Vision
Shlomi Daskal
The People's Voice, Realistic Religious Zionism
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ [Leaving the settlements is] a beginning, the first step. That’s what brought me to the People’s Voice. We came to Israel to establish a democratic Jewish homeland. If we continue to occupy the Territories we will either cease to be a democracy or cease to be a Jewish homeland. We will have to relinquish one of the two and I’m not prepared to do that. I think that for us to realize the dream of a democratic Jewish homeland we must exit the Territories, for example. Religious society is led by the extreme factions, which do not acknowledge this idea. That’s why we are saying, “no, there’s a different option.“ The biggest problem with religious society is that it’s founded on the notion of community -- it could be a synagogue, friends or neighbors. People don’t feel comfortable speaking out against their community. What we’re saying is that we represent a legitimate part of religious society. We want to legitimize that notion.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Dan Bar-On
PRIME (Peace Research Institute in the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ For more than half of my life I have been living in a society that is always going the wrong way, from my point of view. That is very difficult. You have to find a way to live with it without developing self-hatred or hatred toward your own society. You have to understand how difficult it is for people but at the same time try to push them to move out of it. I learned a lot about change processes, and our limitations in terms of how much we can push people forward-when and how-and that we should never give up and say what didn't work yesterday may not perhaps work tomorrow. So you always have to look for new opportunities to try things out. Sometimes only by trial and error can you know if people are ready or not.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Aziz Abu Sarah
Bereaved Families Forum, All For Peace Radio
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ In the movie Lord of the Rings, there’s a point where Gandolf sits with the young guy, Frodo, the bearer of the ring, and Frodo tells him, “ I wish this ring had never gotten to me, I wish none of this ever happened to me, I wish this responsibility didn’t fall on me.” So Gandolf replies, “We don’t choose the time or the things that we go through, but we do get to choose how we want to use the time that is given to us.” Sometimes the things you go through that are really tough make you the person you are, who wouldn’t be as strong if you had a simple, easy life.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Sami Adwan
PRIME (Peace Research Institute of the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I am also of the opinion that the Palestinian state should not invest any money in armaments or the building of a military. Rather, it should invest in building schools and hospitals, in caring for the families that are suffering, in developing industry and manufacturing, and in improving health, education, roads, and services for its people. All the policies and plans that have been undertaken on a militarized basis have ended in failure. We do not want the conflict to continue on the path of war and the use of force.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Kitty O. Cohen
Folklore of the Other: The Institute for the Study of Religion and Communities in Israel
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ There is this sense sometimes that peace should be coerced. There must be an outsider -- you hear this from time to time -- an outside power will impose it and then there will be peace. I don’t believe it and I don’t think it’s going to last. I think there’s going to be opposition, but if both peoples are educated, are convinced from within that it is possible, that it is to their advantage, that they will have peace with dignity and respect for their identity, peace has a chance.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Aziz Abu Sarah
Bereaved Families Forum, All For Peace Radio
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ There is a story that talks about a person who got to the seashore and found a lot of starfish dying there. So he began throwing them back into the water. Another person standing there told him, “You won’t be able to do anything; what you’re doing will not have a lot of influence. Look, there are 10,000 starfish, you won’t make a difference.” So he picked one starfish up and replied, “This is the difference that I can make,” and he put the starfish back into the water.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yoa'ad Shbita
Building Bridges for Peace, Reut-Sedaka
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ If I had been alive in 1948 I would have been for keeping this a Palestinian state and finding another solution for the Jews. But since I don't see a solution now and I don't want to kick them out like they did to us, I think that even if this solution is not realistic, it would be best that we both live together in the same place. If we had a choice between having a Palestinian State and an Israeli State or one state for two nations, I would choose one state for two nations. But because it is unrealistic, I take the second best solution, which is two states for two people.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Dan Bar-On
PRIME (Peace Research Institute in the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Even through the darkest moments where there was no hope at all we were stubbornly continuing to do this work. We believe there will be the moment after, and at the moment after, we should be ready with our materials. That was our concept. I think politicians should go through the lessons that our teachers went through, of listening to the other narrative, asking questions about it, telling the other side what terminology is insulting for them, seeing how the narratives will have to fit together so that each teacher will feel that they can teach in their own classroom.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yehuda Stolov
Interfaith Encounter Association
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We address relationships between communities through discussions that purposefully set aside the political issues that are disputed. We attempt to establish relations as an interaction that is both positive and profound, and which assists people in overcoming prejudices or even hate. It constructs mutuality, recognition, and respectful and friendly relations. When this process is sufficiently advanced and we'll be able to establish that hundreds of thousands of people underwent this, then we will be able to hold talks regarding issues that are disputed politically, with the ability to solve them in a manner that will be sustainable.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Dimitri Diliani
People's Campaign for Peace and Democracy
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ The key to finding a solution is the following: first, the Palestinian public's attitude and activities affect Israeli public opinion. Second, Israeli public opinion directly influences the decisions of the Israeli government, which rules us and occupies us. So the truth of the matter is that the key to the solution is in our hands. It is not easy to tell people under occupation that the key to solution is in their hands. That is not easy at all. But our past experience proves that this is the case. Perhaps no one can influence the Israeli public more than Palestinians can. And the Israeli government reflects the attitudes of the Israeli public because Israel is a democracy for its citizens, especially its Jewish citizens.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Rami Nasrallah
