Jewish Friends of Palestine An Online Resource of Jewish Activists for a Free Palestine www.jewishfriendspalestine.org

Amendment 1, On the exceptions to the criteria relating to advocates of the "One State" solution and the joint Jewish/Arab dialogue groups, July 4, 2002

While the vast majority of sites included in the "Jewish Friends of Palestine" indices are listed because they meet the general criteria for inclusion as discussed on the About Us... page, it has been noticed that there are a few exceptions - namely, "one state" proponents and joint Jewish-Arab dialogue groups.

With regard to proponents of the "one state" idea - that seeks to create one unified state in Israel/Palestine wherein all people, Jewish and Arab, have identical rights and opportunities - they are included because in principle their agenda does advocate a different "minimum requirement" for peace. Nevertheless, such groups remain a small minority. The Israeli/Zionist Right rejects this perspective because by definition such a development would negate the "Jewish State" aspect of Israel in favor of a multi-cultural democracy wherein Jewish people would lose their special status in the state. Much of the Israeli/Jewish Left also rejects this notion because although they do not begrudge the Palestinian people their right to self-determination and freedom, at the same time, within the confines of pre-1967 Israel, they too wish to maintain the "Jewish State" concept. Just as important is the general rejection of this perspective among the vast majority of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories that have repeatedly expressed their desire for complete independence from Israel.

In view of the fact that there is only a tiny minority of people that support the "one state" solution in either Israel or Palestine - for the time being this perspective cannot be realistically viewed as a major influence. In the next fifty or so years, regardless of what happens in respect to the Occupied Territories, the demographic realities of the region - under the influence of the external refugees and Israeli Arab population - will increase the popular appeal of replacing the exclusivist "Jewish State" with a multi-cultural democracy. However, in the situation as it exists today, neither side is particularly keen on the idea of living directly next door to one another. We decided to include advocates of this perspective because while the idea is not popular on either side today, the perspective will inevitably become more popular in the future and does present an ideal advocating a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

With regard to the Jewish/Arab dialogue groups a bit of assumption comes into play. Although particular nuances and specific aspects of implementation have changed - essentially the Palestinian position regarding the Occupation has remained unchanged since 1988, they demand sovereignty and to exercise their right to self-determination within the Palestinian Territories conquered by Israel in 1967. Recognizing that the Israeli Arab population and the external refugee population represent different problems with different concerns, most of the dialogue groups in existence today were inspired not by Israeli Arabs or external refugees, but by violence and conflict arising from Palestinian resistance to the Israeli Occupation. Since most of the dialogue groups were inspired by actions related to the Occupation, it follows that most of the dialogue groups focus on issues relating to the Occupation. This is, of course, something of an assumption but a logical one.

In general, since most of the dialogue groups were formed in reaction to various aspects of the Occupation, it follows that most of the Jewish participants involved in such groups are open to the Palestinian calls for ending the Occupation. While some of the Jewish participants in such groups have openly and overtly advocated this agenda, others have not. Nevertheless, in that the perspective of the Palestinians under Occupation has not changed in any significant way over the last fourteen years it can be relatively safely assumed that any Jewish person involved in such an effort understands and sympathizes with this Palestinian demand. Thus such groups are included because ending the Occupation of the Territories conquered in 1967, including East Jerusalem/Al Quds, meets the criteria for inclusion in the "Jewish Friends of Palestine" indices.

Hopefully the above statement adequately address the concerns of those who have pointed out the inclusion of these various groups that do not strictly meet the standing criteria for inclusion.