Thursday, February 13, 2020

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer and Leader McCarthy,

We, the undersigned members of the Alliance for Middle East Peace, the largest network of Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilding organizations, are greatly troubled by President Trump’s plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace and its dangerous breaks with longstanding norms regarding how peace can be achieved in our region.

Peace is not just about lines on a map. Any peace plan worth its name must address how each party will be guaranteed the rights, security, and the self-determination to which they are equally entitled, and which are necessary for societies to live at peace with their neighbors and themselves.

For our community, the principles of dialogue, consent, and mutual agreement between parties are a red line that cannot be crossed. A “peace effort” that disregards the interests and agency of one of the parties does not meet the basic definition of the term, and will be incapable of resolving the conflict. Indeed it could very well escalate it.

Peace will not be achieved through grand statements or unilateral steps. It will be within reach only when majorities of Israelis and Palestinians are in agreement about how they will share this land.

In response to this announcement, we urge Congress to demonstrate strong bipartisan support for a viable and sustainable path towards freedom, dignity, and security for Palestinians and Israelis and continue to provide important financial and political support to civil society peacebuilders who are working to create a viable peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Sincerely,
The undersigned

A Land for All
Alliance for Middle East Peace
A New Dawn in the Negev
Adam institute
American Friends of Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel American Friends of the Parents Circle – Families
Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
B8 of Hope
Center for Religious Tolerance
Churches for Middle East Peace
Combatants for Peace
Combatants for Peace
Creativity for Peace
EcoPeace Middle East
Embodying Peace
Givat Haviva
Hagar – Jewish Arab Education for Equatliy
Hands of Peace
Israel Palestine Center for Regional Initiatives (IPCRI)
Israeli Peace NGOs Forum
Jerusalem center for women.
Kids4peace Jerusalem
Mahapach-Taghir
New Story Leadership for the Middle East
Other Voice
Our Heritage – The Charter for Democracy
Pashut Ahava
Roots-Shorashim-Judur
Seeds of Peace
Sikkuy – The Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality
Social Workers For Peace (Ossim-Shalom)
SquashBond Israel
STEP (Science Training Encouraging Peace)
Sulha Peace Project
The Abraham Initiatives
The OneVoice Movement
The School for Peace
Water Resources Action Project
Women Wage Peace