International Peace and Cooperation Center (IPCC)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I differentiate between peace building and peace making. Peace making is an agreement with elites. Peace building is engaging the majorities on both sides to benefit from peace as a way of life, and as something that can contribute to them on a collective level and on an individual level.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ofer Shinar
Consultant to the Bereaved Families' Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ You have to admit that you've done some things that shouldn't have been done. That's the only thing, and that's something that I believe is not only important to the oppressor, it's the thing that the victim wants more than anything else. In some feminist theories, you get the notion of feminist law and chauvinist law, and especially in rape trials you see how the law is all about punishing the oppressor and not thinking about the woman who was raped. In many instances the woman who was raped wants first of all the acknowledgment that there was an atrocity, something that shouldn't have been done. She wants her narrative to be acknowledged as the truth. That's even more important when you have to realize that there won't be pure justice.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Eliyahu McLean
The Sulha Peace Project, Jerusalem Peacemakers, Middleway
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I'm trying to approach the chaos and the conflict that seem to be completely unsolvable by getting out of the box of the usual ways of trying to approach this conflict-both in peace activism and in the official governmental level peace talks. I'm trying to bring in this other dimension. This is the Holy Land, and it's not the Holy Land for nothing. If you try to approach people-the simple Palestinians on the street, the vendors, falafel stand owners, taxi drivers, bus drivers-many of them, on both sides, if you try to approach things purely from a political, rational level, you won't get anywhere. But if you bring in the spiritual dimension, I find that sometimes you can make bridges in amazing ways.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Rutie Atsmon
Windows
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ It's not a question of just crossing the physical boundary. It's also a question of overcoming the suspicion and the fear, not only the fear of Palestinians that some people feel, but also the fear of seeing the truth. I think that the biggest boundary between our nations is the fear of seeing the reality as it is, and coping with it as it is. It says a lot about what we are, what we do, what we are responsible for. It's on both sides; it's in every situation. When we look in the mirror, how many of us as human beings are able to tell ourselves the truth about what we are and who we are and what we do. It's so easy to find excuses. If I do something wrong, then it's not my fault. I do it because I have no other choice, I have a good excuse, something bad was done to me and this was the only way I could react. We always find ways to give ourselves a break. It's not our fault; we're not responsible. Especially in a situation like this where so many terrible things are happening.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yafit Gamila Biso
The Olive Tree
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ In order to build peace you need to take the steps - human rights is one step for instance. Over the past few years, peace movements would come to a village for demonstrations. Very few keep in touch, and that's usually the organizers or people who have close relations with the village, but the 300-400 participants who come to the demonstration don't. […] Keeping in touch means slowly building a relationship with our neighbors; it's not just coming when we are needed and playing the role of the stronger older brother. I want us to be in touch regardless of whether I'm strong and you're weak, or the opposite. […] Palestinian people appreciate that-not people coming, demonstrating and running away.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Rutie Atsmon
Windows
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ People need to open their eyes to understand that they don't know everything about each other, and about the situation. People need to understand that what they see in the media is only a very small part of the picture. If they will look for more information, look for the truth about our past and present, they will see different things. When people go through this process and they see the reality from different perspectives, they are already closer to reconciliation, to accepting each other. We just need to reach more people, and quickly.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Helmi Kittani
Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ [As an Arab Israeli] I share the Palestinian culture, since I belong politically and culturally to the Palestinian community. However, I also have the Israeli culture because I am part of the State of Israel and it's important for me to build it. I can serve as the natural bridge between the Jewish society in Israel and Palestinian society in Palestine. I can serve as the bridge that can really help foster economic cooperation and also foster peace on the political level. ” [Source in Complete Interview]
Dimitri Diliani
People's Campaign for Peace and Democracy
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I'm not losing sleep over the Zionist dream. On the contrary, as a Palestinian, I have suffered because of the Zionist dream. But the situation that we are living in today forces me to think with my mind and not with my emotions. And this is what brings me to the goal of two states for two peoples.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ofer Shinar
Consultant to the Bereaved Families' Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Reconciliation is not the way to achieve the kind of justice in which all those who have done wrong will get such and such jail sentences. There's no way it will happen. So it's a weak kind of justice. Perhaps the justice will be weak, but both societies will be much stronger. So we have to really think whether we want justice to be pure and perfect, or whether we have actual people on the ground that we want to live, and even if they've done wrong, we want them to live to be able to forgive themselves and we want others to forgive them.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Salwa Abu Libdeh
Dialogue On The Road
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I worked on this film [with Palestinian and Israeli journalists] not for the good of the Israeli government; I worked on it because of a certain thought within me. If I knew that the Israeli was going to make a film and offend the Palestinians I wouldn't have worked with him. At the same time, if I knew that my work with an Israeli would mean that I gave up one drop of my brother's blood or one orange from our orange gardens, I wouldn't have done this work. But I had a thought in mind, which is to be able to go inside Israeli society and know what it is. If you see the film, you will see that I filmed the nighttime there, how they dance and party, and at the same time I filmed the poverty in their society. I also filmed the ones who refused to serve in the army, and the extremists who are also a sector in this society.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Walid Salem
