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Download Here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/49183120/SPEC_Israel_final.pdf Position Papers are due 1/9/14 to the Delegate Forum Portal if delegates wish to receive feedback.
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Israel-JCC 1
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Israel-JCC 3
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LETTER FROM THE DAIS
Dear Delegates,
Hello everyone! My name is Wendy and I, along with Emily, am your senior staffer YMUN 39’s Commission on the Status of Women. Currently, I’m a sophomore at Yale, majoring in Psychology with a Neuroscience track with plans to go to graduate school.
Outside of the classroom and YMUN, I am also part of Yale’s Mock Trial team, a mentor in WYSE (Women and Youth Supporting Each Other), a mentoring group for local middle school girls, and I am running a non-profit, Codi’s Hats.
With the ever-evolving policies on reproductive health rights and women’s rights, I’m ex-cited to see the different stances and cultural clashes that the topics may bring out. I look forward to seeing how you all respond in the committee. See you soon!
- Wendy Cai, Yale ‘15
Hi guys! I’m Emily, and I will also be working as one of the directors for CSW. A North-ern California native, I’m currently a sophomore at Yale in Branford College, majoring in Economics with a possible double major in East Asian Studies. After graduation, I hope to live and work in China for several years before pursuing a graduate degree, possibly in business or law.
When not going to classes or preparing for YMUN, I also serve as a mentor in ReadySet-Launch, an organization providing college counseling services to low-income students, participate in Danceworks, a dance group at Yale, and I serve on the alumni fundraising board for my high school. I also enjoy cooking, baking, and playing softball.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the topics we have prepared for committee this year. Women’s rights remain a hotly debated topic globally, and I know you all are going to come up with informed, innovative solutions to these pressing problems. Please don’t hes-itate to email either Wendy or me with any questions or concerns.
- Emily Harris, Yale ‘15
All the best, Wendy Cai ([email protected]) Emily Harris ([email protected])
Dear Delegates,
We could not be more excited for YMUN. Really. We have been dreaming about this committee for
the past year or so, and have had countless meetings and back-and-forth emailings in order to make
this the best possible experience for you. We are especially excited because our committee will be run
in a joint cabinet crisis format, which not only brings the excitement of non-conventional Model
U.N. through crisis, but also permits a greater interaction and understanding of the nuances of the
conflict at hand through the constant battling between cabinets. We are honored and thrilled to be
chairing the Israeli cabinet, and look forward to all the resolutions and discussions we will when
YMUN comes. Until then, feel free to email us at [email protected] and
[email protected] with any and all questions you may have.
See you at YMUN, Jéssica Leão and Miguel Goncalves.
Jéssica Leão is a sophomore in Calhoun College and is a prospective Global Affairs major in the
international security track. She is an international student from Salvador, Brazil. When she’s not
buried somewhere in the deep realms of Bass Library, Jéssica can be found ordering soy chai lattes at
local coffee shops, walking around Yale’s art galleries, watching bad TV shows, and running to East
Rock Park. At Yale she is a member of the competitive Model UN traveling team (MUNTY), in
Yale’s D.C. think tank American Leadership Institute (AEI) executive council, a Calhoun Buttery
worker, and a Kappa Alpha Theta sorority sister. She really likes unicorns.
Miguel Goncalves is a sophomore in Ezra Stiles College, and currently intends to major in either
Physics, Economics, or Political Science. A first-generation Venezuelan immigrant, he has grown up
in what he remembers as "a melting pot of European, Hispanic, and American influences." His
interests range from music and literature to war history and quantum mechanics. In 2011, Miguel
founded and spearheaded the YELL (Youth Empowerment and Leadership Learning) Organization,
a nonprofit, student-driven leadership and public service initiative that continues to bridge the gap
between socioeconomically disadvantaged teens and community leaders in Central Florida. At Yale,
apart from being involved with Yale International Relations Associations with YRIS (Yale Review of
International Study), SCSY (Security Council Simulation at Yale), and of course YMUN (Yale
Model United Nations), Miguel is Director of Internal Affairs at the Yale Leadership Institute, an
avid bassoon player for the Yale Symphony Orchestra and Concert Band, co-president of the
Venezuelan Students' Association, and guest columnist for several on-campus publications.
