ustxtxb_obs_1982_10_15_50_00023-00000_000.pdf

NEW JEWISH AGENDA A CALL FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST We are American Jews, committed to the survival of the State of Israel, who endorse the following statement issued on July 2 , 1982 by three internationally prominent Jewish leaders. Peace need not be made between friends, but between enemies who have struggled and suffered. Our sense of Jewish history and the moral imperatives of this moment require us to insist that the time is urgent for , mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestinian people. There must bea stop to the sterile debate, whereby the Arab world challenges-the existence of Israel and Jews challenge the political legitimacy of the Palestinian fight for independence. The real issue is not whether the Palestinians are entitled to their rights, but how to bring this about while ensuring Israel’s security and regional stability. Ambiguous concepts such as “autonomy” are no longer sufficient, for they too often are used to confuse rather than to clarify. Needed now is the determination to reach a political accommodation between Israeli and Palestinian nationalisms. The war in Lebanon must stop. Israel must lift its seige of Beirut in order to facilitate negotiations with the PLO, leading to a political settlement. Mutual recognition must be vigorously pursued. And there, should be negotiations with the aim of achieving co-existence between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples based on self-determination. Dr. Nahum Goldmann Former President of the World Zionist Organization, Founder-President of the World Jewish. Congress. Philip M. Klutznick Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, President Emeritus of the World Jewish Congress, Honorary President of B’nai B’rith International. Pierre Mendes France Former Prime Minister of France. Signature We, the undersigned, endorse this statement by Messrs. Goldmann, Klutznick and Mendes France which calls for mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestinian people. *The endorsers believe that this statement remains significant despite the changing situation in Lebanon since July 2,1982. This petition is sponsored by New Jewish Agenda. Please return to: NEW JEWISH AGENDA 1123 Broadway Suite 1217 New York, NY 10010 The local sponsor of the petition campaign is: Stefan Presser 1300 Woodhollow #5814 Houston, Texas 77057 New Jewish Agenda is a national organization of Jews from a variety of religious and secular backgrounds, committed to Jewish peoplehood and to fostering a progressive voice on a range of issues, both within the Jewish community and society at large. All contributions are tax deductible and payable to NEW JEWISH AGENDA.