Panorama
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I call my work a means of transforming the conflict, from a situation of conflict to a situation of no conflict.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Inas Radwan
Building Bridges for Peace
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ It was my dream to take back all of our land, Palestine as it is on the map in one piece […] I don't want to stay living in fantasies; what I had imagined is now impossible, it's a fantasy. The only solution is to stop slaughtering each other because no one is helping us; even the world is tired of our trouble.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ayelet Shahak
Association for the Commemoration of Bat-Chen Shahak, Bereaved Families Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ They say today that what happened in South Africa (the Truth and Reconciliation Commission) occurred because the conditions there were ripe. I do not think the conditions here are ripe. It is not only something that I have to go through, it is something that must happen in the background, with the peace process.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Khulood Badawi
Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Ta'ayush, Coalition of Women for Peace, Bat Shalom
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ As Palestinians inside Israel we have a big roll in the conflict and should be the link between the two sides. We should be more active because we are part of a society that struggles for its freedom and at the same time we are citizens of Israel. We enjoy the geographical position and the unique possibility to be part of a pioneering leadership for a better future and real peace. We speak two languages and have two voices.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yana Knopova
Coalition of Women For Peace
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Ensuring someone else is able to do something is an obligation and an important role. They should lead the process themselves. I think that by enabling the process and by assuming we haven't got all the answers we are demonstrating leadership. Leadership comes in many forms; there are various kinds of leadership. Personally, and I hope this is true for the Coalition today, we don't believe that leadership is about claiming to have the truth and imposing our way. It's enabling other groups to present their position or stance, their truths. Maybe they will be leading us, who knows.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ali Abu Awwad
Bereaved Families Forum, Al Tareek (The Way)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Maybe what I am saying is confusing and hard to understand, but what I am trying to say is two things: first, usually people seek peace for themselves. We should seek peace for others. The first step is for an Israeli to stand up in Tel Aviv and say that he wants peace for the Palestinians before saying he wants peace for the Israelis. The Palestinians should do the same. The reason for this is that all the armies in the world can’t stop a suicide bomber, and all the militant operations in the world won’t necessarily lead to a liberated Palestinian state, but a single Israeli with good intentions can influence others who in turn can create a good intentioned leadership. The same is true for the Palestinians; but not every Palestinian can do this, he should be a Palestinian who fought and sacrificed, a Palestinian who realizes the meaning of peace.” [Source in Complete Interview]
George Sa'adeh
Bereaved Families Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I want to achieve what everyone wants: a state and law that is respected by the whole world, including Israel. I want us to live as a respected people with rights, enjoy mutual security and approach each other in a more humane way, not the way of war and hatred. Everyone loses from war, but from peace everyone gains.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Adina Shapiro
Middle East Children's Association (MECA)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Providing the children with the skills to cope with the difficult reality and assume responsibility rather than blame and hopelessness and despair is something that is in our interest. And being able to see a more complex reality is in the interest of each side. So the way that we see it, and we emphasize it a lot, is that this is a self-serving project.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Nasser Laham
Maan News, Bethlehem Television
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ There is no revenge, this is a political conflict. We are stupid to think about revenge. I do not relate to revenge, revenge is akin to spreading poison in your own kitchen. Maybe one of your children will take it and put it in his mouth. Revenge and hatred are toxic, who would be stupid enough to put out poison in their kitchen and then go off to work? We have young children; I don’t want them to learn about vengeance, hatred or incitement. If the Israelis want that, it’s not my problem -- I’m not responsible for Israeli society. As a journalist and as a father, I am responsible for my children and for my society.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Sami Adwan
PRIME (Peace Research Institute of the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We cannot say that this project, by itself, will lead to peace. Grassroots work - the development of this and other people-to-people projects - is necessary, but not sufficient for the achievement of peace. A political decision or agreement can be implemented from the top down, but in order for peace be to transformed from a political decision to a reality, people must follow it. For this reason, we need both bottom-up and top-down mechanisms to function together and reinforce one another.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Dr. Ron Pundak
Peres Center for Peace, Peace NGOs Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We should promote the wider picture of peace, not my peace, or their peace or this government's peace. I believe that peace is dictated by the masses. You always need the politicians to carry it one step forward, but politicians listen to the public. And if the public, in the good sense of the word, is calling for it, you need a brave politician to master it and move forward. ” [Source in Complete Interview]
Shwanesh Maniov
Seeds of Peace, Children of Abraham
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I think in terms of the two peoples here, it's giving in, learning to yield. Learning to yield and not hold on to things that are unrealistic. I think that staying in the Territories is unrealistic for Israel. I don't think that Palestinians who believe the Jews have no rights to Israel are realistic either.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ester Golan
Interfaith Encounter Association
