The following proposal is the result of hundreds of dialogues conducted over the past 40 years by Prof. Galtung with numerous people throughout the Middle East, often beginning with the question:
"What does the Middle East in which you would like to live look like?"
• Palestine is recognized as a state following UNSC 194, 242, 338; with June 4 1967 borders with small land exchanges;
• East Jerusalem becomes the capital of Palestine;
• A Middle East Community with Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria as full members, with water, arms, trade regimes based on multilateral consensus; and an Organization for Security and Cooperation in the Middle East with a broader base;
• The Community is supported by the EU, Nordic Community and ASEAN financially and for institution-building expertise;
• Egypt and Jordan lease additional land to Palestine;
• Israel and Palestine become federations with 2 Israeli cantons in Palestine and 2 Palestinian cantons in Israel;
• The two neighbor capitals become a city confederation, also host to major regional, UN and ecumenical institutions;
• The right of return also to Israel is accepted in principle, numbers to be negotiated within the canton formula;
• Israel and Palestine have joint and equitable economic ventures, joint peace education and joint border patrolling;
• Massive stationing of UN monitoring forces.
• Sooner or later a Truth and Reconciliation process.
Mediating this should not be a country, or a group of countries (EU should be a model more than mediator); but persons generally respected, and a Helsinki-style conference for the Middle East.
---most recently updated 8 July, 2005, available at www.transcend.org
Local presentations and discussions of this proposal can be arranged with guest speakers
Prof. Johan Galtung and/or Gal Harmat . If you are interested, please contact Transcend member
Marilyn Langlois
Richmond CA
510-232-4493
Gal Harmat is a trainer for the IPCRI (Israel Palestine Center for Reconciliation) in Jerusalem and Beit Lehem. She has also facilitated many Jewish Palestinian encounter groups for teachers and students. Ms. Harmat is currently teaching an on-line course on Gender and Militarism for TPU (Transcend Peace University, www.transcend.org ).
