Gershon Baskin

Gershon Baskin (Hebrew: גרשון בסקין; born 2 May 1956) is an Israeli columnist, social and political activist, and a researcher of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and peace process.

In 2022–2023, (prior to 7 October), Baskin was running three separate secret back channels between significant Israelis and Palestinians mainly looking toward the "day after" political changes would take place in Israel and Palestine.

His Ph.D. dissertation was on "Sovereignty and Territory in the Future of Jerusalem:,[clarification needed] In September 1978, he made aliyah (immigrated to Israel) under the auspices of the Interns for Peace program.

In March 1988, Baskin founded the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information, later renamed Israel Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives, dedicated to the resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict on the basis of a "two-states for two peoples" solution.

In October 1992, Baskin initiated a series of secret meetings in London with former Israeli security officers and Palestinian officials from the PLO.

[3] In 1994, Baskin became an outside adviser on the peace process to a secret team of intelligence officers established by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

The subjects included: security, border management, economy and business, agriculture, regional tourism, water, environment, peace education and more.

Three months later Baskin successfully got Hamas to deliver a hand written letter from Shalit to his parents which was brought to the Office of the Egyptian Government in Gaza.

In October 2012, Baskin initiated another round of talks to reach a ceasefire—this time with Ahmed Jabari, the head of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, through Hamad.

In November 2012, Baskin and Hamad met in Cairo, where they spoke with Egyptian intelligence officers and discussed possible long-term ceasefire arrangements.

After the 7 October attacks, Baskin continued his efforts to bring about the release of hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, and individuals.

a weekly political column in the Jerusalem Post under the title "Encountering Peace", also published in Arabic in Al Quds daily newspaper and in Hebrew on the[which?]

In 2019, Baskin, together with a Palestinian colleague, opened an Israeli-registered company, United GH Ltd. that works in the field of medical innovations and devices and is focusing its business in the Arab world.