!
TABLE OF CONTENTS Structure of the Committee 5 Structure of the JCC 6 History and Present Circumstances Beginnings 7 Expansion of Conflict 7 An Untenable Peace? 8 The Conflict Today 9 What the Israeli Cabinet Will Address 11
Committee Positions 12 Suggestions for Further Research 20
Israel-JCC 5
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The Security Council is formed by 5 permanent members (United States, Russian Federation, People’s
Republic of China, France, and the United Kingdom) and 10 rotating members elected for 2-year terms by the
U.N. General Assembly. Currently, the 10 members are Argentina, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Luxembourg,
Morocco, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, and Togo.
Under the United Nations Charter, the functions and powers of the Security Council are:
• to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of
the United Nations;
• to investigate any dispute or situation which mightlead to international friction;
• to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement;
• to formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;
• to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what
action should be taken;
• to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of
force to prevent or stop aggression;
• to take military action against an aggressor;
• to recommend the admission of new Members; to exercise the trusteeship functions of the
United Nations in "strategic areas";
• to recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and, together with the
Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
Information gathered from official Security Council website (http://www.un.org/):
Structure of the Security Council!
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Our committee will work around the history and the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but delegates should
keep in mind that it is inherent to the nature of JCC’s that unexpected developments occur. Do not rely on
traditional historical solutions for the crisis. The JCC will be very fast-paced, with new crises occurring
throughout committee sessions. Delegates should respond to those quickly and creatively, and should keep in
mind that the other cabinet will also be shaping the course of history. Resolutions depend on interactions not
only with the crisis room, but also with fast response to situations created by the opposing committee.
Parliamentary procedure will be enforced, but delegates should not rely on regular resolution writing. Instead,
directives (short, concise plans of attack and/or defense, questions, and any other creative situations) should be
sent to the crisis room in response or in anticipation of diverse crisis situations.
Structure of the JCC!
Israel-JCC 7
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Beginnings
The Zionist movement was founded in the
1880s as a response to the increasing persecution of
European Jews and the desire to join the existing
community of European nation-states. For decades,
thousands of Jews immigrated to Palestine, then a
part of the Ottoman Empire. Yet war and conflict
were all but nonexistent--Jews and their Arab
counterparts native to the region coexisted without
great difficulty well into the start of the twentieth
century.
The time period around World War I
drastically altered the dynamic of Arab-Israeli
relations.
In November of 1917, the British government
issued the Balfour Declaration and called for “the
establishment in Palestine of a National Home for
the Jewish people.” Seen as a Zionist triumph, the
Declaration proclaimed a universal right to a Jewish
homeland--a correction to centuries of injustices
and crimes at the Jews' expense. Great Britain's
resulting victory in the War, which granted it
control of Palestine and the ability to implement
Zionist policies catalyzed tension between Jews and
Arabs who opposed their presence for decades.
The end of World War II in 1945 resulted
in the creation of the United Nations, a new setting
for dealing with broad transnational problems. In
November of 1947, the UN General Assembly
recommended the partition of British-mandate
Palestine into two separate states, one for Jews and
one for Arabs. Fighting broke out immediately
afterward, as Palestinian Arab states jointly rejected
the partition plan's implied Zionist influence.
In May of 1948, Zionist leaders proclaimed
the state of Israel with significant Western backing.
The resulting military conflict between Israel and
its hostile Arab neighbors became known as
Milhemet Haatzma’ut, the "War of Independence.”
With superior military tactics, the Israel Defence
Forces secured large tracts of additional land from
Israel's attackers. Following the conflict, Jordan
established control over the West Bank and Egypt
over the Gaza Strip, while Jerusalem was split
between Israel in the west and Jordan in the east.
