Opinion

'Cairo' At The Doorstep?

Jerusalem Post

ders (based on 1967), territorial
swaps, Jerusalem and refugees.
he great debate among
Even if this strategy plays out,
the Palestinian Authority
the main question concerns the
officials who are success-
reality on the ground. Here Cairo
fully collecting one international
provided the answer.
recognition after another is how
The Egyptian Facebook,
to bridge the great gap between a
Twitter, SMS and satellite televi-
virtual Palestinian state and a real
sion revolution, which brought
one. The strategy builds on build-
millions into the street, can
Gershon
ing a state from the bottom up
also work in Palestine, except
Baskin
— coupled with the international
that it will not be against the
Special
political drive that will culminate
Palestinian Authority, but against
Commentary
with a U.N. Security Council
the occupation. If anyone ques-
resolution granting Palestine full
tions the power of nonviolence,
membership.
after the past weeks they should seriously
Their thinking is that once that happens,
reconsider what "a small group of thought-
Israel will be in occupation of a member
ful, committed citizens can do to change the
state, and this would be a game changer. The
world:' as Margaret Mead used to say.
Palestinians still understand that in the end
Yes, in Gaza the people's revolution will be
there must be a negotiated agreement; but
against the Hamas despots; but in the West
their strategy is aimed at changing the rules
Bank and Gaza as well, their just call for free-
of the negotiations, removing the issue of
dom and liberation will be directed at the
statehood and the occupation from the nego- occupiers. And just as the entire world was
tiating table — leaving the issue of final bor- with those young people in Tahrir Square

T

Open Doors from page 23

and celebrated their victory, so too will the
world be with the Palestinian people in their
nonviolent outpouring for freedom, libera-
tion and democracy.
If the response is violent, the world
will look at Israel just as it looks at Hosni
Mubarak today.
When the Palestinians take to the streets,
squares and checkpoints in mass nonviolent
demonstrations, they will win. We will even-
tually negotiate final borders; and we will
find a way to share Jerusalem as the capital
of two states, and we will find a common
way to address the refugee issue.
And when it is all over, we will thank
young Palestinians for leading us to our
freedom and our liberation because we Jews,
we Israelis, do not want to occupy another
people. We want to live in peace with all our
neighbors. So in the name of Israel, in the
name of Palestine and in the name of peace,
I say to the people of Egypt — thank you! Fl

The writer is co-CE0 of the Israel/Palestine Center

for Research and Information (www.iperi.org ).

Admirable and Affordable.

Hurry, offers end Feb. 28th, 2011

holiday experience) creates a sense
of continuity and immortality to
the Jewish story.
We must ensure the placing of
service learning initiatives and
leadership opportunities within
a rich Jewish context. This allows
our experiential experiences to give
voice to the immortal and contem-
porary traditions of our people.
The Gen-Yers are hungry for
community — and where they do
not find one that welcomes them,
they will create their own. They do
not wish to escape, but to engage;
they do not want to judge or to be
judged, but to join. They do not
desire indictment; they seek inspi-
ration.
They are not interested in being
silent partners in an organizational
bureaucracy, but want to matter
and will accept process only if it
leads to purpose. They are looking
to change the spelling of their gam-
ing console, the Wii, from two i's to
an “e.' ,
If we create portals of entry,
share with them our story undi-
luted or whitewashed, and find the
courage to let them make it their
own, they will do something that
we cannot: guarantee our future.

Rabbi Kenneth Brander is the David

Mitzner dean of Yeshiva University's

Center for the Jewish Future. Its mis-

sions focus on helping impoverished

individuals, Jews and non-Jews, around
the world.

Answering
Israel's Critics

2011E5350
$379/mo*

2011 RX350 FWD
$399/mo*

201115250
$339/me

Bring this ad to 114eade Lexus d, show it to a sales associate :, he entered to win a prize' ::

-0ffe-rs

-

_ .

28300 Northwestern Hwy, Southfield. Mi 48034

(248) 455-6336 www.(exusofsouthfield.com

24 February 17 • 2011

JN

.•

st-.,a!H

DF t.FikaicoE.
45001 Northpointe Blvd, Utica, MI 48315

(586) 726-7900 www.lexusoflakeside.corn

The Charge
Uri Davis, a native Israeli who
converted to Islam and joined
the Palestinian Fatah organiza-
tion, claims that JNF trees on
the West Bank were planted as
political statements by Zionists.

The Answer
In a twisted argument, Davis
upends the JNF goal of greening
the desert, conserving soil and
water, and providing shade into
something that fits his radical
political perspective.

— Allan Gale

Jewish Community Relations Council

of Metropolitan Detroit

@ Jewish Renaissance Media • February 17, 2011