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Joschka Fischer, the 2007 Bartels World Affairs Fellow, speaks at Cornell University.

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Shariv calls for change in the Middle East

Posted on: 10/20/2009

Change is necessary in the Middle East, insisted Asaf Shariv at his lecture on October 15th, but he expressed cynicism that a peaceful, two-state solution is likely in the near future given the most recent state of affairs. Shariv focused his talk on the current status of the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and the barriers to reconciliation. The talk was part of the Einaudi Center’s Foreign Policy Distinguished Speaker Series.

Asaf Shariv, Israel’s Consul General in New York gave the lecture “The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process: A View from the Inside" on Thursday, October 15th. His lecture emphasized the challenges facing Israel in regards to the peace process. Shariv stated that in the past Israeli conservatives had longed for an Israel that “extended from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea,” but that now the vast majority of Israelis support a Palestinian State. Despite this shift, Shariv remains pessimistic about any swift solutions, noting that as long as Hamas refused to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a state, moving forward with the peace process in the near future is improbable, affirming that, “in Gaza, there is a government that won’t even speak with Israel.”


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Shariv detailed the many obstacles to the peace process and defended Israel’s more controversial actions. He confirmed that the Israelis were willing to make many concessions, but that it was never enough for Palestine; he stated that “the maximum Israeli is ready to give is anywhere near the minimum that Palestinians are ready to take.” Shariv also pointed to Iran and as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East; “Iran does not want to see a Palestinian state because they do not believe in an Israeli state.” In spite of these criticisms, he had high praised Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and for his work combating terror. Still, Shariv longs for peace. He ended his talk by stating, “It will probably take a miracle for [a peace resolution] to happen in the near future,” Shariv said, “But, as David Ben Gurion once said, ‘in the Middle East, if you don’t believe in miracles, you’re not a realist.’”


Asaf Shariv is the youngest person ever appointed to the position of consul general for Israel in New York. Prior to his appointment, Shariv was the Director of Media and Public Affairs to Prime Ministers Ehud Olmert and Ariel Sharon. He was also the spokesman for various government agencies, including the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, the Atomic Energy Committee, the National Security Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Unit. His talk was part of the Foreign Policy Initiative at Cornell led by the Einaudi Center to maximize the intellectual impact of Cornell’s outstanding resources in this area.

Contact Information
Heike Michelsen
Einaudi Center
255 8926
hm75@cornell.edu

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