Bridging the divide..
With so much misinformation and division out there regarding Israel-Palestine war, it can be hard for those wanting to learn the real realities on the ground and make a truly positive difference.
Peace has perhaps never felt so distant for many as it does now. With tensions high and a lot of raw feelings amid the horrors of this war, it’s easy to forget that out there – on both sides of the border – are ordinary people and organisations working tirelessly to break down barriers and build peace in their communities and across divides to achieve it.
These individuals and organisations show that people can work together to find a solution to conflict and demonstrate leadership and bravery. On their websites you may find useful resources for exploring active peace-work in the region today.
Take a look through the list below and learn more how you can support their work..
Peace Now
The largest and longest-standing Israeli movement advocating for peace through public pressure. Under the mission of arriving at peace agreements between Israel and its neighbours, Peace Now currently works to ensure Israelis embrace the only viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Two states, meaning the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Culture And Free Though Association
CFTA works to develop a civil society that is based on promoting the rights of children, youth and women in the Middle and Southern Governorates of the Gaza Strip through community mobilization, child development, youth empowerment and engagement and advocacy initiatives.
The Parents Circle – Families Forum, Israel / Palestine
Launched in 1995, the PCFF is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation that brings together more than 600 families from both sides, all of whom have lost someone to the ongoing conflict.
The nonprofit uses educational resources, public meetings and the media to spread ideas of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. It is managed by a joint Israeli-Palestinian board and operates from two offices: the Palestinian office in Beit Jala and the Israeli office in Ramat Ef’al.
Doctors Without Borders
Doctors Without Borders is a non-governmental organization that describes itself as an "independent, impartial and neutral" charity that provides humanitarian aid to people affected by conflict, disease outbreaks, and natural and human-made disasters.
Formed of former IDF soldiers and Palestinian combatants, Combatants for Peace is an Israeli-Palestinian grassroots movement based on the principle of non-violence. It’s committed towards building a two-State solution in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in security, freedom and democracy.
Working to changing attitudes within both sides of the public and governmental circles, Combatants for Peace are building an ever-growing Israeli-Palestinian activist community in the hope of bringing peace and stability to the region.
Friends of Roots
Roots is a grassroots movement based on understanding, nonviolence, and transformation among Israelis and Palestinians who live in the West Bank. They believe human interaction is the first agent of transformation and run a series of projects such as inter- religious exchange, partnership lectures, joint iftars, youth groups, summer camps, after-school programs, pre-army academies, visiting schools, speaking groups and meetings.
Solutions Not Sides, UK
Solutions Not Sides is an education programme in the UK that provides schoolchildren with critical-thinking skills to help them resolve conflict, promote dialogue and challenge prejudice.
It’s weekly newsletter provides fact-checked updates and diverse perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict, attempting to cut through the bias while giving voice to different groups.
Alliance for Middle East Peace
The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) is a coalition of over 170 non-governmental organizations that includes tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis who share the goal of building state peace between the two communities.
Al-Haq
Translated as the Law in English, Al-Haq was established by a group of Palestinian lawyers in 1979 in the West Bank city of Ramallah, becoming one of the first human rights organizations in the Arab world
The independent Palestinian non- governmental human rights organisation documents violations of the individual and collective rights of Palestinians in the OPT. The organisation conducts research; prepares reports, studies and interventions on breaches of international human rights and humanitarian law in the OPT; and undertakes advocacy before local, regional and international bodies.
Al-Haq also cooperates with Palestinian civil society organisations and governmental institutions in order to ensure that international human rights standards are reflected in Palestinian law and policies.
Women Wage Peace / Women of the Sun, Israel / Palestine
Israel-based Women Wage Peace (WWP) and it’s Palestinian sister movement Women of the Sunempower women on both sides of the border to shore up support for peace in their communities and build trust across divides.
Founded in the aftermath of the 2014 Gaza War, WWP has around 45,000 Israeli members, reportedly making it the largest grassroots peace movement in Israel today.
WWP refracts the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – and its resolution – through a gendered lens, and believes that women should be put at the heart of peace negotiations. Its members also work to dismantle ‘counter-productive’ arguments made by decision-makers that perpetuate the conflict.
IMAGE | The Negev Desert Region, Modern Day Israel | IGNANT
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