• An international publicity campaign, in the first instance mobilising former presidents, prime ministers, foreign and defence ministers, congressional leaders and heads of international organisations around a statement of support for a comprehensive settlement, and a new process to achieve it—involving a possible international conference to kickstart negotiations, and the leadership role of the Quartet (U.S., EU, Russia, UN) being reinforced by greater participation from the Arab League and regional countries.

• The statement of support released in October 2006 and signed by more than 80 U.S. and global leaders, including Zbigniew Brzezinski, Frank Carlucci, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Joschka Fischer, Christopher Patten and Desmond Tutu.

• A series of brainstorming sessions, bringing together officials and regional experts, to help inform the actions of the UN Secretary-General, his Middle East envoys, the other Quartet players and relevant regional countries.

• A high-level group of former U.S. Government officials convened to generate bipartisan support for the U.S. administration to engage fully in efforts to achieve a comprehensive resolution.

• A Crisis Group task force of respected international figures will be established, after a detailed settlement strategy has emerged from these consultations, to visit key international capitals and build support.

• Crisis Group will continue to produce reports and briefings on the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as the domestic situations in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Syria, and the closely related situations in Iran and Iraq.

The initiative is described in more detail at:

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4388&l=1 

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4424&l=1 

http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4427&l=1