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Ambassador Hotel, Jerusalem
The following narrative report highlights, in bullet form, some of the major points from Prof. Marc Gopin’s presentation. These points are grouped into the three major topics addressed during his lecture:
1. Conflict Resolution and the Role of Religion
2. Gopin’s Own Work in Syria.
3. The Age of Obama
Before beginning his lecture, Gopin told the audience that while he would talk about “the Age of Obama,” it would not be out of insensitivity for what was currently happening in Gaza.
Conflict Resolution and the Role of Religion
Conflict resolution has been too focused on problem solving and the past; religion has a role in creating the future.
Most of Herbert Kellman’s work was based on connecting elites, and they didn’t have a clue about what was going on the bottom, and on the bottom, there were all kinds of things that didn’t fit rational categories, like things you’re willing to give up your life for.
Flights into the spiritual world were very compelling for a lot of people. The identification of basic human needs, when they are not satisfied, will turn people to very destructive relationships with their neighbors or themselves.
The people controlling peace processes have not included religious people in the process because they’re terrified of the power of religion.
Gopin’s Work in Syria
Most of Marc Gopin’s work over the past five years has been in Damascus in Syria, and the work that was done there was very successful in shifting the Syrian-American relationship.
Prof. Gopin described his work in Syria, explaining that he had the sanction of the government, and, as result, he was able to do very high-profile work. His meetings were broadcast on Al-Jazeerah and went into tens of millions of homes. These public events had a strong positive influence on liberal Bathists because they demonstrated American solidarity with a new Syria, and it gave strength to those in the US State Department who were resisting the attempt to do to Syria what the US had done to Iraq. The US invested a lot of money in creating a coup in Syria.
The Age of Obama
Neo-conservatism made Bush keep the Israelis from negotiating with Syria. It got to the point that someone as anti-intellectual as Sarah Palin almost became the vice-President of the United States. That’s how powerful neo-conservatism is, but the opposite has happened.
The Age of Obama is an age in which whatever team he picks, the mandate that he will enact will involve a new approach to consensus and community building. The whole style of his campaign, from beginning to end, has been an engagement with people. It’s unprecedented. It’s characterized by two words: idealism and pragmatism. There’s a strong belief that things can change, but also a recognition that things have to change by coalition building and consensus.
In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, people will have to rethink the role of the third party in resolving the conflict.
People have to think what will have to happen for more positive American involvement.
The Bush years were a disaster in which the US embraced violence. We’re back to people who authentically want a good outcome here, but the system is solidly pro-Israel in what it hears and does. So how is this third party going to be more effective and not make the mistakes of the Oslo years?
The answer to that question involves a deeper understanding of how Washington works on behalf of the actors here.
There’s nothing that balances out the absolute control that AIPAC has over congressional offices.
Congressmen have previously met with Gopin, and upon reviewing his proposals, have asked if he had permission from AIPAC for his work.
The vice-President tried very hard to have Israel attack Syria during the 2006 war.
If Syria doesn’t come back to the negotiating table, they will be pressured to do so in Washington.
Obama’s Middle East team is very pro-Israel, and it will likely repeat some of the mistakes that they made in the Clinton years.
The people in Obama’s Middle East team will never admit the value of people-to-people work, but they will capitalize on any ideas that are produced.
What would really help the Obama Administration is a clear voice on what’s happening in the Middle East that the policy makers know is reaching all American people.