GUSH SHALOM is the consistent hard core of the Israeli peace movement. It is known or its unwavering stand in times of crisis, such as Lebanon War II and the Gaza War. For years, GUSH SHALOM has played a leading role in determining the moral and political agenda of the Israeli peace movement.The primary aim of GUSH SHALOM is to win over Israeli public opinion for these principles:
★ an end to the occupation.
★ acceptance of the natural right of the Palestinian people to an independent and sovereign state.
★ the pre-1967 Green Line as the border of peace between the State of Israel and the State of Palestine.
★ Jerusalem as the capital of the two states, East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine and West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. A city open for all, not cut into pieces by walls and roadblocks.
★ just and agreed solution to the refugee problem, that will include repatriation to the State of Palestine, return of an agreed number to Israeli territory, payment of compensation and settling in other countries.
★ evacuation of all the settlements in Palestinian territory. GUSH SHALOM is an independent extra-parliamentary organization. Being free of any obligations to parties and lobbies, the movement can advance its principles clearly, completely and resolutely. Not seeking any fleeting popularity, the Gush can act as a vanguard - advocating ideas years, and sometimes decades, before they are generally accepted. GUSH SHALOM is based solely on volunteers, and has no salaried employees. Any financing for actions comes from peace groups and individuals, in Israel and abroad.
Gush Shalom is engaged in a wide range of activities - such as political information campaigns, public petitions, publications, propagation of our "heretical" positions on the internet, a weekly political ad (since 1993), lectures and conferences in Israel and abroad, demonstrations and direct actions on the ground. Among the Gush's prominent actions: the call "Release all Palestinian Prisoners" (Campaign 1993); "Jerusalem - Capital of Two States" (Petition signed by 850 leading intellectuals and artists, Israel Prize laureates, peace activists and Palestinian leaders, 1995); Boycott the Products of the Settlements (Ongoing campaign since 1997); "Marking the Green Line on the Ground" (Campaign 1997); Publication of the first complete draft of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement (2001), Campaign against War Crimes (2002); Creation of a Human Shield for the protection of Yasser Arafat from assassination by Sharon (2003), "The Wall Must Fall" (Ongoing campaign, from 2003 on); Demonstrations against Lebanon War II (2006) and Operation "Cast Lead" (2008) from the first day on; Participation in humanitarian actions.