A Few Minutes with Oded Revivi

SHARED VISION “I can draw a reality where Jews and Palestinians carry on living here peacefully. To reach that reality we need a lot of courageous people and a lot of brave and powerful leaders who will be able to provide security to their people. It’s not the reality in which we live today”

W henever the Middle East peace process takes center stage the spotlight is aimed at the settlement enterprise. Following his appointment last July as chief foreign envoy for the Yesha Council Oded Revivi has assumed the leading role as the official political representative of the settlement movement to the international community. As mayor of Efrat since 2008 Revivi sees no contradiction between being a staunch advocate of Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria and fostering coexistence and cooperation between Efrat and its neighboring Palestinian villages. Revivi was head of the Yesha delegation that attended President Trump’s inauguration in January and has been watching subsequent developments closely to try and get a read on what Trump may have in store.

Where do you see the starkest difference between what you sensed from the new administration at the inauguration and what you have heard since?

Back then there was more anticipation. As time moves forward I can’t say that the expectations have been killed because there weren’t specific expectations but the president has come out with some extremely encouraging statements or chosen some words which indicate a completely different approach. I was invited to meet his special envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt. This type of [high-level] meeting never took place in the past between an American administration with heads of communities from Judea and Samaria. So in that respect I’m encouraged. I won’t say satisfied but a lot of the expectation has been filled in that respect.