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ My mother said, "As long as there is a future there is hope." So that's what I live by. Look, France and England were arch-enemies, and they fought one war after another for hundreds of years. Nobody ever believed there would be peace; in the First World War they ate each other up. And look at it after the Second World War. And the same with Germany and Poland. So there are things on a wider geo-political level that have changed in a way that nobody would have predicted could happen. So if it happens there, why shouldn't it happen here?” [Source in Complete Interview]
Majed Tbeileh
Nablus Youth Federation, The Future Generation Hands Committee
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I think that the most important thing for us as Palestinians and as youth is to recognize that there are two countries for two people. This is the first step to ending the conflict. We live a life of occupation and closure, and when we visit Jordan or another country we feel that it is a different world. We should be able to manage our own affairs and have our own agenda and not rely on the help of other countries. We want Jerusalem to be the capital of the Palestinian state, and we won’t accept the criticism from other Arab nations about our handling of this issue, because they are not living in the same hard conditions that we live in. Palestinian youth should not leave their homeland and seek a life abroad. They should stay in Palestine, withstand the situation, and seek peace as a means of improving their lives in Palestine.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Rami Nasrallah
International Peace and Cooperation Center (IPCC)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ If you are an architect you should know how to use architecture to create change. If you come from the field of communications and media, you should know how to use your profession as a tool for change. The same is true for all the other professions. We are trying to bring all the young Palestinians together in order for them to establish their own agenda for change.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Robi Damelin
Parents Circle - Bereaved Families Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ The whole world should understand that for the benefit of both the Israelis and the Palestinians there will have to be a homeland for the Palestinians, Israel has to get out of the Palestinian territories because [the occupation] is destroying both sides. We all know that's what is going to happen in the end. The question is, how many people are going to have to die before that on both sides? How much more pain? How many more families are going join this bereaved circle? It has to stop.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Gershon Baskin
IPCRI (Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We have no alternative. There are people out there who are saying the two-state solution is dead, we have to talk about the one-state solution. I don't believe there is such a thing as the one-state solution. I think there's a one-state disaster, and if we have to come to the point where the two-state solution is no longer an option, then we are deciding that Israel and Palestine become Sarajevo, and instead of talking about four or five thousand people killed in a four year period, we're talking about 250 thousand people. That's the alternative direction. So that knowledge, that awareness, that belief keeps me going with more intensity and more activity.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ibtisam Mahameed
Interfaith Encounter Association, Middleway
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ If you talk to someone that was an extremist in his own beliefs, you can feel that he starts to change his understanding. They call this "ants' work." I can't change the whole universe at once, but I can change a small group. If one person comes to work with me, he will be like my messenger. When he talks with his family he can tell them, for example, that not all Arabs are the same, they are not all terrorists. He will believe in our cause and he will defend it, he will support me. At the same time I will be planting hope. What is hope for me? It is changing this situation to a better one, for a Palestinian state to be established, to have rights and to live in peace so that our Palestinian brothers will not suffer any more.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Gila Svirsky
Coalition of Women for Peace, Women in Black
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ My message is that ending the occupation is better for Israel, let alone better for Palestinians. If people are really interested in the welfare of Israel and Palestine, they will find a way to force us to negotiate a peace that works for both sides.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Kitty O. Cohen
Folklore of the Other: The Institute for the Study of Religion and Communities in Israel
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I personally would like to see a Palestinian state next to ours. I think that minor conflicts and even armed conflicts may erupt but I think if there is a Palestinian state it will survive and in the long run we may well reach a wider agreement, -- a federation -- with the states around us and create a Middle Eastern union. That would be the ideal. But for that again, we have to be accepted. Israel is being accepted, beginning to be accepted.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Helmi Kittani
Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ […It] is possible to build a foundation on which Jews and Arabs can live together in the State of Israel. I believed that. Since then I have directed all of my thinking, directed all of my experience and knowledge to achieving this goal: cooperative living by means of shared economic development. ” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Dan Bar-On
PRIME (Peace Research Institute in the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Our idea was to build two narratives that will exist in the public for a long time, long after there are two states. We believe in the two-state solution. Our idea was actually to prepare the pupils to accept that that there are two perspectives to what happened here. So for example, for the Palestinians, it will always be that the Balfour Declaration was the first time that their rights were not recognized. And for the Israeli-Jews, it will always be the first time that the international community recognized their right to a national home in this land. These things will not change, even if there is a political solution.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Rami Nasrallah
International Peace and Cooperation Center (IPCC)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ You should start with knowledge. There are three interconnected equations. Knowledge changes attitudes. Attitudes change images. Knowledge about the other side changes the image of the other side. It is very important to strengthen this equation. We sometimes draw conclusions about ourselves without having sufficient knowledge required. We sometimes create attitudes that limit us because we don't have sufficient knowledge.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Rutie Atsmon
Windows
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ What gives me hope is knowing there is no choice. We are here, both nations, and we want to live here. We have the right to live here-- both of us-- and people will not be able to accept the status quo much longer, because a lot of people are fed up with violence… A lot of people here, and also on the Palestinian side, were led to believe that using power, using violence, could bring about a political solution. More and more people understand that it doesn't. Violence brings more violence. We need to end it.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yana Knopova
