The petition states: "As with any conflict, the Israel-Arab conflict requires bilateral peace negotiations and joint agreements in order for a real and lasting peace to be achieved. Divestment is an aggressively coercive tool that is counterproductive due to the presumption that only one party (Israel) is to blame for the conflict.
The issues behind the conflict are complex; and all require negotiation with an honest peace partner. Reducing the conflict to a simplistic accusation against one side only serves to confuse people and demonize one side in the conflict. It is absurd to expect one side to concede critical issues prior to negotiations; yet that is what divestment demands.
The Green Party’s entry into this realm of international conflict resolution is at variance with its own stated mission. By specifically punishing Israeli businesses, divestment in effect condones the PLO’s use of violence to bring about political change. More in keeping with the Green Party’s mission would be support for a peacefully negotiated settlement without preconditions and after the cessation of terrorist activities.
We, the undersigned, call upon The Green Party to replace their resolution against Israel with one that advocates the cessation of terror and the resumption of peaceful negotiations."
