Gershon Baskin facts for kids

Gershon Baskin, a peace activist

Gershon Baskin (Hebrew: גרשון בסקין) was born on May 2, 1956. He is an Israeli writer, a social and political activist, and a researcher who studies the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, focusing on how to achieve peace. In February 2025, Baskin and Samer Sinijlawi started a group called the Alliance for Two States.

Baskin is the Middle East Director for the International Communities Organisation (ICO). The ICO is a non-profit group based in the UK that works in areas where there are conflicts and peace talks have failed.

About Gershon Baskin

Early Life and Education

Gershon Baskin was born into a Jewish family in New York City. As a teenager, he became involved in important movements. He supported the civil rights movement, which worked for equal rights for all people. He also joined the anti-Vietnam War movement, which was against the war in Vietnam.

In 1978, Baskin earned his first degree from New York University. He studied the politics and history of the Middle East. Later, he continued his studies at Greenwich University, earning his master's degree in 1992 and his Ph.D. in 1994. His Ph.D. research was about the future of Jerusalem, and parts of it became a book called Jerusalem of Peace.

Working for Peace in Israel (1978–2011)

In September 1978, Gershon Baskin moved to Israel, a process called aliyah. He joined a program called Interns for Peace. From 1979 to 1981, he lived in Kafr Qara, a Palestinian Arab village in Israel. There, he worked to help people in the community and lead young people. He started building connections between the Palestinian community in Kafr Qara and nearby Jewish communities.

In 1982, Baskin worked for the Israeli Ministry of Education. He created a new role as the coordinator for education that promoted living together peacefully between Jewish and Arab schools. In this job, he became the first government worker in Israel responsible for improving relations between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel.

In 1983, Baskin founded and led the Institute for Education for Jewish Arab Coexistence. This institute was supported by the Prime Minister's office and the Ministry of Education.

After the first Intifada (a Palestinian uprising) began in March 1988, Baskin started the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI). This group was later renamed Israel Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives. Its goal was to help solve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by supporting a "two-state solution". This means creating two separate, safe countries for two peoples: Israelis and Palestinians. He was a co-leader of IPCRI for 24 years, from 1988 until the end of 2011. IPCRI was a joint Israeli-Palestinian group that worked on public policy.

In 1989, Baskin started the first three Israeli-Palestinian working groups at IPCRI. These groups focused on topics like economics, business, the future of Jerusalem, and water.

In October 1992, Baskin helped arrange secret meetings in London. These meetings involved former Israeli security officers and Palestinian officials from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). These talks helped create the plan for security agreements in the Oslo Accords of September 1993, which were important peace agreements. In 1994, Baskin became an advisor on the peace process to a secret team of intelligence officers working for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. During his 24 years at IPCRI, Baskin, along with Zakaria al Qaq and Hanna Siniora, organized over 2,000 meetings. These meetings brought Israelis and Palestinians together to discuss security, economy, water, and peace education.

Helping Free Gilad Shalit (2006–2011)

In July 2006, an Israeli soldier named Gilad Shalit was captured in Gaza. Six days later, Gershon Baskin unofficially started talking with Hamas, the group that held Shalit. Three months later, Baskin successfully got Hamas to deliver a handwritten letter from Shalit to his parents. This letter was brought to the Egyptian Government's office in Gaza.

Baskin continued his secret efforts to arrange a deal between Israel and Hamas for over five years while Shalit was held captive. In April 2011, he became the official go-between for senior Hamas officials and a senior Israeli Mossad (intelligence agency) officer named David Meidan. Baskin's main contact in Hamas was Deputy Foreign Minister Ghazi Hamad. Baskin's work to free Shalit is described in his book, The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Shalit from Hamas.

Continuing Peace Talks (2011–2023)

Right after Gilad Shalit was released, Baskin and Hamas began talking about a possible long-term ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. On May 1, 2012, Baskin presented a draft of the proposed agreement to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Barak formed a special committee of security officials to discuss the idea. After two months, the committee decided not to make a formal agreement with Hamas, even if it was negotiated through the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate.

