Important Venture
Dear Sirs,
The Palestine-Israel Journal arrived, and I am very excited about
this venture since it concords with the essential thrust of
peacemaking in the Middle East. Peace will not be decided by
politicians but will evolve through grassroots engagement in
confidence-building measures. In any case, I have subscribed to the
publication and look forward to being tutored by this important
venture in journalism.
Prof. Bernard Lown. M.D.
Co-Founder and Co-President Emeritus, International Physicians for
the Prevention of Nuclear War; Chairperson, IPPNW Distinguished
Advisory Council Winner, Nobel Peace Prize 1985
Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
Support for a Peaceful Solution
Dear Sirs,
I have read with great interest the last issue of the Journal on
Women in the Conflict. Like you, I feel there is never a sufficient
number of sources of support for a peaceful solution to the
conflict between Palestine and Israel. It is our
responsi¬bility to help assure it is a peace of mutual
respect, and mutual recognition of each other's national rights and
aspirations. I am pleased to become a subscriber.
Nick J. Rahall, II
Member of Congress for West Virginia
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Vision and Determination
Dear Sirs,
Yitzhak Rabin made heroic choices. We are about 30 American Jews,
Palestinians, and others who have met faithfully and successfully
at the grassroots level in the Bay Area for over three years, to
improve the atmosphere of familiarity, under¬standing, and
reconciliation here in the United States. Rabin gave us hope, and,
as we assimilate his life, let us embody the best of his qualities
and the vision and determina¬tion he showed us.
For our Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group,
Len Traubman, Libby Traubman, Fanny Botto, Elias Botto
San Mateo, California, USA
Crossed the Watershed
Dear Sirs,
Israel's elected prime minister was murdered
because he symbolized a new Israeli readiness to recognize the PLO
as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and
their self-determination. This finally came after decades of
attempts by the Israeli political-military establishment and by
Rabin himself to crush the Palestinian national movement by force
and Occupation. In spite of his shortcomings, Rabin had the courage
at last to cross the watershed.
His tragic death was followed by an unprecedented surge of
identification by Israelis. Whether this will also have political
significance in the forthcoming Israeli elections, remains to be
seen. Under Rabin's leadership the peace process was
suc¬cessfully launched; but there is still a long way to go to
a successful completion. This is the test awaiting Rabin's
successors and only' time will tell whether they and their
Palestinian partners can measure up to this challenge.
Reuven Lahav
Tel Aviv, Israel