Jerusalem: The Key to Israeli-Palestinian Peace

GPoT Center and the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People organized a Public Forum entitled “Jerusalem: The Key to Israeli-Palestinian Peace” at Istanbul Kultur University on May 27th, 2010.

The forum, with key-speakers representing Israeli and Palestinian civil society, was organized as a follow up of the United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process held in Istanbul. It saw large participation from the circles of civil society, media, student and academic communities as well as high-level political figures.

The speakers shared their personal stories and on-ground analyses from day-to-day life in Jerusalem and addressed various topics related to the search of a lasting peace in the divided city. The issues on the agenda ranged from security concerns, residency rights, through people-to-people diplomacy to the role of non-state actors.

The participants acknowledged the importance of Jerusalem in security of the whole region and called on the civil society to play an active role in the search of a comprehensive peace. The advocacy and activities of civil society were defined as crucial in demanding timely and effective governmental actions. 

It was emphasized that education and support of human rights play an important role in the reconciliation process between the Jews and the Palestinians and that common work of civil society is needed to open up more opportunities for communication, flow of information, and network building.

His Excellency Mr. Zahir Tanin, Head of the Delegation of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, assured the participants in his concluding remarks that the civil society will have the Committee's full support in its active pursuit of advocacies and initiatives discussed in the Public Forum.