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There are several opportunities in Berkeley this week to engage with the peace process in Israel-Palestine. 

• On Wednesday, at 7 p.m. at King Middle School, 1781 Rose St., controversial historian Norman Finkelstein, recently denied tenure at DePaul University in Chicago, will speak at 7 p.m. on “A Farewell to Israel: The Coming Break-up of American Zionism.” Finkelstein is the author “Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism & the Abuse of HIstory.” [At press-time on Monday the Planet was informed that a rumor had been circulating that Finkelstein would be unable to attend, but after checking the event organizers confirmed that his talk would go on as scheduled.] 

• On Saturday, at 4 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Union, the Israeli-Palestinian Confederation will host a debate on the possibility of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a confederation government. Speakers are to include Rabbi Michael Lerner, the editor in chief of Tikkun magazine and Dr. Khalil Barhoun of Stanford University, Mitchell Plitnick of Jewish Voice for Peace and others.  

According to IPC spokesperson Josef Avesar,“The Israeli-Palestinian Confederation has a novel idea. It proposes the establishment of an Israeli-Palestinian confederation within the broader context of the current Israeli and Palestinian nations. Both Israelis and Palestinians would still answer to their own governments. However, a third governing body (the confederation) set up by both Israelis and Palestinians would legislate issues that are unresolved by the separate governments.” 

• Also on Saturday, Aikido of Berkeley is hosting an all-day training seminar, aimed at raising funds for the non-profit Aiki Extensions Middle East Project. “All proceeds will be used to help bring Israelis and Palestinians together to practice aikido, the Japanese martial art of peace,” according to a press statement by Aikido of Berkeley. For details and registration call 776-4700