talia Sasson, member of the Israeli Geneva Initiative steering committee, at the “Women’s thinking forum to promote a peace agreement” in Ramallah (September)

Mayor of Yeruham, Michael Biton, with former Palestinian Minister, Qadoura Fares (seminar for mayors, November)

If there is one thing that I believe in all these years of the political process, it is the Geneva Initiative.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee (September)

Part Two Activities

17Part 2 >> ActivitiesPart 2 >> Activities16

This year our two-day seminars concentrated on studying the core issues of the conflict and solutions as proposed by the Geneva Initiative. All seminars included prominent speakers from across the political spectrum, as well as senior Palestinian representatives.

82414

508 Participants

Seminars

Israeli and Palestinian parliamentary assistants at a joint seminar in Budapest, Hungary (September)

Seminar for leading Shas activists. From left to right: MK David Azoulai (Shas), Attorney David Glass, former Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Affairs, Ashraf el-Ajrami, and Brig. Gen. (res.) Shlomo Brom (December)

Seminar for mayors in Acre. From left to right: Nahum Hofri, Mayor of Ra’anana, Maj. Gen. (res.) Amram Mitzna, and Shimon Lankri, Mayor of Acre (June)

Seminars In the Media

April 25, 2011 // Yossi Beilin

January 25, 2011 // Nir Hasson December 1, 2011 // Bernard-Henri Levy

Palestinians proposals for splitting Jerusalem were not far from Clinton and Geneva plans, maps reveal

Gadi Baltiansky, Director General of the Geneva Initiative (Israel), interviewing with Channel 9 News at a Geneva Initiative conference (February)

Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator interviewing with Channel 2 News at a Geneva Initiative conference (May)

19Part 2 >> ActivitiesPart 2 >> Activities18

Tour for social media activists around the “seam line” in Jerusalem (April)

Col. (res.) Shaul Arieli in a tour for central Shas activists (December) Brig. Gen. (res.) Ilan Paz giving a tour for European Members of Parliament around Jerusalem (April)

To truly understand and illustrate the complexities of the conflict, this year the Geneva Initiative continued to hold tours along the 67’ and Geneva lines under the guidance of expert specialists with emphasis on the issues of borders, settlements and Jerusalem. Among the participants were members of Likud and Shas, journalists and others.

82420

771 Participants

ToursTours

Gadi Baltiansky, Director General of the Geneva Initiative (Israel), gives a lecture at the TLV Internationals Salon (December)

Harvard students in a lecture at the Geneva Initiative office in Tel Aviv (March)

This year, Geneva Initiative experts have continued to speak in many different forums throughout Israel and the international community on the importance of the peace process. Lectures have been held at such venues as the National Security College in Israel, the J Street Conference in Washington, the British Parliament, and leading universities and think tanks.

82439

2,702 Participants

ActivitiesLectures

21Part 2 >> ActivitiesPart 2 >> Activities

This year we continued to deepen and enrich the political knowledge of activists from major political parties (Shas, Likud, Kadima, Labor) with emphasis on the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the solutions offered by the Geneva Initiative.

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Political Leadership Course

2 Cycles

Meetings

Participants9030

Daniel Shek and Ilan Baruch, former Israeli ambassadors to France and and South Africa (respectively), speaking at a lecture for the political leadership course (December)

Participants of the political leadership course on a tour led by Col. (res.) Shaul Arieli in the West Bank (November)

MK Yitzhak Vaknin (Shas) speaks to the political leadership course in Tel Aviv (October)

Former Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Affairs, Ashraf el-Ajrami, at a Geneva Initiative conference in Tel Aviv (October)

Chairman of the Geneva Initiative, Dr. Yossi Beilin, chief Palestinian negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, and former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, at a Geneva Initiative conference (Tel Aviv, May)

During 2011 we continued to bring issues to the forefront of discussion in the public discourse. Our conferences bring experts to discuss topics on current issues.

82410

1,900 Participants

ConferencesConferences

23Part 2 >> ActivitiesPart 2 >> Activities

During 2011 we continued to expand our activities on our website in English, Hebrew, Russian and Arabic.

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Social Media 5,778

85,7001,081

FacebookFriends

TwitterFollowers

Views onYouTube

A viral video with over 10,000 hits and 3,000 shares

The Geneva Initiative on Twitter

The Geneva Initiative Facebook page

The Geneva Initiative YouTube Channel

Websites

The Geneva Initiative English website

The Geneva Initiative Hebrew website

The Geneva Initiative Russian website

8243

393,597 Views

Websites

We created a venue for interactive discussions among the thousands of friends and followers on social networking sites and disseminated our message and videos to thousands

facebook.com/[email protected] twitter.com/genevaaccord

Geneva Initiative – H.L. Education for Peace // 8 Shaul Hamelech Blvd. , Tel Aviv 64733 // Tel: +972 (3) 6938780 // Fax: +972 (3) 6911306

w w w . g e n e v a - a c c o r d . o r g

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The Geneva Initiative

Support

Oppose

2009 2010 2011

46%52%

58%

39%39%46%

Israeli Public Support for the Geneva Initiative

*Poll conducted by the Truman Institute at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (December 2011)

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