A Gush Shalom initiative

Another 166 Prominent Israelis Sign Manifesto Supporting State of Palestine in "ALL the Territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

A second list of prominent Israeli personalities, who have signed the manifesto supporting the establishment of the State of Palestine in ALL the territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem serving as capital of both Israel and Palestine, was published today. The new list consists of 166 personalities, in addition to the 148 personalities who signed the first list. More signatures are on the way.

The text of the manifesto is as follows:

WE SUPPORT

the right of the Palestinian nation to declare the establishment of the State of Palestine in all the territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with united Jerusalem serving as the capital of both states - West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and East Jerusalem as capital of Palestine.

The co-existence of Israel and Palestine, side by side, is the basis of peace, security and reconciliation between the two nations.

This ground-breaking manifesto was first published (in Hebrew) in the Ha'aretz newspaper on Tuesday, February 2, 1999, and (in English) in Jerusalem Post on Friday, February 5. The second list was published in Ha'aretz on February 9.

The initiative was taken by the Gush Shalom peace movement, but the signatories belong to many camps, and the manifesto does not belong to any one organisation. While some of the signatories belong to different parties, this is a non-party effort. The text was drafted by Uri Avnery of Gush Shalom.

Among the signatories are now seven laureates of the Israel Prize, the highest distinction in the country (writer A.B. Yehoshua, poets Natan Sach and Daliah Ravikowitch, educator Arie Simon, painters-sculptors Danny Karavan and Menashe Kadishman, actress Hannah Meron), two former cabinet ministers (Shulamit Aloni and Viktor Shem-Tov), three past and present members of the Knesset (Uri Avnery, Me'ir Pail, Tamar Gojansky), dozens of academical figures, 32 of whom are Professors and 57 Doctors (one might mention Michael Har-Segor, Avi Os, Nissim Kaldron, Ariel Hirschfeld, Tamar Brosh, Moshe Maoz, but many others are of equal distiction); many distinguished writers and poets (including Yoram Kaniuk, Yehoshua Knas, Sami Michael, Yonatan Geffen, Dan Almagor, Menachem Peri, Yebi, Yael Lotan); artists (including Dan Kedar, David Tartakover, Ziona Shimshi, Moshe Gat, Ya'ir Garbuz, Avner Katz, Raffi Kaiser); journalists and opinion-makers (including Haim Hanegbi, Haim Baram, Boas Evron, Gideon Eshet); film-makers (Amos Gitai, Judd Neeman), actors Asher Zarfati, Hanna Azoulay-Hasfari, Shimon Israeli, and others.

Among the well known personalities who signed the manifesto one might mention Ruth Dayan (ex-wife of Moshe Dayan); Prof. Matanya Ben-Artzi (brother of Sarah Netanyahu), Jakov Sharett (son of the late Prime Minister), Elisha Yallin-Mor, (son of the commander of the Lehi underground organization), Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom of the Reform community); Shaike Weinberg (Director of the Washington D.C. Holocaust museum); Captain Nimrod Eshel (leader of the famous "Seamen's Revolt" of the 50s), Leah Shakdiel (the first woman who succeeded to break into the all-male religious councils); Advocate Leah Zemel (famous defender of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli courts) and many others.

Among the dozens of prominent peace and human rights activists one can mention Adam Keller of Gush Shalom, Dr. Ruhama Marton, founder of the Association of Israeli and Palestinian Physicians for Human Rights, Michael ("Mikado") Warshavsky of the Alternative Information Center, Prof. Jeff Halper and Amos Gewirtz of the Committee Against House Demolition, Hanna Zohar of Kav La'oved, the defender of Palestinian and foreign workers in Israel; Gila Svirsky of Bat Shalom, Hava Keller, defender of female Palestinian prisoners, and many others.

The mention of these names is quite arbitrary and does not do justice to the many other distinguished signatories.

A number of parliamentarians expressed their whole-hearted support for the manifesto, but were prevented from signing, because of the approaching primary elections in several parties. One prominent parliamentarian signed, but later cancelled his signature under pressure from his party.

The main purpose is to convey to the Palestinian people that they will find solid support for the establishment of the State of Palestine on May 4, 1999, or any other date they may chose, as well as to provoke a serious debate in Israel, at the start of the election campaign. At this time, all major candidates and parties shun the issues of peace with the Palestinian people, fearing that it may hurt their chances. This manifesto may convince the politicians that a very important body of Israeli public opinion supports a clear peace policy.

Observers of the Israeli political scene will be surprised by the number of outstanding Israelis who not only support the establishment of a Palestinian state, but are also ready for a state that comprises a l l the territory of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem as a shared capital. The implications concerning the settlements is obvious. While agreement to the establishment of a Palestinian State has been growing steadily in Israel, so has the idea that a great part of the West Bank, called "strategic areas" and "settlement blocs", should be annexed to Israel. This manifesto is a radical departure from this so-called "consensus".