by CHRISTOPHER HAZOU

It's not easy being a peace activist in Israel these days. Just ask Oren Medicks.

"Actually, it's very, very bad now. The undercurrents and, more so, the actions on the ground are very much against the concept of peace, unfortunately," says Medicks over the phone from Toronto.

An Israeli army veteran and founding member of one of Israel's leading peace movements, Gush Shalom, Medicks is in Canada for a seven-city speaking tour with Diana Buttu, a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer and peace activist who's also worked as an advisor to the Palestinian Authority's negotiating team.

The two will be speaking at Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQÀM) and McGill today, Thursday, Oct. 16, and at Concordia on Friday. Their topic will be the state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the so-called "security fence" currently being built by the Israeli government in the West Bank.

"It is not a fence, nor a wall, it is a system," says Medicks. "The idea is to annex as much land as possible with the minimum amount of Palestinians as possible."

Cross-border land grab

The wall's proponents argue that it's necessary to prevent suicide bombers from getting into Israel, but critics have dubbed it the "Apartheid Wall," charging that it's just a land grab that will imprison thousands of Palestinians and deprive them of their land and livelihood.

"Israel has an obligation to keep out suicide bombers and terrorists," acknowledges Medicks, but he questions why the wall is being built inside the West Bank, and not along Israel's internationally recognized, pre-1967 borders. Right now, the entire West Bank is under lockdown, following the Oct. 4 bombing in Haifa.

He points to the case of the West Bank city of Qalqiliya, one of a number of Palestinian towns and villages that will be almost completely encircled by the fence. The only way in or out will be through an Israeli army checkpoint.

"Until now, somewhere between 6,000 to 8,000 people have already left Qualqiliya because of the terrible conditions," says Medicks. "It's appalling. You cannot go to the doctor, your children cannot go to school... Daily life has become almost impossible, which is actually the intention."

Despite widespread criticism-the United Nations will be holding an open session on the matter this week-roughly 150 kilometres of the projected 750-800-kilometre wall has already been completed, at an estimated cost of $2-million (U.S.) per kilometre, according to Medicks. Although the planned route of the fence makes it difficult to make exact assessments, it's estimated that somewhere between 10 to 40 per cent of the West Bank will eventually be incorporated into Israel, much of it fertile farmland with precious water resources.

Struggling ahead

With some beginning to argue that a two-state solution (which Gush Shalom advocates) is no longer possible because of facts being created on the ground, Medicks has a warning for Israel's Canadian supporters: if Israel doesn't dismantle its settlements and withdraw from the Occupied Territories, it will be the end of the Jewish state.

"The alternative will be a bloody apartheid state, with community fighting against community," he cautions. "We not only advocate a two-state solution, we urge the Israeli people and the Jewish world to support this, to make this happen before it's too late."

With the right-wing government of Ariel Sharon in power, it's unlikely this will occur anytime soon, but Medicks is confident that eventually it will.

"Curiously enough, I'm optimistic. I don't know how long it will take, but there is no other alternative. I'm just very, very sorry that so many lives, so much effort and so many resources will go down the drain until this happens."

Medicks and Buttu will make three appearances today (Thursday, Oct. 16): at 12:30 p.m., they will speak UQÀM's Pavillon des sciences de la gestion (315 Ste-Catherine E., Room 120). At 4 p.m. they will be at McGill's New Chancellor Day Hall (3644 Peel, Room 100). They speak again at 7 p.m. at McGill's Stewart Bio Building (1205 Dr. Penfield, Room S-14). Finally, Friday afternoon, Oct. 17 at 3 p.m., they will appear at Concordia's Hall Building (1455 de Maisonneuve W., Room 420).

On Saturday, October 18, Diana Buttu will be part of a benefit for the Canadian-Palestinian Educational Exchange (CEPAL) and Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP), at the Dorval Hilton Hotel (12,505 Côte-de-Liesse). Tickets are $70 each, or $560 for a table of eight. Proceeds will go to fund humanitarian programs in the Occupied Territories and in Lebanese refugee camps. For tickets or information, call CEPAL at 946-0039 or MAP at 843-7875.