In early November 2012, Baskin and Hamad met in Cairo. They spoke with Egyptian intelligence officers about possible long-term ceasefire plans. On November 14, 2012, Hamad met with Ahmad Jabari, the head of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas's military group), and showed him the latest draft of the ceasefire proposal. Later that day, Israel killed Jabari in an air strike, which started Operation Pillar of Defense.

Even after Jabari's death, Baskin and Hamad stayed in touch and continued to negotiate. Their main goal was to get back the bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza in 2014, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin. They also worked to free two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengisto and Hisham A-Sayed, who were known to be alive. Baskin continued these talks in coordination with Israeli officials like Lior Lotan and Yaron Blum.

After October 7, 2023

After the 7 October attacks, Baskin continued his efforts to help release the hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, and other groups. Baskin has been in contact with officials in Qatar, Egyptian Intelligence, and the Israeli government and intelligence community. Days after the October 7 attack, Baskin began unofficially negotiating for the release of all women and child hostages in exchange for women and minor Palestinian prisoners. Baskin communicated with members of the Israeli War Cabinet.

Soon after the October 7 attack, Baskin stopped communicating with Hamad, who became Hamas's spokesperson for the war. Hamad had justified the attack and the killing of innocent Israelis on Lebanese television, and he promised that Hamas would repeat the attack.

As the Gaza war continued, and hoping to save more Israeli hostages and innocent Palestinians in Gaza, Baskin renewed his contacts with Hamad and other Hamas leaders. Baskin was also in contact with officials in Qatar, Egyptian Intelligence, and the Israeli government and intelligence community. In September 2024, Baskin received an agreement from the Hamas leadership through Ghazi Hamad for "The Three Weeks Deal." This deal proposed that Hamas would release all remaining Israeli and foreign hostages, the war would end, Israel would withdraw from Gaza, and an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners would be released.

Hamas also indicated they were ready to stop their governmental rule over Gaza.

Other Secret Peace Efforts

In 2022–2023, before the October 7 attacks, Baskin was involved in three separate secret talks between important Israelis and Palestinians. These talks mainly focused on what political changes might happen in Israel and Palestine "the day after" a conflict. One joint proposal suggested a Two-State Solution based on the June 4, 1967, borders, with a small land exchange (4.4%). It also proposed a solution for Jerusalem, with two capitals in Jerusalem and the Old City of Jerusalem managed by five countries, including Israel and Palestine.

One of these secret talks was between former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Alkidwa. Working with a long-time Fatah activist named Samer Sinijlawi, they negotiated a joint proposal for the future. Olmert and Alkidwa signed this proposal in July 2024. This joint proposal discusses the Two-State Solution based on the June 4, 1967, borders, with an agreed 4.4% land swap. It also suggests a solution for Jerusalem, with two capitals in Jerusalem and the Old City of Jerusalem under the care of five countries, including Israel and Palestine.

Other Activities

After stepping down as co-director of IPCRI on December 31, 2011, Baskin became the co-chairman of the IPCRI Board until April 2018.

He was also a member of the steering committee for the Israeli Palestinian Peace NGO Forum until 2016. He was on the Board of Directors for ALLMEP – the Alliance for Middle East Peace, also until 2016. He was a member of the Israeli Board of One Voice Movement. He continues to be a member of the editorial committee for the Palestine–Israel Journal.

As part of his work with ICO, in August 2021, Baskin and James Holmes created the Holy Land Bond. This is a new investment fund registered in the UK. It aims to invest in housing projects for Palestinians in East Jerusalem. It also supports housing projects where Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel live together in Israel's "mixed cities". Additionally, it invests in job and industrial areas that are either shared by Israelis and Palestinians across borders or are for Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel.

