But wait, theres more. This isn't even a complete list. Theres a metric
shit ton of Israelis and Jews working with Palestinians and Arabs for peace, working
against the occupation.
Valley of Peace initiative
The
Valley of Peace initiative is an official joint effort of the Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian governments to promote economic cooperation, and new business initiatives which can help both sides work together, and create a better diplomatic atmosphere and better economic conditions. It constitutes a co-existence project, as it is mainly designed to foster efforts in the private sector, once governments provide the initial investment and facilities.
[1]
Joint economic cooperation between Israeli officials in
Gilboa and Palestinian officials in
Jenin has begun to have major results and benefits. In October 2009, a new project got underway promoting tourism and travel between the two areas. Major new business efforts and tourist attractions have been initiated in Jenin.
[2] The two regions are planning a joint industrial zone which would bridge the border. Palestinians would produce locally-made handicrafts and sell them through Gilboa to other regions of the world. Another possible project is a joint language center, where Israelis and Palestinians would teach each other Arabic and Hebrew, as well as aspects of their cultural heritage.
[3]
In early 2010,
President Shimon Peres took an active and personal role in efforts to promote local business initiatives. Peres personally led a tour of top Israeli executives through the West Bank, and told them about many new Palestinian businesses which show much growth potential.
[4] One company highlighted by Peres was the New Generation Technology incubator, a joint Jewish-Arab effort founded in 2002 which encourages new ideas and projects in technology and biotechnology.
[5] As of 2011, there are about 50 factories in the West Bank industrial region where Jews and Palestinians work together.
[6]
Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce
The Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce was founded in 2009. Its chairman is
Eival Gilady, and its CEO is
Ofir Gendelman. It has already held its first conference, at which Tony Blair was the keynote speaker. It is dedicated to promoting development of joint economic initiatives and businesses.
[7][8]
Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP)
The
Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) is a group comprising over 70 leading non-governmental organizations that work to foster reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as Arabs and Jews in the Middle East.
[9]
One of ALLMEP's proposals is an independent International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace to support and encourage efforts to build peace in the region.
[10]
Friends of the Earth Middle East
Friends of the Earth Middle East is an organization which brings together environmental activists from Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Territories, to work on common issues.
One of FOEME's major efforts is a regional advocacy project to promote discussion and sharing of water resources.
[11]
Mejdi
Middle East Justice and Development Initiatives (Mejdi) is a local grassroots Palestinian organization which was founded by Aziz Abu Sarah, a young Palestinian activist who seeks to advocate cooperation and reconciliation efforts. Mejdi seeks to promote dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. one part of its peacemaking efforts is to promote local economic development, and strengthening of economic cooperation and Palestinian small businesses.
[12] Abu Sarah has been consistently involved in a range of workshops and efforts in which he has promoted greater efforts towards reconciliation and dialogue between individual Israelis and Palestinians.
[13]
Peres Center for Peace
Peres Center for Peace was founded by Shimon Peres and carries out various policy analyses to advance efforts for peace.
Aix Group
Formed is 2002, the
Aix Group is an Israeli-Palestinian-international economic study team that conducts research on the economic dimension of the conflict. Areas of focus include Palestinian refugees, the construction of a territorial link between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, development of the Jordan Valley, infrastructure cooperation, the economic status of Jerusalem.
[14]
Foundations and projects
Organizations which promote specific projects aimed at promoting co-existence and dialogue between the two sides.
Ta'ayush Arab-Jewish Partnership
Formed in the fall of 2000,
Ta'ayush (Arabic for "coexistence") is a grassroots movement of Arabs and Jews working to break down the walls of racism and segregation. It engages in daily actions of solidarity to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and to achieve full civil equality for all Israeli citizens.
Ta'ayush
Givat Haviva's Jewish-Arab Center for Peace
Givat Haviva is an education, research and documentation center, founded in 1949 by
Ha'Kibbutz Ha'Arzi Federation; it is located in the northern Sharon Valley of
Israel. According to its website " The mission of Givat Haviva today is to cope with the major issues that are on the agenda of Israeli society, and to foster educational initiatives, research and community work in the fields of peace, democracy, coexistence, tolerance and social solidarity."