Expansion of Conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO), a religious and political covenant
advocating for the eradication of Israel, was
founded in May of 1964. Three years later, tensions
with Arab states reached a boiling point once more:
in what Israelis call the “Six Day War,” Israel
conducted a preemptive strike against Egyptian
military targets, strategically defeated its other
neighbors Syria and Jordan, and gained further
territorial control in Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.
Geographically, Israel tripled its original size,
winning the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from
Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the West
Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan.
In response to the war, the UN Security
Council passed Resolution 242, which called for the
“withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories
occupied in the recent conflict; termination of all
claims or states of belligerency and respect for and
acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial
integrity and political independence of every state
in the area and their right to live in peace within
secure and recognized boundaries free from threats
or acts of force.” This resolution is the basis for all
subsequent negotiations between Israel,
Palestinians, and surrounding Arab states.
Conditions deteriorated again in the fall of
1973, when Egypt and Syria organized a surprise
attack on the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights
History and Present Circumstances!
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during the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur. The war
lasted for 3 weeks, ending on October 22 on the
Syrian front and October 26 on the Egyptian front.
After successful counterattacks, Israel maintained
possession of the Sinai Peninsula and Golan
Heights. The UN Security Council, once again in
response to regional conflict, subsequently passed
Resolution 338, which called for an immediate
cease-fire and negotiations to establish a “just and
durable peace in the Middle East.”
The period from 1978 to 1981 saw marked
improvements in bilateral relations between Israel
and the Arab world. After multiple rounds of talks,
President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Prime Minister
Menachem Begin of Israel, and President Jimmy
Carter of the United States sign what became
known as the Camp David accords. Israel agreed to
hand back the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in return
for peace and official recognition, marking the first
time Israel had ever been recognized by one of its
neighbors.
Sadat’s peace agreement, however, resulted
in backlashes: Egypt was expelled from the Arab
League, and its continued diplomatic relations with
Israel led to the assassination of
Sadat himself on October 6, 1981, by 3 soldiers of
the Egyptian Army.
An Untenable Peace?
The First Palestinian Intifada (“uprising”)
began six years later to protest the Israeli
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinian
populations sustained protests, terrorist attacks,
riots, and assassinations for another six years,
killing or injuring over twenty thousand people by
1993. It is widely believed that the first Intifada was
instrumental in changing Israeli public opinion,
molding it in a direction more favorable toward
peace negotiations with increasingly unstable
Palestinians. The Intifada also marked the first time
that broad segments of the Palestinian population
became involved in the movement against Israeli
occupation. Until then, most of the opposition had
been externally organized by the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO).
Though marked by great instability, peace
talks continued throughout the Intifada. In 1988,
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat condemned all
forms of terrorism and recognized the state of
Israel. Attempting to restore stability, U.S.
President Ronald Reagan authorized “substantive
dialogue” with the PLO, which received further
support from the UN General Assembly in its
Resolution 53/196, which “reaffirmed the
inalienable rights” of Palestinians in the Golan
Heights. A new round of secret talks between Israeli
and PLO negotiators began in Oslo, Norway. On
September 13, 1993, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
and Israeli Prime MinisterYitzhak Rabin signed a
Declaration of Principles, in which Israel recognized
the PLO and gave it limited autonomy in occupied
territories in return for peace. In response, the PLO
gave up claims to Israeli territories defined by pre-
1967 boundaries and agreed to end the Intifada. The
Israel-JCC 9
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process by which Israel gradually exchanged land
for peace on the way toward a final agreement
became known as the “Oslo peace process.”
The following summer, Israel and the PLO
reached the “Cairo Agreement,” a conciliatory
Israeli military withdrawal from 60% of the Gaza
Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho. On July 1,
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat returned to Gaza
and took up his new position as head of the new
Palestinian Authority (PA). Relative peace would
be short lived, however, as the assassination of
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin at the hands of a
disgruntled Orthodox Jew in November
destabilized the peace process.
