On Monday, November 16 2015, J Street U at American University hosted a panel discussion
about the future of a two-state solution and American diplomacy in the region. The panel, part of APN's "Peace
Partners" series, featured Ori Nir of Americans for Peace Now and Ghaith al-Omari of the Washington Institute
for Near East Policy.
Born and raised in Jerusalem, Ori Nir is the spokesperson for Americans for Peace Now. He formerly worked for
Haaretz Daily, and served as the Washington Bureau Chief for the Forward, America’s largest Jewish weekly
newspaper.
Ghaith al-Omari is the former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine. He also was advisor to
the Palestinian Authority negotiating team between 1999 and 2001, and is now a senior fellow at The Washington
Institute For Near East Policy.
See tweets documenting the event below:
#PeacePartners OriNir_APN and @ghalomari speaking last night at @americanu, hosted by @jstreetu
@jstreetuau pic.twitter.com/lDOL7X76ws
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
@OriNir_APN from @PeaceNowUS talking about the work he does pic.twitter.com/WToyIDib1F
— J Street U AU (@JStreetUAU) November 17,
2015
"The impact that the occupation has on Israeli society is something I struggle with more and more"- @OriNir_APN
— J Street U AU (@JStreetUAU) November 17,
2015
You have to acknowledge and respect the other narrative- Ghaith al-Omari from @WashInstitute
— J Street U AU (@JStreetUAU) November 17,
2015
2 state solution is the only solution where everyone has security- @OriNir_APN
— J Street U AU (@JStreetUAU) November 17,
2015
Unless you have a country of your own you are vulnerable- Ghaith al-Omari @WashInstitute
— J Street U AU (@JStreetUAU) November 17,
2015
As long as you have the occupation violence is inevitable- Ghaith al-Omari @WashInstitute
— J Street U AU (@JStreetUAU) November 17,
2015
.@ghalomari: Most peace deals reached because you've gotten to the
point where stalemate too painful #PeacePartners pic.twitter.com/nXqzxu12Lt
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@OriNir_APN: Would be very good for Obama admin to come out w/
their own list of parameters for final peace agreement #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@ghalomari: I disagree abt issuing parameters. Admin currently
unable to do what it takes to move things forward pic.twitter.com/GfzTnsTieo
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@OriNir_APN: We must remind people of benefits of 2SS and damage
caused by status quo #PeacePartners pic.twitter.com/vTe1Vt2RGu
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@OriNir_APN: So far, neither side has felt enough pain as a
consequence of saying no #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@OriNir_APN: Reason why @PeaceNowUS supports settlements boycott is to make clear that the West
Bank is not Israel #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@OriNir_APN: Many Israelis don't know the contours of the green
line, many don't even know what it is #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@ghalomari: Security cooperation has been important in 2 1/2 ways:
1) it has made areas safer 2) it has made constituency out of IDF
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@ghalomari: security cooperation has also opened up space for
Israelis/Palestinians to work together #PeacePartners pic.twitter.com/XkYblHEulG
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@ghalomari: The footprint of settlements and the security measures
taken by Israel are what defines the occupation #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
Opponent is too soft a word for how much I am against BDS b/c it blocks conversation. - Ghaith al-Omari
@WashInstitute
— J Street U AU (@JStreetUAU) November 17,
2015
.@ghalomari: Most of the people in the IDF are moral people. But of
course there are the bad apples as well #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@ghalomari: Only way you can really protect Israelis is through a
two-state solution and separation #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@OriNir_APN: When settlers attack Palestinians, the IDF usually
stands aside. So they need real security as well #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015
.@OriNir_APN: I think it's clear that Netanyahu is not interested
in reaching peace. If he once was, it's no longer the case #PeacePartners
— AmericansforPeaceNow (@PeaceNowUS) November
17, 2015