Givat Haviva Voice

Together with all those who love this country, the peace camp, and Givat Haviva, I mourn the passing of Yossi Sarid, who was a partner in the struggle for the soul and the character of the State of Israel. I knew Yossi when he was Minister of Education, and I never forgot the attention and encouragement he gave me in my position as head of the National Council of Youth Movements and general secretary of HaShomer HaTzair. Yossi was the clear voice of the Left and the Peace Camp, a voice that was sharp as a knife and was unwilling to remain silent in the face of any injustice in the one country that he knew and loved, always loyal to his belief that one should demand more from what he loves most. Yossi was a politician, but first and foremost an educator who believed in education as the key to shaping the character of Israeli society. This was the aim of his actions and writings, and the source of his support for Givat Haviva’s activities in his various positions in politics and...

Anyone who thought there cannot be serious peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians was sadly mistaken. The talks are on the table and people of the right are feeling the pressure. This is also the pretext for Liberman’s latest proposal for transferring territory and populations in exchange for Israeli populated areas of the West Bank.  According to his plan, Wadi Ara and the Triangle would be transferred to the Palestinian state, together with the inhabitants.  The very idea is despicable, immoral, a blow to Israeli society, and, in any case, constitutionally, does not stand a chance of being adopted. Some background: Wadi Ara and the Triangle were assigned to Israel at the armistice talks held with Jordan in Rhodes in 1949. This is how it came about that 300,000 Palestinian Arabs live in the villages and cities of the area.   They represent an historic ethnic minority with their own distinct culture and dialect, much like the more th...