Two-day Miko Peled Event Sought To Broaden Serious Discussion on Israel and Palestine Issue
A two day visit to Ottawa by Jewish American peace activist Miko Peled, is the centerpiece of a major effort by NCCAR to expand the range of people and organizations in Canada who are seriously discussing theIsrael/Palestine issue.
“In the wake of Canada’s “NO” vote at the United Nations”, notes Peter Larson, NCCAR vice president and Chair of its Education Committee on Israel/Palestine, “many Canadians are becoming aware of Canada’s isolation on this issue and are becoming interested in having a serious discussion about it.”
Proponent of the “one-state solution”
Miko Peled is an outspoken proponent of the “one state solution”, which he believes is entirely possible. “For the good of both nations, Israeli control over the lives of Palestinians must be ended, so Israelis and Palestinians can live as equals.”
Mr. Peled was born in Jerusalem in 1961 into a well-known Zionist family. His grandfather was a Zionist leader and signed the Israeli Declaration of Independence. His father, Matti Peled was a young officer in the war of 1948 and a general in the war of 1967 when Israel conquered the West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights and the Sinai. In his new book, “The General’s Son” Peled describes his own political evolution to concluding that Israelis and Palestinians can, and must, share a historic land.
Mr. Peled will be in Ottawa on February 25th and 26th, and will participate in six different meetings organized by NCCAR. They include an evening meeting with Ottawa Palestinian human rights groups, a reception on Parliament Hill for Senators and members of Parliament, a lecture at the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa, and a public meeting on February 26th.
NCCAR has made a determined effort to bring the Israel/Palestine issue back onto the agenda of Canadian civil society organizations. This includes church groups, labour groups and human rights activists who have not been very active on this question. In addition, significant efforts have been made to try to open dialogue with liberal Jewish groups.
NCCAR believes that Peled’s observations and conclusions constitute a significant contribution to serious discussion of the Israel/Palestine issue. However, Mr. Peled’s views are his own, and are not necessarily endorsed by NCCAR.
Posted on February 22, 2013