Josef Avesar Today, 7:30 p.m. UCLA Extension,
Lindbrook Center
Josef Avesar, a UCLA alumnus and the president and founder of
the Israeli-Palestinian Confederation, will present his ideas for
peace between Israelis and Palestinians at UCLA today.
Avesar said the premise of his organization is to “create
a confederation government between the Israelis and
Palestinians.”
A founding member of the confederation and a native of Israel,
Avesar said he was inspired to help create a solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian situation after visiting Israel in 2002.
“A week after I visited … there was a terrorist bomb
right where we were sitting for lunch,” he said.
He said the IPC was founded by private individuals who are
concerned about the continuing conflict.
According to the IPC Web site, the organization plans to
“take into consideration the existing reality,” of the
conflict and present “a detailed plan to create a confederate
government.”
The proposed government would be the result of dividing the area
of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank into 300 districts.
Each district would then elect one person to a legislative body,
which would result in 180 Israeli representatives and 120
Palestinian representatives.
These districts would also elect a national director and a
vice-national director, one Israeli and one Palestinian who will
rotate office as they serve their term.
In order for any legislation to pass, 60 percent of the 300
representatives must vote yes, as must 25 percent of the
minority.
Avesar said the IPC intends to accomplish its plan by raising
$35 million through donations, and is currently applying for status
as a non-profit organization.
Once this money is raised, the IPC plans to set up operations in
Jerusalem where it will then hold private elections.
“We believe that once we can conduct internal elections,
there will be public pressure, international and national, on the
Israeli and Palestinian governments,” Avesar said.
Within this government the Israeli government and the
Palestinian government would remain separate sovereign bodies.
“This is a third government. The legislature will make its
own decisions. This is a mechanism,” Avesar said. “Just
like when you build a courthouse, you don’t know the decision
they will make.”
Despite promises for a clear path for peace, the IPC’s
plan has raised some doubts among students.
“I do think that the whole idea is a positive step,”
said Sabiha Ameen, president of the Muslim Student Association.
“At the same time, it is unattainable.”
Robby Gordon, the co-chair of the Cousins Club of Orange County,
where both supporters of Israel and Palestine meet, said he
believes the proposal would be feasible if enough money raised to
support the plan.
“Everything is feasible with enough funds,” Gordon
said.