Politics

This weekend, December 28-29, we are conducting a small-scale Israeli-Palestinian Public Negotiating Congress at Habima Square, Tel-Aviv.
The Concept:
 A delegation of 6 Israelis, from all walks of life and the entire political spectrum, meets a similar Palestinian delegation to negotiate an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The negotiations are conducted in front of an audience which is invited to participate in the peacemaking process. The assembly has 5 sessions, over one weakened, to reach peace agreements.
The Palestinian delegation includes five ex-prisoners: Ali, who is the head of a Palestinian municipality, served 30 years in an Israeli jail. Wael, Riad and Mahmud are entrepreneurs and businessmen who served a total of 22 years. Ibrahim is a peace activist and a businessman. Along with his many other activities, Ibrahim took part in tailoring the deal which helped to free the kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.
These former prisoners believe that a peacemaking change can start from the prisoners who have already paid with years taken from their lives. Interestingly, in Northern Ireland the political prisoners played a critical role in the peacemaking struggle.
 The Israeli delegation includes: a famous actor and creator, a feminist lawyer, a High-tech entrepreneur who is an ex IDF pilot, a marketing manager of a High-tech company, and a bereaved father who was one of the founders of Parents Circle - Families Forum. 
The project
We are working for the establishment of a major Israeli-Palestinian Public Negotiating Congress that could involve the people in the peacemaking process and create a momentum for a peacemaking revolution. The event, this weakened, is designed to demonstrate the peacemaking power of a major Public Negotiating Congress and develop support for its establishment. This is the first time that we are doing such an event in the open space which invites everyone to participate.
 The project begins to attract a great deal of attention in the academia (books and articles), media (American radio, newspapers and TV), and politics (US Congress and Canadian Parliament). 
Schedule of the event:
Friday, December 28, 2012:
 11:30 Introduction
12:00-14:00 First session
15:00-17:00 Second session
 Saturday, December 29, 2012:
9:00 – 11:00 Third session
12:00-14:00 Forth session
15:00-17:00 FINAL session 

Facebook link in English is:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Minds-of-Peace/186081194106
Facebook link in Hebrew: http://www.facebook.com/events/498722770150876/