DR. GERSHON BASKIN: CONDUIT FOR PEACE ... SHARING THE SECRETS THAT FREED GILAD SHALIT

Dr. Gershon Baskin, secret negotiator for the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, will share the astonishing story and historic implications of this powerful global event. The lecture, sponsored by the Alliance
for Middle East Peace, the Global Campaign for Middle East Peace and Am Kolel, and hosted jointly by Bethesda Jewish Congregation and Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, will include opportunities for questions and informal discussion with Dr. Baskin.  A long line of diplomats and intelligence officers from Egypt, Germany, France, Turkey and other countries tried for more than five years to reach a deal that would free Shalit. The breakthrough came only in May 2011 as a result of six years of intensive and unauthorized
effort by Dr. Baskin, a veteran Israeli peace activist – hailed by the New York Times as a “tenacious peacenik
without resources” -- who succeeded when both diplomatic and military activities failed.  Dr. Baskin, also an accomplished journalist and raconteur,will detail the fascinating behind-the-scenes narrative of his secret
negotiations and discuss lessons learned.