The Geneva Initiative’s Director of Foreign Relations, Jess Manville was interviewed by the Jewish Telegraph:
“It is an existential threat to Israel if there is not a Palestinian state because it challenges its ability to be a Jewish and democratic state – there are Palestinians who don’t have rights or self determination.”
“The recent escalation highlights that the status quo is unsustainable and that there is a need to work towards a peace agreement otherwise we will be constantly falling back into these cycles of violence. This will keep happening unless there is engagement between both sides, dialogue and genuine steps taken in the direction of a political agreement.”
“Working in peace building can be disheartening sometimes when you feel sometimes that larger structural forces and political dynamics are against you. Learning to notice and acknowledge the small wins like Israelis and Palestinians in engaging in dialogue and leaving our meetings with changed perspectives, or an Israeli journalist publishing articles about her encounters with Palestinians, or even when there are violent episodes ensuring that the voices for peace on both sides keep talking – these are the glimmers of hope that mean we don’t give up.”
Read the full article here, published on 28th May, 2021.
