This past November, the Chaim Herzog Center launched a new series of public lectures called "Israel in Search of a Regional Identity." This series aims at bringing outstanding public figures who represent different segments of Israeli society to campus. Speakers will present their views on Israel's relations with different countries in the region as well as discuss the political, economic and cultural dynamics underlying relations between different social groups in Israel.
The series opened with Gilead Sher, who headed the Israeli negotiating team in its talks with the Palestinian Authority. In his talk, Sher discussed the policy paper which he and General (Res.) Uri Sagie presented at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem. At issue was tackling the current political and military impasse between Israel and the Palestinians. To them, perpetuation of the on-going conflict will adversely affect Israeli interests. Likewise, they are of the opinion that neither military rule over the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip nor political negotiations with the current Palestinian leadership is practical. Rather, they argue that only a "proactive separation" on the part of Israel will lead to a viable political status quo with the Palestinians. As such, they propose a retreat of Israeli forces in two stages, beginning with a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank and ending with a return to the 4 June 1967 lines, including a divided Jerusalem. Furthermore, they call for deployment of international military-civilian force in Palestinian areas. The overall aim of the Sher-Sagie plan is to secure Israel's demographic and military interests all the while encouraging a Palestinian leadership willing to respect these interests.