Coalition of Women For Peace
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ There's a gap between vision for the future and for the next hundred years. I hope that in 150 years all the countries will cease to exist and we'll all be delighted and capitalism will come to an end! There's a difference between the vision for the next 100 years and what you're doing now and working for because the vision is the maximum you ever expect to achieve. Our current goal, which we believe will benefit everyone most at this point, is a two-state solution.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Adi Dagan
Coalition of Women for Peace, Machsom Watch
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I don't think that I ever thought that the checkpoints were a security measure, because as I said, this was at a time when all the bombings in Jerusalem were taking place five minutes away from my house, and the last thing I felt was secure. I truly believe that the issue of security is symptomatic, meaning that it's superficial and that one must take a profound look in order to view the deeper issues. I think that if we remain at the level of security we won't ever get out of this.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ester Golan
Interfaith Encounter Association
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ The emotional strength [to continue interfaith work] comes from the people I encounter. For instance in Germany, very often I am asked by school children, but also by grownups, "Isn't it difficult to tell the story again and again?" So I look at them and I say, "Did it sound like that?" And they say, "No," and they smile, and I say, "That's why I can carry on, because you smile at me." The emotional involvement, yes it is a very deep emotional involvement, on both sides of the encounter. Once you get over the initial cultural shock of meeting the "other," once we start smiling at each other, that gives us emotional strength. Yes we do share our joys and our sorrows, personal ones and other ones, but to me personally the smile of the other person is a very important factor, as a source of emotional strength that I need.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ayelet Shahak
Association for the Commemoration of Bat-Chen Shahak, Bereaved Families Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ First of all, [we must] get to know the other side. To be aware of their needs, to be aware that they are humans like us, to be aware of their difficulties. Even now, with the fence: how much it destroys and how it has hardened people. The fact that they need to cross with a crane from one side to the other in order to go to school. The whole issue of checkpoints. If a girl wrote us, after meeting me and Khaled, that she is about to be recruited to the army and will probably be a combat soldier and if she is at a checkpoint she will try to be as humane as possible, then we did our job. ” [Source in Complete Interview]
Walid Salem
Panorama
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I think, based on my experience of 30 years in this field, that we have two options. One is to continue the violence from both sides, which will results in the building of walls: the physical wall Sharon is building and the more important walls that are the mental walls. The mental walls will cause the Palestinians to reject any connections with the Israelis. The violence has already resulted in the creation of a mental wall among the Israelis, which makes them want to stop seeing the Palestinians and stop dealing with them altogether. The other way is building peace from the bottom up in order to transform the conflict in a way that will lead to future cooperation.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Sarah Karajeh
Bereaved Families Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Each stage of resistance to the occupation has its own ideas and requirements. The occupation must be resisted. If Israelis who have lost their sons, daughters or wives in Palestinian martyr operations say they are resisting the occupation and want to stop it because it is the reason for their tragedies, then how can we, as Palestinians who have suffered so much under the occupation, not resist as well? This is a kind of resistance to the occupation, but we consider it a peaceful struggle that is carried out in a nonviolent way.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Walid Salem
Panorama
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ The transformation of the conflict is an attempt to plant the seeds for future cooperation that can't be neglected or replaced. This cooperation is essential for us as Palestinians because if we want Israel to be a part of the region, and not to be a part of Europe that treats us as inferior, this is our only way to achieve peace with Israel. It is our responsibility as Palestinians to make Israel a part of the region, because we are the ones that have daily contacts with Israel. This does not mean the destruction of the State of Israel. Israel will remain, but will treat the other countries in the region as equals. We need cooperation with Israel, because transforming the conflict is a tool for transforming Israeli society and Palestinian society, but especially for changing Israeli society's view of the Palestinians as inferior.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Eliyahu McLean
The Sulha Peace Project, Jerusalem Peacemakers, Middleway
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Responding with love, harmony, bridge building, has to be the answer, just to keep plugging away. Sometimes I think maybe in our generation there won't be peace. But it may be that in two or three generations, when "the great peace" breaks out, they will look back at our work [...] and say it's because even in the times of darkness and chaos they held the flame of light, that today we have peace.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Sami Adwan
PRIME (Peace Research Institute of the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We don't want to create the illusion of a perfect reality that is out of touch with the actual reality in which Palestinian and Israeli children live. In theory, it is possible for us to arrive at a single, joint historical narrative. Psychologically, socially and politically, however, this is very difficult to do. Thus, the aim of our project was not to craft a shared history. Rather, what we simply tried to do was explore the possibility of writing a Palestinian narrative and an Israeli narrative and presenting them side-by-side as equals. This was our aim - bold but humble, some might call it naïve.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Gidon Bromberg
EcoPeace/Friends of the Earth Middle East
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I think that every dollar that has been allocated to this region-and we're talking about billions of dollars a year-should identify a peace dividend, and they don't. The whole concept of "how is a given activity going to help create peace" is not sufficiently thought through.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Kitty O. Cohen
Folklore of the Other: The Institute for the Study of Religion and Communities in Israel
