Our cohort of inspiring young Russian-speaking Israelis gathered in Jerusalem for a two-day enrichment seminar about the conflict and, more importantly, solutions, in late April. The seminar opened with a half-day open discussion with a Palestinian resident and cultural leader of East Jerusalem, who shared insights into daily life, different challenges faced by different Palestinian communities and areas, and public opinion trends regarding the future of the conflict among young Palestinians.
This was followed by a workshop led by the GI Deputy Director on the core issues of the conflict, the proposed solutions to each one in a two-state solution framework, and opportunities for progress towards negotiations despite the current complex and difficult circumstances. Other trainings throughout the seminar included a talk with an Israeli security expert about the regional challenges and opportunities that are intertwined with a future Israeli-Palestinian peace process, a panel with Palestinian women who spoke about their peace-building work during wartime, and a discussion about lessons learned from other conflicts and other reconciliation processes around the world.
