Peace Now presents: Settlement course

The left-wing Peace Now movement will launch a series of courses next week intended for people who are not thoroughly familiar with the issue of settlements, or for those who want to know more about what is happening on the other side of the Green Line, in order to train them as Peace Now activists. The course, which is scheduled to begin on Sunday and is mainly intended for university students, will continue for seven weeks and will include lectures on the history of the settlement enterprise through its legal and economic aspects, the establishment of outposts and the security ramifications of the Jewish settlement in the West Bank. During the course, the students are expected to hear a lecture from a Yesha Council representative, who will speak on behalf of the settlers. Out of each study group, a number of students will be chosen at the end of the course to continue to an advanced course, and will then be assigned as Peace Now activists. The registration will begin Friday at the organization's offices in Jerusalem (where the course is expected to be held), and the price per student will be NIS 80 (approximately USD 18.) Peace Now's Secretary General, Yariv Oppenheimer, told Ynet that "The course will mainly present the reality form our point of view." "It is important for us that the course participants will also be able to hear the other side and receive answers for questions that may be raised," he said. Tomer Friedman, a Peace Now activist, told Ynet that "Although this is an initial course, our goal is to hold it twice a year. We expect dozens of students to register." "From the course we will choose a group of youngsters, who will join the Peace Now settlement surveillance team on and will patrol the West Bank on a regular basis," he said. Among the course's lecturers: Colonel (res.) Shaul Arieli, who will talk about the security fence MK Chaim Oron (Meretz), who will deal with the issue of settlement financing and Prof. Amiram Goldblum, one of the first Peace Now activists, who will talk about the establishment of the first settlements. Peace Now's 'Road Map' Last month the movement presented a new peace initiative which calls for the evacuation of 43 settlements in the West Bank in a two-stage plan, along with the removal of illegal West Bank outposts, and the renewal of negotiations with the Palestinians. The movement launched a campaign for the plan under the banner: “The next evacuation, coming to you soon.” The movement said at a Jerusalem press conference that the realization of the plan would open up “a window of opportunity” for the renewal of the peace process and the creation of a new reality for the Israeli and Palestinian nations. “The disengagement plan proved that Israeli society is willing and able to accept settlement evacuation, and the attempts of the Israeli right-wing to torpedo a step in which settlements are evacuated did not succeed. Israeli democracy won out," the movement said. According to Peace Now, in order to build on the positive dynamics in the region, both sides must take a number of diplomatic and security step and renew dialogue channels, in order to reach a peace agreement on the basis of two states for two nations in accordance with the 1967 borders.

Peace Now presents: Settlement course

Movement launches new course on outposts; exceptional students expected to join organization's settlement surveillance team