The occurrences in the northern Negev in recent weeks should prevent sleep from anyone who fears for Israel's future. In a sad resemblance to what happened on the northern border during the years following the IDF's withdrawal from Lebanon, it also appears here that Israel has not found an effective way to respond to the harassment and the threats threatening its sovereignty and conducting secure life in the area surrounding Gaza. Everyone is convinced that in a short period of time – as in Lebanon – we will need to recapture the territory. And what then? Does anyone know what will occur there after the recapture, and how we can turn the strategic scales in our favor?

The problem of the Gaza Strip cannot be solved by political declarations, nor by destroying Israeli communities and not by stabilizing one regime or another. Furthermore, a military operation – even if it is necessary at this time – won't solve the problem in the long term. The problem with the Gaza Strip is the problem of the refugees, who are the vast majority of the population in the Gaza Strip today, and who have turned it into a constantly active and densely populated pressure cooker.

Without a comprehensive and practicable plan for rehabilitating the Palestinian refugees, and for removing the disgrace of the refugee camps from the Middle East, it will never be possible to establish peace in the Middle East. The preservation of the refugee problem is first and foremost designed to cause a lack of stability in the region and to protest against Israel's existence. The perpetuation of the refugee problem has been an Arab interest for many years – but today has created a window of opportunity for consolidating the interests of Israel, Arab countries and western countries - all of whom understand that the strengthening of radical Islam threatens world peace; and all of whom can now understand that the refugee camps, which gave birth to the zealous Palestinian nationalism, are an unnecessary danger.

'The Israeli Initiative' has recently produced a new booklet, entitled: "Rehabilitation of the Palestinian Refugees: A New Israeli Approach", which is solely dedicated to solving the refugee problem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that an Israeli organization is focusing on this issue in such a serious and comprehensive manner, and illustrating that the problem – which could have been solved a short time after it was created – can and must be solved today. The booklet, which contains maps and previously unknown statistics, also clearly explains the connection between the problem of Gaza and the refugee problem, and the realistic possibilities for a speedy end to the refugee problem – a project which could be complete within a decade.

In order to read or download the booklet, click here

The booklet mentioned above is the final stage of an Internet and billboard campaign that was run during the three weeks between January 20 and February 12. The campaign – which included billboard signs stating "Don't give them guns – give them homes", and Internet banners asking “Who is really concerned about the refugees?” ('starring' Ahmed Tibi and Suha Arafat, which brought a smile to the lips of many visitors) – brought almost 30 thousand new visitors to the Hebrew website, and another ten thousand new visitors to the English website. But the big achievement is not only the number of visitors to the website but another meaningful component: the new visitors didn't just visit the website for a few seconds, as is common in similar situations. The average time that the visitors spent on the website was tens of times higher than the norm, and testifies to the fact that the content of the website is both interesting and relevant. An analysis of the visitors' countries of origin illustrated, as expected, that the majority originate from Israel. The Israelis are followed by the Americans, then the British and the Canadians, and in a prominent position – visitors from the Palestinian Authority, who have expressed great interest in the Israeli Initiative's proposals.

A billboard from the Refugees' Campaign

More than four months have passed since the Israeli Initiative campaign began. The initial chief goal of placing the plan on the public agenda and creating the infrastructure among public opinion for becoming acquainted with the Initiative, has been achieved. The stage has now been set for the primary and most important effort – political action for promoting the Initiative.

As is the nature of these types of matters, we are unable to elaborate on the majority of what has been done on this level. We will only comment that the political action is divided into two venues: activity with American bodies and activity within the Israeli political system. On the American front, the activity focuses on attempts to cancel or reduce American support of UNRWA, the organization whose very existence prevents the refugees' rehabilitation and the end to the blood-soaked saga of those uprooted in 1948. Several weeks ago, the principles of the Israeli Initiative were formally presented before the American House of Representatives, and the Initiative's activities are already influencing discussions being carried out regarding continuing the customary support of UNRWA.

The American Senior Senator Sam Brownback, who is the likely Republican candidate for Vice-President, was the first senior American official to publicly endorse the 'Israeli Initiative'. It would appear that Senator Brownback has also started diplomatic activities for promoting the Jordanian option and the rehabilitation of the refugees, as he also recounted during the 'Jerusalem Conference' last week. The new booklet, "Rehabilitation of the Palestinian Refugees: A New Israeli Approach", was also distributed to participants during the conference, in a bilingual format.

Within the Israeli political system, the Initiative's actions have focused on garnering support for the Initiative and its principles from key figures within the political arena. We are happy to report that we are also seeing the fruit of our work in this activity, although we are currently unable to elaborate further on this. The inherent logic of the Initiative's principles - a logic which transcends the traditional lines between right and left - alongside the fruits of our team's labor, which can be seen in the two booklets which have been distributed up to now, have proved themselves and have been revealed as a significant asset in overcoming cynical political considerations.

The Foreign and Defense Committee, for the first time in its history, will soon discuss the question of Israel's stance towards UNRWA. The discussion will be carried out in response to MK Amira Dotan of Kadima's request, as a result of reading 'The Israeli Initiative'.

The recent trips of the Initiative's leader, MK Benny Elon, to the USA and Britain, were devoted to enlisting support for the Initiative from well-known political and intellectual figures. The meetings were productive, and we hope that they will lead to a large convention in the next few months, which will advance the Initiative one step further into the centre of the Israeli and international dialogue.

We are working on all these fronts simultaneously, and we hope that we will succeed - for all of our sakes and for the sakes of our children. After a hundred years of conflict, the citizens of Israel are entitled to a true peace, which will match Israel's long-term interests, and which will bring historic justice and prosperity to the whole region.

The range of those receiving the Initiative's updates is growing from day to day. This newsletter will directly reach more than twelve thousand people's inbox, who receive the Initiative's updates. Send this update to your friend, and bring more and more concerned people to join the thousands who have already subscribed. This is your way to be our partner in creating an alternative channel of communication, which is not a prisoner to the "vision of a two-state solution" and which is capable of an original way of thinking which will lead to a real solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

As always, we would be happy to receive your comments and responses.

Yoav Sorek
Israeli Initiative Team