Under the leadership of right-centrist
Binyamin Netanyahu, who succeeded Shimon Peres
as Prime Minister of Israel in 1996, Israel made
even further concessions. In November of 1997, it
returned over 80% of the West Bank town of
Hebron to Palestinian rule; on May 23, 2000, Israel
unilaterally withdrew from areas of Lebanese
occupation dating back to 1982. In July of 2000, a
peace summit at Camp David ended deadlocked
over Palestinian claims to excessive portions of
Jerusalem and Israel. Palestinians accused Israelis of
not being willing to make the compromises
necessary for an agreement, while Israel believed its
offer of handing over 95% of the West Bank and
Gaza for the formation of a Palestinian state to be
generous. This atmosphere of on-and-off conflict
led to what is considered the “second” Intifada, a
period of reinvigorated Palestinian violence that has
lasted until the present day.
In response to the emergence of new and
increased tensions, the Israeli security cabinet voted
to expand the IDF’s capacity to target Palestinian
terrorists in July of 2001. At the same time, it
reaffirmed its commitment to acting in compliance
with the “laws of armed conflict.”
Following the Al-Qaeda attacks on New
York and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001,
international pressures to bring Israel and the
Palestinians to negotiations increased, in part due
to requests from Arab and Muslim governments
supporting the newly established war on terrorism.
For the first time, American President George W.
Bush began to support the creation of a separate
Palestinian state.
The Conflict Today
Since 2009, the Obama administration has
repeatedly pressured Benjamin Netanyahu’s
government to a) slow the growth of Israeli
settlements in the West Bank; and b) reignite the
peace process between Israel and the Palestinian
people. During his Cairo speech on June 2009,
Obama declared that the United States “does not
accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli
settlements." In response, Netanyahu argued that
he would accept a Palestinian state if Jerusalem
remained the united capital of Israel, the Palestinian
Authority ruled without an army, and if
Palestinians gave up their demand for a right of
return.
In 2012, the Palestinian Authority (PA)
successfully applied for admission as a United
Nations non-member state. The draft resolution
was passed on November 29 by a vote of 138 to 9
and 41 abstentions. In spite of such recognition,
however, the Palestinian state continues to exist on
a largely symbolic level. Israel has noted that a true
Palestinian state can only arise out of successful
peace negotiations.
!
The years 2013 and 2014 are poised to be of
great significance for Israel and the international
community as a whole. A time has arrived in which
Israel must decide whether to take military action
against Palestinian neighbors and Iranian
aggressors, or if it should entrust the United States
with maintaining peace if the processes of
diplomacy and economic sanctions fail. In Lebanon,
Hezbollah is armed with thousands of explosive
devices and well-trained fighters; the Sinai
continues to harbor an al-Qaeda presence and the
Muslim Brotherhood influence in Cairo continues
to grow; farther south, Hamas is recovering from
damage Israel recently inflicted and rebuilding the
Gaza Strip into a new hotbed of terrorism. In a
region where drastic turns of events are feasible and
even ordinary, the only certainty is one echoed over
fifty years ago: as the complex wheels of Israeli and
Palestinian politics turn, the world will be
watching.
Israel-JCC 11
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With the escalating tensions of a new
Middle East, shaped by not only the ongoing Arab-
Israeli conflict but also the recent Arab Spring, how
will this cabinet create policy and plans that will
secure the peace and stability of Israel for years to
come? Time has come for concrete, grand designs
that will target the roots of the issue, rather than
address step-by-step momentary conflict solution.
Your job as delegates is to serve as Israeli
ambassadors for your own values but also for the
greater good of your country. Keep in mind your
political affiliations and what you’ve done and
proposed thus far, but do not shy away from
granting concessions and thinking in the larger
picture of diplomacy. Once you enter the committee
room, time will be frozen and you will shape the
future of the conflict – do not take a path already
traced, but instead think of what new ideas you can
bring to the table. Israeli settlements are a pressing
issue, and you must weigh in the political
significance of building new ones as well as
evacuation as deemed necessary. You must also
think of the needs of the Palestinians – how much
aid should given? What are some laws that could be
changed? How can you improve the tensions? Also
think about the region itself – what are some
important allies that can help Israel in securing
peace? What countries should we be reaching out
to? And finally, think about the idea of a Palestinian
state itself. Do you want one? Should we have one?
