Welcome to today's "Jerusalem 2009 Peach Conference." We have gathered in the shadow of the Temple Mount / Noble Sanctuary in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem. Our goal is to make meaningful progress toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis between Israelis and Palestinians.
Here is the format: - We'll allow groups five minutes to meet to plan strategy and discuss issues of importance. After that, we will return to the large group. Members of "The Quartet" will assist in moving through the agenda.
Remember
to strive to be consistent with your role. You do not need to turn only
to your "leaders" to speak. Everyone here should have a voice, but
"agreements" need only be agreed to by the respective leaders.
Agenda for the Jerusalem 2009 Peace Conference:
Strategy Planning (5 minutes)
Opening Statements:
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
- Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Immediate Issues:
- How can the current tension between Israel and the Palestinians be lessened?
- Should the security barrier/ wall on the West Bank be removed?
- What should be done to improve conditions in Gaza?
- What can be done to increase the safety of the citizens of Israel?
Longer Term Issues:
- Should an independent Palestinian state be created? If so, where?
- What should be done with the status of Jerusalem?
- What should be the fate of Jewish settlements on the West Bank?
- Should Palestinian refugees receive the "right of return?"
- How can the prospect of terrorism be reduced?
- How do we guarantee all have access to water and needed resources?
Announcement of Treaties / Agreements
Closing Remarks / Press Statements
Here's a reminder of who is present at our conference today...
Representatives of Israel
- Israel - Tzipi Livni (Opposition Leader - Kadima)
- Israel - Benjamin Netanyahu (Prime Minister - Likud)
- Israel - President Shimon Peres
- Israel - Avigdor Lieberman (Foreign Minister - Yisraeli Beiteinu)
- Israel - Ehud Barak (Defense Minister - Labour)
- Israel - soldier serving of Gaza border
- Israel - settler living on West Bank
- Israel - mother of three (Jerusalem)
Representatives of the Palestinians
- Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Fatah)
- Palestinian -PNA Prime Minister Ismail Haniya (Gaza - Hamas)
- Palestinian - PNA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad (West Bank - Fatah)
- Hassan Nasrallah - Hezbollah leader (based in Lebanon)
- Palestinian - member of Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade (in Gaza)
- Palestinian - resident of Hebron (West Bank)
- Palestinian - resident of Jericho (West Bank)
- Palestinian - mother of three (Gaza)
Representatives of "The Quartet"
- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
- Russia - Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
- European Union - High Representative Javier Solana
- Special Mideast Envoy Tony Blair
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