MEPI Policies
The Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI) has organized more than 30 visits to the Middle East during the last four years.
During those occasions the groups were either addressed by or could meet many current and former Knesset members including former Prime Minister Ehud Barak MK, Ran Cohen MK, Gen. (Ret.) Dany Yatom MK, Dr. Yossi Beilin MK, Taleb el Sana MK and Nadia Hillou MK, leading media figures including Middle East TV analyst with Israel TV 2, Ehud Ya'ari, and Haaretz Senior Columnist Akiva Eldar.
MEPI groups have also met Palestinian leaders such as the late President Arafat and Palestinian Legislative Council members, such as Dr Emil Jarjoui, Abdullah Abdullah, Fayez Saqqa, the Governor of Ramallah, Dr. Saeed Abu Ali, Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, and the Mayors of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala.
We could also meet campaigners for dialogue and reconciliation from both communities and visit positive projects that are building peaceful relations for the long term development of the region. There have also been a series of Jewish-Christian dialogues and other interfaith activity to draw out the commonality between the three Abrahamic faiths.
The Middle East Peace Initiative has several short term goals for these visits:
- To inform participants of the perceived prospects for a peaceful resolution of the conflict from a range of informed opinions from both Israelis and Palestinians.
- To facilitate dialogue between influential figures in Europe, Israel and the Palestinian Territories by arranging appointments, briefings and visits.
- To show those constructive projects and activities that are contributing to building peace and are worthy of support from European individuals and institutions.
- To facilitate visits to the holy places of the three Abrahamic faiths to promote interfaith and intercultural understanding.
The Middle East Peace Initiative is an effort of the Universal Peace Federation.
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