One state solution? Two states? Where? When?..
The questions are many, but we know you have it
in your power to make a difference. Good luck and
see you in the cabinet!
With the escalating tensions of a new
Middle East, shaped by not only the ongoing Arab-
Israeli conflict but also the recent Arab Spring, how
will this cabinet create policy and plans that will
secure the peace and stability of Israel for years to
come? Time has come for concrete, grand designs
that will target the roots of the issue, rather than
address step-by-step momentary conflict solution.
Your job as delegates is to serve as Israeli
ambassadors for your own values but also for the
greater good of your country. Keep in mind your
political affiliations and what you’ve done and
proposed thus far, but do not shy away from
granting concessions and thinking in the larger
picture of diplomacy. Once you enter the committee
room, time will be frozen and you will shape the
future of the conflict – do not take a path already
traced, but instead think of what new ideas you can
bring to the table. Israeli settlements are a pressing
issue, and you must weigh in the political
significance of building new ones as well as
evacuation as deemed necessary. You must also
think of the needs of the Palestinians – how much
aid should given? What are some laws that could be
changed? How can you improve the tensions? Also
think about the region itself – what are some
important allies that can help Israel in securing
peace? What countries should we be reaching out
to? And finally, think about the idea of a Palestinian
state itself. Do you want one? Should we have one?
One state solution? Two states? Where? When?..
The questions are many, but we know you have it
in your power to make a difference. Good luck and
see you in the cabinet!
What the Israeli Cabinet will Address
!
Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu is the current Prime
Minister of Israel and Chairman of the Likud party
in the Knesset. Born in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu is the
first Israeli prime minister born in Israel sicne the
establishment of the state. Before his political
career, Netanyahu served in the Israel Defense
Forces (IDF) during the Six-Day War in 1967.
After his term as Prime Minister from June 1996 to
July 1999, he moved briefly to the private sector
and ultimately returned to politics in 2002 as
Foreign Affairs Minister and Finance Minister
(2003–2005). His recent victory in the 2013
elections has made him the second person to be
elected to the position of Prime Minister for a third
term in the history of Israel.
Netanyahu is widely considered one of the most
influential Jewish figures on the planet. With
regard to the Israel-Palestine conflict, he has been
one of the leading advocates of a one-state solution.
Given recent developments and pressure from the
international stage, however, this position may
change.
Committee Positions !
Israel-JCC 13
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Tzipi Livni
Tziporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is Israel's
current Minister of Justice and former cabinet
minister, most notably serving as Minister of
Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009. Unable to form
a coalition government after the 2009 elections, she
served as the leader of Kadima, the largest party in
the Knesset, until 2012. Livni--a self-proclaimed
nationalist--has become one of the nation's leading
voices for the two-state solution, earning her a
reputation as a largely principled politician.
As Minister of Justice under Prime Minister
Netanyahu, Livni is charged with overseeing the
country's diplomatic initiatives and peace talks with
the Palestinians. As such, she is a key figure in
creating and sustaining dialogue for a nonviolent
solution to the conflict.
Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres is the current President of the
State of Israel, serving a largely ceremonial role
since 2007 after a lengthy career. Over a period of
sixty-six years, Peres served twice as Prime Minister
and has been a member of 12 cabinets. He has
represented five political parties in the Knesset:
Mapai, Rafi, the Alignment, Labor, and Kadima,
and also won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for peace
in which he participated as Israeli Foreign Minister,
producing the Oslo Accords.
Peres's recent political stance is more
conciliatory than that earlier in his career. Though
opposed to talks with the PLO, he is a strong
supporter of peace through economic cooperation
and has spoken of the need for "territorial
compromise" over the West Bank and Gaza. His
ceremonial post, while ultimately deferent to posts
of greater power, remains an important one, as does
his ability to influence present-day political
circumtances.