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ In politically bad times there is more need for grassroots work, and when the political situation is positive then grassroots can be co-opted into the system. Then they can contribute. Their think tanks, their activists and their people can be integrated into the political vision. But in times of need, in times of trouble, there is great need for grassroots organizations precisely to counter the violence, the hatred between our peoples. The new friendships and honest dialogues between Palestinians and Israelis have given me the hope and courage to continue. As one of our second century Sages said, I need not complete the task, but neither am I at liberty to desist from it (Rabbi Tarfon, Avot,2,16). ” [Source in Complete Interview]
Melisse Lewine-Boskovich
Peace Child Israel
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We don’t really have the time to wait for the kids to grow up. I think it’s time for the adults to start a process, and that’s where we’re not so wise. The practitioners don’t know how… in almost all of the places where we work there are almost no adult dialogue groups going on. The parents aren’t talking like the kids are. It’s time to shake up the parents and get moving.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Walid Salem
Panorama
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I want there to be a democratic Palestinian state. I want there to be elections in Palestine, but not only that. Elections are a form of democracy, but elections alone are not democracy. I want there to be no concentration of power in the hands of certain political groups. I want the provinces to have certain authorities. I want there to be an elected council and a parliament for every city or province, in addition to the general parliament of the country. This will prevent the concentration of power, and allow greater political participation by the people. Some call this decentralization of power and others call it vertical division of power. I prefer the second name. There is horizontal division of authority, which is the constitutional and legal division of power, and there is the vertical division of power, which means that the central authority gives certain power to the local authorities.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Inas Radwan
Building Bridges for Peace
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I consider it a great success to get to a point where the girls of the camp are able to influence their communities [...] I consider it a great success that a girl finds out that Palestine is not the Arabic translation for Israel! It is a great success that a girl that is almost twenty years old knows that there is Palestine and tells her friends. Also it would be a success if a Palestinian could tell her friends that she has a Jewish friend, which is a hard thing. We have to come to understand that the people's rejection of the current situation is the solution […] It is always the people that make the change, they are the spark.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Michal Zak
The School for Peace
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ [Our work] is not going to stop the bulldozers. It won't do that. But I researched the roots of the change in South Africa, and from a few articles I read I realized they mentioned nine causes for the transition to democracy. The first was the economic sanctions on South Africa. The second was that the security forces were exhausted and couldn't enforce the violence they initiated and used. And somewhere between 1 and 9 was the fact that there were always groups that engaged in dialogue and cooperation, and white people who joined in the black people's struggle.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Adina Shapiro
Middle East Children's Association (MECA)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I would like to see a reality where every school is a place that can encourage and raise responsible citizens that see themselves as people that can contribute to building society. To see that play a significant role in a peaceful negotiation, eventually filtering down between the two peoples and allowing us not to live nonviolently side by side. For the next generation to be able to take on the challenges that are ahead of them in these changing times is something I think the educational institutions can provide some kind of guidance for.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Kobi Snitz
Anarchists Against the Wall
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ [Being an anarchist] means being opposed to the existence of the State in general- the State of Israel, and actually a Palestinian state as well, except that as far as the day-to-day struggle, it makes little difference [...] I'd rather societies be organized in a different way, but it's almost completely irrelevant as far as political work or political priorities right now. Before we talk about getting rid of states, there's a long, long way of organizing and of dismantling the occupation and the wall.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ali Abu Awwad
Bereaved Families Forum, Al Tareek (The Way)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We should have a good and respectful relationship between two countries, not between a people and their occupier. The creation of two countries is the solution. This is the final solution. The current solution is that both people sit down and decide that we have had enough killing and occupation. The people should decide upon this, not the governments. The governments can’t force upon us something we don’t want. We should convince each other of each others case. This is how people get married. They love each other before getting married; they can’t marry when they are enemies.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Melisse Lewine-Boskovich
Peace Child Israel
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Now, I always have to say immediately that in a perfect world I don't believe there should be any states. In a perfect world there would be no borders; there wouldn't be territory. The human race has not evolved that way yet. There is still a need for groups, affiliation with groups, allegiances, and it seems, territory. And until we get rid of the need for religion, there's nothing to talk about. Until we evolve-human beings, all of us-beyond the need for religion, which is still a very inherent need for people, I don't think there's any possibility. So, I believe the world would be a better place if there were no states, but until that day comes I still feel-it's absurd to say that this is a safe place considering how miserable everything is here- that Jews have their right to a place of their own just like the Palestinians do.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Tzvika Shahak
Association for the Commemoration of Bat-Chen Shahak, Bereaved Families Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I want things to be different because you make peace with enemies; you don't make peace with your friends. You have peace with your friends. Once you become aware of this, you live it, you are ready for a process of reconciliation, ready to accept the other side, to understand that what has been done is due to the circumstances and to forgive. To search together for the right solution.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Meir Margalit