He is a co-director of the new International Communities Organisation – Middle East Branch, which is connected to the UK-based International Communities Organisation (ICO).

Journalism

Baskin wrote a weekly column for The Jerusalem Post from 2005 to 2023. His weekly column in English now appears on the blog pages of the Times of Israel. His column is also published in Arabic and Hebrew in the Palestinian Jerusalem Al Quds daily newspaper.

Awards and Recognition

Gershon Baskin has received several awards for his work:

• The Histadrut Prize for Peace in 1996.
• The Turkish Foreign Policy Institute Peace Prize in 2004.
• The Tribute of Honor and Courage from the World Movement for Democracy in 2004.
• The Search for Common Ground Journalist Award for Middle East Journalism, named for Lova Eliav and Issam Sartawi, in 2005 and 2007.
• The Ordine Della Stella Della Solidarieta Italiana from the President of Italy in 2007.
• Luxembourg Peace Prize for 2023 Outstanding Peace Activist.

Publications (Books)

Baskin has written thousands of opinion articles in many publications. He has also published several books:

• Baskin, G. In Pursuit of Peace in Israel and Palestine, Vanderbilt University Press, 2017 ISBN: 978-0-8265-2181-1 Vanderbilt University Press
• Baskin G., Geva O. and Praver L. "At the Crossroads", The Institute for Education for Jewish-Arab Coexistence and the Van Leer Institute, May 1985.
• Baskin G., Abu Namir M. and Nasser I, "My Responsibility – To Myself and My Community", The Institute for Education for Jewish Arab Coexistence, Autumn 1987 (Arabic).
• Baskin G. "Water – Conflict or Cooperation", (Ed.) Israel/Palestine Issue Of Conflict, Issues For Cooperation, Volume 1, Number 2. May 1992. IPCRI.
• Baskin G. "A Model Agreement for the Interim Period: Palestinian Self Rule", Revised Edition. Israel/Palestine Issues in Conflict, Issues for Cooperation. Volume 1, Number 3, June 1992. IPCRI.
• Baskin G. and Twite R. (eds.) "The Future of Jerusalem, Proceedings of the First Israeli-Palestinian Seminar on the Future of Jerusalem", IPCRI, March 1993.
• Baskin G. and Twite R. (eds.) "The Conversion of Dreams, The Development of Tourism in the Middle East", IPCRI, November 1994
• Baskin G. and Smith T. (eds.) "Handbook for Palestinian Businesses, How to Conduct Business in the Palestinian Territories", January 1996, The Small Business Support Project, DAI, USAID.
• Huleileh S., Feiler G., Baskin G. and al Qaq Z. (eds.) "Guidelines for Final Status Economic Negotiations Between Israel and Palestine", IPCRI Commercial Report Series, November 1998.
• Baskin G. and al Qaq Z. (eds.) "Israeli-Palestinian-Jordanian Trade: Present Issues, Future Possibilities", IPCRI, April 1998.
• Baskin G. and al Qaq Z. "A Reevaluation of the Border Industrial Estates Concept", IPCRI Commercial Report Series, December 1998.
• Baskin G. and al Qaq Z. (eds.) "Creating a Culture of Peace" IPCRI, January 1999.
• Baskin G., "Jerusalem of peace: Sovereignty and territory in Jerusalem's future", IPCRI, 1994
• Baskin G., "New thinking on the future of Jerusalem: a model for the future of Jerusalem : scattered sovereignty: the IPCRI plan", 1994
• Baskin G., "The Future of the Israeli Settlements in Final Status Negotiations: A Policy Paper Featuring Recommendations for Negotiations in the Final Status Talks Between Israel and the Palestinians", IPCRI, 1997
• Baskin G., "Yes PM – Years of Experience in Strategies of Peace Making", IPCRI 2002
• Baskin G., The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Schalit from Hamas, Toby Press, Jerusalem 2013, ISBN: 978-1592643493

See also

In Spanish: Gershon Baskin para niños