Givat Haviva sponsors the
Jewish-Arab Center for Peace. "Established in 1963, the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace is one of the oldest and most prominent institutions in its field. The common bond of the dozens of projects conducted in the Center is the struggle for better relations between Arabs and Jews, better understanding of the essence of democracy and citizens' rights in Israel, and building bridges with our Arab neighbors." One of the Center's leading dialogue projects is
Face to Face.
Givat HavivaHa'Kibbutz Ha'ArziJewish-Arab Center for PeaceGivat Haviva peace projectsFace to Face
The Parents Circle-Families Forum
The Parents Circle-Families Forum (PC-FF) is a grassroots organization of Palestinian and Israeli families who have lost immediate family members due to the conflict. Together, they transform their pain and bereavement into the catalyst for a joint mission of reconciliation and coexistence in the midst of ongoing violence.
PC-FF was founded in 1994 by Yitzhak Frankenthal who’s son Arik was killed by the Hamas.
[15] Today, PC-FF includes more than 500 members, half Israeli and half Palestinian.
[16] The members conduct dialogue sessions, give lectures, and engage in projects to support tolerance and reconciliation.
Parents Circle creates innovative projects to spread its message of hope and reconciliation. The Forum firmly believes that without reconciliation, there will only be a cease fire and not peace. PC-FF members from Israel and the Palestinian Territories regularly meet even under nearly impossible circumstances such as right after the Gaza war of 2008-9.
[17]
The PC-FF’s flagship program for the general public is its educational program. High school “Dialogue Encounters” bring two forum members, one Israeli and one Palestinian to classrooms in Israel, East Jerusalem and the West Bank to talk to students about the possibility of peace and reconciliation. Close to 40,000 students are reached each year.
[18]
Green Action
Green Action is an Israeli non-governmental organization which advocates for environmental activism and social change,
[19] and has brought
fair trade and organic Palestinian olive oil to the Israeli market.
[20] Avi Levi, the director, travels frequently to the West Bank to work with Palestinian farmers, helping them set up and maintain cooperatives
[21] and obtain organic and
fair trade certification. The products are packaged under the SAHA label. SAHA is an acronym for Sachar Hogen, fair trade in Hebrew, and is also the Arabic word, Saha, meaning well-being or good health.
[22]
In addition to olive oil, the main agricultural product of Palestinians in the West Bank, Green Action also sells za'atar, dibbes, organic fruit jam, herbal infusion and pressed olives.
[23] The olive oil is also sold in bulk worldwide including to Australia and the US. In the US, Olive Branch Enterprises of Seattle, Washington buys Green Action in bulk and bottles it under the
Peace Oil label.
[24]
The Green Action - SAHA Fair Trade Website
Peace Oil
Olives of Peace
Olives of Peace is a joint Israeli-Palestinian business venture to sell olive oil. Through this project, Israelis and Palestinians have carried out joint training sessions and planning. It has also led to Palestinian oil production being enriched by Israeli components.
[25] It has produced olive oil which has been sold under the brand name "Olives of Peace."
[26] This is related to
Peace Oil (UK) and
Peace Oil (USA).
Neve Shalom-Wahat Al-Salam (Oasis of Peace)
The Israeli Jewish-Israeli Muslim Village of
Neve Shalom – Wāħat as-Salām (NSWAS) means "Oasis of Peace" in Hebrew and Arabic. NSWAS provides a remarkable model of longterm coexistence. Formed in 1970 on land donated by the Roman Catholic Church, NSWAS sits between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They organize humanitarian projects, including providing medical assistance for Palestinians.
They are also home to three schools, two for village and other area children, and they have a training facility called the
School for Peace. The children's classes run from pre-school through Middle School and are all taught by both Muslims & Jews in their native languages. The School for Peace however is designed for adult Arabs and Jews from all over the area to learn about each other in controlled seminars run by trained Peace Facilitators.
NSWAS has had many notable visitors over the years.
Jimmy Carter,
Hillary Clinton, and many others including
Roger Waters (aka
Pink Floyd) who has performed several benefit concerts in the small village urging Israel to "Tear Down the WALL!"
An American branch recently incorporated under the name "American Friends of Neve Shalom" they are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that raises funds in the US for NSWAS programs (similar support groups also exist in the EU, and elsewhere).
