Biased Conferences Used to Spread Venomous Anti-Israel Propaganda Don't Promote Peace

Statement from PRIMER-Connecticut regarding the December 3, 2006 "Tree of Life" conference at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.

At the first so-called "Tree of Life" conference held at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, only one of the main speakers was not strongly hostile to Israel. That speaker was Mark Rosenblum, one of the founders of Americans for Peace Now.

Peace Now generally saves most of its criticism for Israel, which apparently led the organizers to feel safe in inviting Dr. Rosenblum. However, the overwhelming anti-Israel bias led even Rosenblum to publicly lament it's not "conflict resolution" when everyone simply gangs up on Israel, Even Peace Now recognizes the Palestinian Arabs have spurned opportunity after opportunity and have no justification for the inhumane terrorist offensive they launched six years ago. Even Peace Now recognizes the the security fence, which was erected reluctantly by a government which acceded to the will of a people tired of having its children blown up at family weddings, Passover sederim, pizza parlors, discotheques and schoolyards, has saved lives.

This year, rather than including a single, lonely voice to balance those who are uncompromisingly hostile to and critical of Israel, the organizers put together a group of speakers posing no danger of any disagreement with the basic theme that the Palestinian Arabs are innocent of all wrongdoing and Israel is the root of all evil.

The organizers of this year's conference have made a clear statement: they are not interested in promoting either understanding or peace.

A peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, of which the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs is just a part and of which it is a consequence, requires a willingness on the part of all parties to live together in peace and to make painful compromises.

Israel has proven its willingness to do both, time and time again. It is long past time for the Arabs, in general, and the Palestinian Arabs, in particular, to do the same.

There would be peace today if the Arab world had joined the Zionists in accepting the United Nations Partition Plan in 1948.

There would be peace today if the Arab world had resettled their refugees after the 1948 war, as the Zionists had done, rather than using them as pawns and forcing them to live in refugee camps for six decades.

There would be peace today if the Arab world had adhered to the United Nations Security Council resolutions after the 1967 and 1973 wars and negotiated with Israel rather than going to Khartoum and adopting the infamous Three No's.

There would be peace today if the Palestinian Authority had adhered to their commitments under the Oslo Accords.

There would be peace today if the Palestinian Arabs had negotiated in good faith rather than responding to Israel's generous offer at Camp David with a terrorist offensive .

There will be peace when Israel's enemies give up on their dream of destroying Israel and join that tiny nation in its quest for peace. Biased conferences such as those which have been held at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme do nothing to bring that time closer.