From Despair to Hope: In Search of Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Under the Sponsorship of The Friedrich Ebert Stufund
The conference consisted of three sessions: Session 1: From Peacekeeping to Peacebuilding; Session 2: Dilemmas, Constraints and Challenges; and Session 3: The Arab Israeli Experience
Session 1 From Peacekeeping to Peacebuilding:
The opening session of the conference consisted of two presentations by David Last, Royal Military of Canada and Richard Caplan, University of Reading, UK. Both speakers focused on the developments in the practice of peacekeeping and its varying functions over the past fifty years. David Last elaborated on the various roles that peacekeepers have played in various conflicts around the world and the challenges faced by military forces in adapting to these new tasks. Richard Caplan discussed how peacekeeping has increasingly become central to global policies since the end of the Cold War and in particular how multi-national forces are key to policing and rehabilitating societies after intense internal conflict.
Session 2: Dilemmas, Constraints and Challenges
The second session of the conference consisted of three presentations from people who have worked as peacekeepers and peacebuilders. Peter Kmec talked about the role of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in peace-building and in particular about the work undertaken by the OSCE in Georgia, a former Soviet republic in the Caucasus. Arnold Wehhoerner discussed the conflict in Macedonia and praised the role of the international community, especially non-governmental organizations, in preventing the escalation of the conflict in that country and in the Balkans, in general. Jarat Chopra praised the role of the United Nations in East Timor and showed how that organization helped prepare East Timor for independence from Indonesia.
Session 3: The Arab-Israeli Experience
The afternoon session of the conference focused on the Arab-Israeli conflict. First, Tony French talked about the role of the United Nations and the various UN peacekeeping forces in the region. French's talk was followed by three presentations by Shlom Brom, Baruch Speigel and Daniel Taub who all discussed Israel's experience with peacekeeping. Each of the presentations highlighted the problems Israeli governments and armed forces encountered with peacekeepers and in particular with their difficult experiences in Lebanon and strained relations with UNIFIL. Nevertheless, all the speakers made clear the positive contribution of third-party monitoring of ceasefire agreements; for example, with UNDOF on the Golan and a foreseeable international force in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Finally, Jarat Chopra focused on the Palestinian Authority and how it understood the role of an international peacekeeping force being sent to the region.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
program
Monday, June 17, 2002
9:00-9:15 Registration
9:15-9:30 Greetings
Avishay Braverman, President Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Winfried Veit, Representative, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Israel
Dror Ze'evi, The Chaim Herzog Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
David Newman, Chair, Department of Politics and Government, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
9:30-11:15 From Peacekeeping to Peacebuilding
Chair: Joel Peters, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
David Last, Royal Military College of Canada
Richard Caplan, The University of Reading, UK
11:15-11:30 Coffee Break
11:30-13:15 Dilemmas Constraints and Challenges
Chair: Fred Lazin, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Matthias Ries, Coordinator Project 'Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem'
Arnold Wehmhoerner, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Sofia, Bulgaria
Peter Kmec, Deputy Head of Mission Embassy of Slovakia, Israel
13:15- 14:15 Lunch
14:15-17:30 The Arab-Israeli Experience: Past Present and Future
Chair: David Newman, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Shlomo Brom, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University
Baruch Spiegel, Economic Cooperation Foundation, Tel Aviv
Milos Strugar, Senior Political Advisor UNTSO - Jerusalem
Daniel Taub, General Law Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel
Joel Peters, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev