Two Palestines? What is Risked by a "West Bank First" Policy?

CONTACT:
Deborah Hakes 404-420-5124

ATLANTA…The collapse of the Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) last month following the takeover of Gaza by Hamas has left the Palestinian territories in crisis.

The United States and larger international community are contemplating a "West Bank First" strategy to bolster the position of President Abbas' Fatah party and the emergency government he assembled in the West Bank, which does not include any Hamas members. 

While some view this as a promising step forward in order to isolate Hamas, others warn that the strategy will further polarize the Palestinian people and result in greater violence in the future, undermining the confidence the Palestinian people have in the democratic process.

Join former Advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and leader of the Geneva Peace Initiative Daniel Levy and former Minister of Information in the Palestinian NUG Mustapha Barghouthi as they discuss ways to solve the current crisis. The program will be moderated by David Carroll, director of the Carter Center's Democracy Program.

The event will take place on Friday, July 13, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, located at 441 Freedom Parkway in Atlanta. The event is free of charge with no RSVP required; seating is first-come, first-served. Attendees should enter through the museum's lobby. The event will be archived at www.cartercenter.org for future viewing.

The Carter Center has worked for more than ten years to promote democratic institutions and elections in the occupied Palestinian territories with the aim of helping to build a more hopeful and peaceful future for the Palestinian and Israeli people. 

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."

The Carter Center celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2007. A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 65 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; improving mental health care; and teaching farmers in developing nations to increase crop production. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide. Please visit www.cartercenter.org to learn more about The Carter Center.

Carter Center activities in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

Carter Center Human Rights Program