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I believe in the concept of a "critical mass." Every person actively participating will at some point become part of a critical mass, which will then take hold. I can't claim that by saving any one house I've greatly contributed to advancing peace. I do believe that our work, if joined by scores of people and other organizations, can achieve a critical mass, and that will lead to favorable political change.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Eliyahu McLean
The Sulha Peace Project, Jerusalem Peacemakers, Middleway
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ One thing I have learned in this work, and this is something that I call having a spiritual perspective, is to let go of attachment to results. Just to do the work because it's the right thing to do, even if things are a thousand times worse than they are today, and to not be attached to what happens. It's hard not to be attached, is it not? Just to let go of attachment, of the idea that my work is going to result in X.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Dan Bar-On
PRIME (Peace Research Institute in the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We think that true peace means that you recognize how the other is different from you, not how the other is the same as you are. To create a bridging narrative means to create a same-ness. We don't want to create an illusion of same-ness; we don't think that will happen, not in the near future, at least. So first of all you have to recognize that the other thinks differently from yourself.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Adi Dagan
Coalition of Women for Peace, Machsom Watch
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ What needs to change is the perception of "us" and "them," Jews versus others. We need to use civic concepts, and this does happen quite often in practice. I have Arab friends and I feel we are close in terms of being Israeli. I feel there is a lot in common with Israeli Arabs - a certain closeness. We really do live in the same place. Culturally we share a lot, but on the level of consciousness there is a very large barrier between "us" and "them."” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ali Abu Awwad
Bereaved Families Forum, Al Tareek (The Way)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Maybe what I am saying is confusing and hard to understand, but I am trying to say two things: first, usually people seek peace for themselves. We should seek peace for others. The first step is for an Israeli to stand up in Tel Aviv and say that he wants peace for the Palestinians before saying he wants peace for the Israelis. The Palestinians should do the same. The reason for this is that all the armies in the world can’t stop a suicide bomber, and all the militant operations in the world won’t necessarily lead to a liberated Palestinian state, but a single Israeli with good intentions can influence others who in turn can create a good intentioned leadership. The same is true for the Palestinians; but not every Palestinian can do this, he should be a Palestinian who fought and sacrificed, a Palestinian who realizes the meaning of peace. ” [Source in Complete Interview]
Daniel Seidemann
Ir Amim
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Let me put it this way, there's one solution, and another consequence. The only solution is the two-state solution, and that two-state solution has to be inside the city of Jerusalem, and not outside it. There will be no equilibrium without Jerusalem being politically divided. There is no alternative to that as a solution. The other alternative is a consequence. The consequence is the one state solution, which neither side wants, which will balkanize the region, and balkanize the conflict, and balkanize the city of Jerusalem, which will be a disaster for both peoples.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Kitty O. Cohen
Folklore of the Other: The Institute for the Study of Religion and Communities in Israel
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Everybody [must be involved in the peace process]! Beginning with kindergarten teachers, parents, reporters, businesses, everybody; all sectors of the population, everybody needs to be involved, in a totally different way. It has to be through the media and in businesses and in education on all levels.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Gila Svirsky
Coalition of Women for Peace, Women in Black
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ [My long term vision is] very similar to the Geneva Accords: a two-state solution, the '67 line should be more or less the border, there should be a mutual exchange of equal amounts of territory that will be negotiated. The refugees will have to be negotiated on a level that Israel can live with and Palestine can live with, Jerusalem has to be a shared capital and divided and open. It's a vision that says Palestine and Israel are here, embraced forever in a way they never wanted to be, but they can never be released from each other, and therefore let's figure out a way to make it work for us both.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ibtisam Mahameed
Interfaith Encounter Association, Middleway
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ We should understand that rights are obtained not given, and understand that life is bigger than throwing stones and shooting. The essence of life that was given to us by God is to live in peace. What does peace mean for the Arabs, Jews, Christians, Druze, Buddhists or any person in the world? Every person has his own peace and global concepts of peace.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Prof. Sami Adwan
PRIME (Peace Research Institute of the Middle East)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Eventually, it might be possible to develop a joint narrative or a bridging narrative that can begin to mend that gap between the two narratives. Yet this is not possible at this stage. Many people have criticized us for not producing one joint narrative. However, there is simply no way that this can happen in the absence of a political solution that would end the conflict in all its aspects, or at least a vision for such a solution.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Majed Tbeileh
Nablus Youth Federation, The Future Generation Hands Committee
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ A Palestinian might spend four months digging a tunnel, [to smuggle weapons] whereas someone else would not dig that much even if there was a treasure buried underneath. He just wants his state. On the other hand, another Palestinian walks for eight hours to get to a meeting with Israelis even if the Israeli government won’t allow him. That one too wants a state. This determination is due to the Palestinian desire for a state. The two streams use different methods but have the same goal.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Yehuda Stolov
Interfaith Encounter Association
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ In regular interfaith dialogue the initial objective is to teach people about the other's religion. When that is the objective, the stress during the activity falls on the lecture… If we want to employ interfaith discussion as a mechanism for constructing mutual respect and friendship among communities, then we need to stress interaction... Most of the time is dedicated to discussions in small groups where people can talk to each other. This method obviously undermines the goal of talking about the other's religion, because often people will say things that are inaccurate about their own religion. Our goal includes learning about the other's religion, but that's the secondary objective and not the main one.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Salwa Abu Libdeh
