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Journalist calls 2008 a ‘year of peace’ for Israel

An award-winning journalist told a group of University of Wisconsin students Wednesday that 2008 is the year for Middle Eastern peace.

The event took place after being cancelled in November 2007 when David Makovsky, director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, was called to a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

The evening was hosted by MadPAC, a pro-Israel, bipartisan political organization on campus, and was co-hosted by the College Republicans, College Democrats and the Middle Eastern Studies Department.

Makovsky, an expert in Arab-Israeli relations, peace processes, U.S. Policy, Middle East democratization, Israeli politics and the Palestinians, discussed his take on the current situation in the Middle East and highlighted the importance of optimism and hope.

“We need to try not to be so cynical about things,” Makovsky said. “This is the first time since the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference the leaders actually believe the other wants peace. … There hasn’t been this kind of trust between both sides for a long time.”

Makovsky also emphasized the importance of dignity in the peace dealings.

“Each side sees themselves as victims,” Makovsky said. “Any deal that doesn’t give dignity to both sides is a deal that doesn’t work. … Each side needs to compromise.”

He also said change needs to happen sooner rather than later, and action must replace rhetoric.

“What I think we have right now, what we haven’t had in a long time, is that the leadership on both sides … understands that if this conflict, as difficult as it is, is not resolved, it is going to morph and evolve into a religious conflict,” Makovsky said. “Once it turns from a national conflict to a religious conflict, all bets are off.”

MadPAC and the College Dems both agreed that the objective views Makovsky brought were very important to further educate the students at UW.

“[He’s] someone who sees both sides of this issue and treats all parties with dignity,” said Scott Resnick, electronic media chair of the College Democrats. “[Makovsky] brings a very level-headed and rational point of view.”

Emily Singer, president of MadPac and a junior studying international studies, was very happy with the turnout at the event.

 “The Middle East is a hot topic for everyone, not just Jewish organizations, which is why we tried to alert different groups of people to this event,” Singer said. “He is someone who comes from a very academic, non-partisan background. It is so important to have someone from that background to give a balanced view of the issues.”

Sophomores Lizzie Maxwell and Mara Alpert both attended the lecture to learn more about Israel before their visits to the area next semester.

“I have a real interest in Israeli culture, but I have a lack of knowledge of political affairs,” Alpert said. “I try to take advantage of as many of these events as possible.”

Makovsky ended his lecture with a call for help.

“I just have some hope of resilience [there],” Makovsky said. “I go to campuses and see the surge of people interested in these issues. I just hope you can all support these people in the ways you can.”