Israeli Peace Initiative to Introduce ‘Israel’s Economic Future’ on Anniversary of Rabin Assassination

Marking 19 years to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the main rally, in November 1^st , his son, Yuval Rabin, will introduce I.P.I. – The Israeli Regional Peace Initiative and he says to Jewish Business News: Considering the atmosphere following Protective Edge and in light of the rally’s main message, we are expecting record participation.

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“At this year’s rally, ” says Yuval Rabin in a special interview to Jewish Business News correspondent in Israel Reuven Wimmer, “we will call upon the Israeli government to initiate a regional political agreement that will guarantee true quiet, security and economic prosperity for Israeli citizens over time – not just between one conflict and the next.”  Yuval Rabin claim that the failure of the Kerry Initiative and other attempts to reach an agreement through bilateral negotiations with the Palestinians just proves that the only way to solve the Israeli-Arab conflict is through a regional political process involving leading countries in the region that share Israel’s security interests.

“In light of the new opportunity introduced to the region by Protective Edge, ” Rabin continues to explain his thoughts,  “the government should lead a political effort and initiate a regional endeavor that will gradually end the conflict and enable the establishment of two states for two nations.  It is the only way for the government to achieve more security for Israel, to protect Israel as the homeland for the Jewish nation, to improve the country’s economy and to generate hope among its young adults.  Over 70% of the Israeli citizens will support a brave leadership that will take the reins and initiate a regional effort.  The leaders of Israel and its government must and can take initiative”.

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This year, I.P.I. – The Israeli Regional Peace Initiative –  will lead the rally along with the November 4^th Association.

I.P.I. was founded in 2011 by Yuval Rabin, Koby Huberman, Yaakov Peri and the late Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, aiming to promote an Israeli response to the Saudi-Arab peace initiative.

 Yuval Rabin : “The rally will be a seminal event in which we call upon the Israeli government to present a regional political initiative while leveraging the Saudi/Arab initiative.  Establishing a regional peace agreement is the only way to move ahead – and now, it is possible!  It is about our security, social and economic future, all of ours – and it is time take initiative”.

Since its inception in 2011,  I.P.I. has invested all of its efforts in formulating and introducing Israel’s “regional perception”, based on the Saudi/Arab initiative, to the decision makers in Israel, the Arab world, Europe and the U.S., promoting it as the only platform that will guarantee the success of the political negotiations.  The concept, which serves as the foundation for the Kerry/Obama Initiative, proposes two states for two nations and includes an end to the conflict with the Arab and Moslem world, which consists of 57 countries!

Prime Minister Netanyahu stated at his last AIPAC address on March 2014:

“Peace would be good for us. Peace will open up the possibility of establishing formal ties between Israel and leading countries in the Arab world and it can improve the lives of hundreds of millions”.

Yuval Rabin claims that “this historical event will introduce a dramatic economic shift to the Israeli market, to all areas of education, culture and welfare, and will impact the standard and quality of living of all of our citizens, including those of the Arab sector.”

Yigal Tamir, economist and businessman, and serves among the I.P.I executives supports the plan and says: “All professionals believe that ending the conflict is the only foundation that will provide growth engines toward generating additional source of budget funding that could provide hope for many sectors within the population, both young and old”.

The economic plan formulated by IPI demonstrates that two main parameters will generate the relevant sources of funding over time (10 years):

• An impressive increase in state revenues derived of taxes, generated by an increase in growth rates – ± $15 billion
• A cutback in governmental budgets that will be rendered non-essential – ±$ 3.61 billion.

The main growth engines

1. Trading with new markets whose total GDP is estimated at ~$5T.
2. Freeing Israel of the threat of economic boycott, leading to an annual increase of ~$30B or ~ $26.38B in exports.
3. Increase in incoming tourism – going from 3M to 8M tourists every year.
4. Overall market activity is expected to grow by ~$22B per annum – leading to an annual growth of ~$21.1B.
5. Increase in foreign investments: to a total of ~$3B per annum.
6. Improving Israel’s credit rating – annual budgetary savings of $0.555.
7. Cutting back certain government budgets derived of the current conflict – ~$2.88B from the defense budget and ~$0.694 from the settlements’ budget.

Yigal Tamir continues: “For 10 years after we reach a regional settlement, the government will have a budget of $101B and, in the tenth year, we will have an additional $18.6B – a 21% addition to the annual state budget, which will be allocated to improving social services, reducing taxes and improving household standard of living.

Possible uses for new funding resources, for example:

1. Developing infrastructures in four regions where the land supply is unlimited, thus dramatically reducing housing costs.
2. Increasing the health budget in order to correct the severe distortions within the current system and alleviating the financial burden currently borne by the public that is forced to finance many of its medical expenses.
3. Subsidizing daycare and pre-school for children 0-3 years old.
4. Increasing the budget for higher education in order to prevent massive brain drain from Israel.
5. Allowances for senior citizens, disabled individuals and income maintenance – enabling populations that are unable to directly benefit from the yields of growth to subsist with dignity.

All of these will enable Israel to fulfill its true mission of being a “Model Society”.

Rally organizers emphasizes that it will not be political.  They have invested efforts toward giving it an official stance, attempting to address all factions of the population, not just the left.

“November 4^th” Association is jointly producing the rally with I.P.I.  The organizers do not intend to blur their political messages and they say: “We will take this opportunity to demand that Israel initiate a regional peace process to end the conflict with all Arab nations.  The main difference in this year’s rally is that there might not be any politicians there.  The main message will be to call upon the Israeli government to respond to the Saudi/Arab initiative and adopt it part of the framework for negotiations”.

Considering the atmosphere following Protective Edge and in light of the rally’s main message, organizers are expecting record participation, unlike previous rallies that reported 80-100 thousand participants.