Dialogue On The Road
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ When you have a home and I have a home, we can be good neighbors, but if you have a home and I don’t, I will continue to "screw" you until you get out of the house! I mean, I had a piece of land, and you took it from me, built your house on it and forbid me from building my house! Let me build my house like you did. There needs to be compromise, giving and taking. We could have good relations, but not when you have a high quality of life and I live in the dirt under your feet. There can never be peace between the master and the servant.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ihsan Turkiyyeh
Arab-Hebrew Theatre in Jaffa
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I am a mother, this is the first thing. For me, my son is better than all Palestine, to see him alive. How could I be happy if they gave me all of Palestine and my son was not in it? [...] Yes, this is different than what my husband said, I am different. Maybe also that time was different. In my husband's time we were at war and it was difficult. But now we are in a process of peace. We already started a process of peace, now we have to continue it. Why do we have to lose souls and people? If we want Palestine, we will get it with papers that they sign, not with souls.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Ibtisam Mahameed
Interfaith Encounter Association, Middleway
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ If I consider myself a peace activist, then all my words and actions must be devoted to peace. For me this is Jihad, and if I die doing this I will be considered a martyr. How do I identify a martyr? He is one that takes a role in improving his community and its situation, according to his own understanding. People can call him what they like, but I consider this a sacred mission that I could use to help the next generations.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Dr. Khuloud Dajani
People's Campaign for Peace and Democracy
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ Equality shall be between all people regardless of their location-Palestine, Israel or any other country in the world. Justice shall be served too. If we are talking about an Israeli and a Palestinian state, I hope we shall share the major land which we call Palestine and they call Israel, with some form of independence. […] Even though the borders exist on the map, that does not mean they are heeded. In case of humanitarian peace, borders would not exist, because both people would be merged together; they share similar interests. Both depend on each other economically. I hope that peace will be present as a humanitarian value” [Source in Complete Interview]
Khulood Badawi
Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Ta'ayush, Coalition of Women for Peace, Bat Shalom
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ One of the most important lessons I learned is that my personal identity is more important than my national identity, and that one should never divide his personal identity under any circumstances. I should always preserve my personal identity despite the situation and the conflict. Israeli violence and the negative treatment we are exposed to often threaten to erase our personal identities. We sometimes become harsh and empty towards ourselves, not only towards the Israelis. I am careful in this respect because I have my humanity inside of me. This humanity consists of values and principles that should be given top priority. This strengthens my identity and my sense of belonging to my people.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Meir Margalit
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ [In Al-Bustan, an expanding Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem] there's a struggle between King David and Fakhri Abu-Diab, the Chair of Silwan's Land Defense Committee, over who has first rights and who has the right to exist here: King David's bones or Fakhri Abu-Diab's house. It's the struggle between Jewish history and the Palestinian present. The problem is that during the struggle between the present and the past, our future is being sacrificed. I understand those who say this site is so important for the Jewish people, but there are 1,000 people living there; with all due respect to what is under the ground, I still prefer what exists above ground! I think we need to be careful with the question of roots because it keeps tripping us up.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Adina Shapiro
Middle East Children's Association (MECA)
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ If we say that skills of leadership would include being able to see a broader reality than what is right in front of your eyes, that’s one thing that a leader needs and that would be something that teachers need, but also the ability to cope with changing times, the different perspectives, and the messages that have to come across, not the political messages [...] Besides having the knowledge, you have to have the skills to do something with that knowledge and the communication skills to get that message across [...] I think that that is a very important task of a leader, and definitely of a teacher, and people who are working with young people today. We can see into the future, you can have a vision. There can be a time when things are different for us as people, for our region, for you as children, for us as Israelis, or as Palestinians.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Robi Damelin
Parents Circle - Bereaved Families Forum
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ I wrote a letter to the family [of the man who killed my son]. It took me about four months to make the decision, many sleepless nights and a lot of searching inside myself about whether this is what I really mean. I wrote them a letter, which two of the Palestinians from our group delivered to the family. They promised to write me a letter. It will take time; these things take time, I'm waiting. It could take five years for them to do that. They will deliver the letter that I wrote to their son who is in jail…If they write me a letter in return then I could publish both of the letters as an example and it could show some people that there is a way. That the people you least expect can do this kind of thing, surely that's an example to other people to start to look for a way.” [Source in Complete Interview]
Wafa Srour
The School for Peace
Portrait »
Interview Highlights »
“ If I am weak, then I will not achieve a thing. I must become more powerful in order to make change. This is not a lesson, as much as it is a given. I cannot expect a tyrant and an occupier to act humanely all of a sudden: to apologize and ask to make amends. I wish it were that easy, but it's not. So the lesson we learn is that we must increase our own strength. It is similar to marriage; men will never understand women's concerns unless women reveal them. This can be difficult and even excruciating, but this is the way things are.” [Source in Complete Interview]
