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Under the
title The Bilbao Initiative: Another Future is Possible, over 100
Palestinian, Israeli and international social activists met in Bethlehem on
Friday 27 July, to jointly analyze the current political situation, endorse the
Bilbao Declaration and form a steering committee to update this 2003 document
for use in future joint advocacy.
“Following
the recent upheaval in Gaza and formation of a
new Palestinian government, we felt the need to sit together – Palestinian,
Israeli and international activists – and analyze the rapidly changing
political situation” notes Nassar Ibrahim, Policy Director of the Alternative Information Center
(AIC). “It is time that grassroots voices from civil society groups make their
clear demands for peace and justice heard, and the Bilbao Declaration is a
powerful tool for doing so.”
Endorsed
already in 2003 by over 20 Palestinian and Israeli organizations, the Bilbao
Declaration presents the minimum conditions under which a just and lasting
peace can be formed, as well as providing a concrete foundation upon which
Palestinian and Israeli activists can work together.
“Holding a
joint Palestinian-Israeli conference in Bethlehem
is an extremely rare event,” says Dr. Naim Abu Tier, Director of the Bisan Center
for Research and Development and one of the co-organizers of the seminar. Sergio Yahni, Program Director for the AIC, concurs,
adding that “When the vast majority of people talk about peace, they talk about
separation – Israelis on one side of the Separation Wall, Palestinians on the
other. We deliberately confront this separation and say no, creating a just
peace means first and foremost struggling together for an end to the Israeli
occupation.”
The
conference organizers – AIC, Alternative Tourism Group (ATG), Bisan Center for
Research and Development and the Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC)
prioritized the participation of women and men active in grassroots
organizations, including popular committees, refugee organizations, medical
associations and community groups. “We are all accustomed to elitist NGO
meetings” adds Yahni, “and this conference was a welcome contrast during which
different and even opposing voices were heard and encouraged.”
A
representative follow-up committee of Palestinian, Israeli and international
activists will now begin updating the Bilbao Declaration to reflect political
evolutions over the past four years. “The work is only now beginning,” notes Connie Hackbarth, Executive Director of the AIC. “We
are forever asked about our own positive, joint initiative to promote a just
peace and social justice, and this is our opportunity to create such a
critically needed process.”
  
 
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