Israel-JCC 14
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Benny Gantz
Lieutenant General Benny Gantz is the
current Chief of the General Staff and Commander-
in-Chief of the Israeli Defense Forces. He replaced
Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, a prominent
Israeli military and political figure, as Chief of Staff
in 2010. Given the IDF's importance in daily life,
Gantz's role has catapulted him to public
importance in Israel. A key authority in military
decision-making, he is responsible for the day-to-
day operations of the Israeli military and for
carrying out political orders from the highest tiers
of Israeli leadership. As such, he has the ability to
mobilize military units and respond to diplomatic
and military crises around Israel.
Uri vnery
Israel-JCC 15
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Uri Avnery is a prominent writer and
founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement. He
is famous for meeting Yassir Arafat during the
Siege of Beirut on July 3, 1982, the first time a
Palestinian leader had ever met with an Israeli
official. Gush Shalom opposes Israeli occupation of
the West Bank on the basis that the occupation is
illegal, and also disagrees with the blockade and
non-recognition of the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, his
movement supports the two-state solution to the
Israel-Palestine question, with the 1967 border
between Israel and Palestine, and with Jerusalem as
the capital of both states. Recently, Gush Shalom
claimed that Israel's offer to Yasser Arafat in the
Camp David negotiations of 2000 was not a
"generous offer" but "a humiliating demand for
surrender."
Yona Metzger
Rabbi Yona Metzger is the former Ashkenazi
Chief Rabbi of Israel. During and after his tenure,
he has been a major proponent of friendly
relationships with other religious communities.
One idea Metzger has repeatedly proposed is the
establishment of a “religious United Nations” in
Jerusalem. On a February 2007 trip to India, joined
other prominent rabbis in signing a declaration
opposed to violence as part of a World Council of
Religious Leaders summit. He has also gained
support of the Dalai Lama in efforts to revitalize
interfaith dialogue across Eurasia.
Metzger has noted that he favors “every initiative
that can prevent bloodshed and terror."
Dani Dayan
Dani Dayan was the Chairman of the Yesha
Council until 2013. Prior to this role, Dayan he was
the Secretary-General of the Tehiya party and
Knesset member. Following his Yesha Council
election, Dayan began transforming it into an
effective political lobby. Despite his secularity,
Dayan has been a key figure in supporting religious
settlements and opposing a two-state solution,
believing that holding onto the West Bank is in
Israel's best interest.
Moshe Ya'alon The former IDF chief of staff from 2002 to
2005, Moshe Ya'alon currently serves as the Israeli
Defense Minister. His tenure has been marked by a
conflagratory attitude toward Palestinians. In the
past, he has stated that the “Palestinian threat
harbors cancer-like attributes that have to be
Israel-JCC 16
!
severed.” However, he has also recognized the
importance of accepting a gradual peace process in
spite of weariness toward additional Israeli land
concessions.
Yair Lapid
Yair Lapid is a prominent Israeli
businessman, journalist, and chairman of Mavet
Le'Nechim, an NGO driven by the pursuit of social
equality. He currently serves as Israel’s Minister of
Finance and as chairman of the increasingly
prominent and moderate Yesh Atid Party. In May
2013, Lapid ranked first on the Forbes list of most
influential Jews. His rapid rise to prominence is
attributed to an agenda of helping the middle class,
ending ultra-Orthodox hegemony, and refocusing
elections on domestic Israeli issues over broader
problems such as war. On the peace process, Lapid
secured a remarkable popular consensus, taking
150,000 votes away from Likud and toward his
center-left coalition.
Naftali Bennett
Naftali Bennett leads the variously described
right-wing party The Jewish Home, which controls
12 seats out of 120 as of the 2013 Knesset elections.
Domestically, he favors policies associated with free
market systems and private business (economic
liberalization).
Israel-JCC 17
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Since 2012, Bennett has proposed an alternate
plan for managing the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Within his “Tranquilizing Plan,” Bennett opposes a
Palestinian state and instead proposes a tri-
partition of certain territories between Israel,
Palestine, and Egypt. Palestinians living in Israeli
areas would be offered citizenship or permanent
residency status. Israel would also invest in roads
for improved transnational connections. In 2011,
Bennett used factories in the West Bank industrial
region as evidence for the possibility of improved
bilateral relations.
Avigdor Lieberman
Avigdor Lieberman is the chairman of Israel’s
nationalist right-wing political party, Yisrael
Beiteinu. From 2009 to 2012, he served as Israel’s
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister; other
past roles include Minister of National
Infrastructure and campaign ally with Binyamin
Netanyahu. In May of 2004, Lieberman presented
the “Populated Area Exchange Plan,” a proposed
Israel-Palestine solution involving the exchange of
Arab towns along the West Bank for Jewish
settlements along pre-1967 boundaries.
Lieberman’s history of service in security portfolios
has given him significant leadership credibility in
the national stage, lending recent promise to his
political party and Palestinian partition plan.
Shelly Yachimovich
Shelly Yachimovich is the current Leader of
the Opposition of Israel and head of the left-leaning
Labor Party. A member of the Knesset since 2006,
she is a former journalist, writer, and media
commentator. By December 2008, she had become
a popular candidate in the Labor Party’s primary
elections to the 18th Knesset, establishing herself as
a leading political figure. During her time in the
Knesset, Yachimovich successfully passed a wide
array of legislation focused on employment
benefits, immigration reform, and gender equality.
In 2011, she was elected chairwoman of the Labor
Israel-JCC 18
!
Party for the 19th Knesset general elections,
defeating the incumbent by more than 10% of the
votes. She has been a leading advocate for the
advancement of the peace process, critical of
Netanyahu’s less compromising approach.
Amir Peretz
Amir Peretz is Israel’s current Minister of
Environmental Protection. Having previously
served as Minister of Defence and leader of the
Labor Party, he went on to leave the Labor Party in
2012 in favor of Hatnuah, a more centrist
movement. With respect to Palestinians and the
Arab world, Peretz is regarded as dovish (in fav
or of more expedited peace). One of the early
leaders of the Peace Now movement, Peretz has
tried to set more liberal agendas for his parties in
matters concerning the peace process, attempting to
equate the importance of solving the Palestinian
conflict with Israel's most pressing social and
economic concerns.
Shaul Mofaz Lt. General (ret.) Shaul Mofaz is an Israeli
politician and former Chief of Staff of the Israeli
Defense Forces. After a victory against Tzipi Livni
in 2012, he temporarily served as Leader of the
Opposition in the Knesset. After his tenure as the
16th IDF Chief of Staff, Mofaz’s expertise in
military and defense operations led to his
appointment as Israel's Minister of Defense and
Deputy Prime Minister. As Chairman of the
Kadima Party, he currently leads the smallest party
in the Knesset and holds right-centric views similar
to those of Netanyahu on the Palestinian peace
process: he supports maintaining major Israeli
settlements and an Israel-controlled Jerusalem.
Israel-JCC 19
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Nir Barkat Endorsed by the Labor Party, Nir Barkat
successfully ran in the 2013 Jerusalem mayoral
elections. Before his mayoral incumbency, he
started his career in the technology industry,
founding an antivirus software company called
BRM. Its success and transformation into a venture
firm netted Barkat international attention as well as
prominence within Israel. Barkat is described as
secular, contrasting with his former opponents in
the mayoral race. In spite of his relative secularity,
however, he is strongly opposed to Palestinian
sovereignty within the city, instead suggesting that
Palestinians rename Ramallah as “northern
Jerusalem.”
Israel-JCC 20
!
Suggestions for Further Research
Al Jazeera News
www.aljazeera.com/
BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk
Security Council News http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/security_council/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=UN%20Security%20Council&st=cse
Foreign Policy Magazine www.foreignpolicy.com/
Human Rights Watch
www.hrw.org
Global Policy Forum www.globalpolicy.org/
BBC comprehensive guide of Middle East Conflict (a must read!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special_reports/middle_east_crisis/
Interactive map of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/multimedia/interactive-mappingtheisraelipalestinianconflict.html
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