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Dear friends of Combatants for Peace
The first two months this year have passed quickly, with a flurry of activity ! Among other events, we started a new series of peace education meetings, with renewed enthusiasm after D. Trump and B. Netanyahu presented their “Steal” of the Century, as many reworded it. We have kept up our efforts with passion and resolve, in spite of many concerns: thanks to D. Trump's provocation, there is growing pressure on Palestinians who participate in peace activities with Israelis. Spaces for discussion and peacebuilding are dramatically shrinking as a result of anger and fear. Our movement is not spared. Some events that were planned have had to be cancelled in order to keep our activists and the communities we support safe. On top of this, the consequences of last week’s Israeli elections are still unclear. One thing that we do know for certain is that we must develop new ideas, ideals and values, which can confront the racist policies and politics of many of our current leaders. We are also facing heavy restrictions due to the Coronavirus (including a ban on checkpoints’ crossing and the state of emergency declared by the Palestinian Authority) which has put many activities on hold.
But we will not give up.
Hope is our strength. Every single, small step made towards creating a future with shared dignity and respect, is already a great achievement. As times grow darker, the light we shine becomes even more essential.
Our joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony will take place on Monday April 27, 2020. Save the date ! And please... |
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| in Peace & Solidarity from Israel/Palestine your Combatants for Peace |
| | What happened lately...
As a reaction to the Trump administration’s plan, we collaborated with hundreds of demonstrators from fifteen different Israeli peace NGO’s: together we gathered in the centre of Tel Aviv on February 1st. Through protests and speeches, we denounced the insanity of a plan where the Israeli and American governments impose their one-sided desires, at the expense of peace, equality and sovereignty for the Palestinian people. (Photo credit: Yair Sagi/Ynet) |
| | The next morning, February 2, a five-week long training on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (“Midreshet Dror” or “Freedom School”) began for 10 young Israeli adults who recently completed their army or civil service. Combatants for Peace partnered with Breaking the Silence and the Hashomer Hatzair Olami youth movement to organize a variety of activities: lectures, discussions, personal development work and field visits. The training aimed at awakening the drive for activism in young adults. As follow-up, the students will participate in 4-month internships with a peace organization of their choosing. We are hopeful that these young adults will become the next generation of activists and leaders. |
| | On February 14, we partnered with the organizations Rabbis for Human Rights and Standing Together to show our solidarity to the inhabitants of Yasuf village in the northern West Bank. The plan was to plant olive trees but we were blocked by Israeli soldiers during about half an hour at the entrance of the village. We had to explain our peaceful intentions and negotiate in order to be allowed to join the villagers who were waiting for us. We were ordered not to go plant trees though. About 200 people gathered, with some Palestinian supporters coming from other localities, a great success !
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| | Since the beginning of the year, we have organized about 25 educational activities, meetings, presentations and tours in Palestine and Israel. In addition, two of our activists addressed about 200 high school students in Geneva by video conference on February 17 during an event hosted by the Swiss organization B8 of Hope. A few hours later in Tel Aviv, a “Learning Peace” event gave the floor to the Israeli photojournalist and activist Oren Ziv. |
| | Speaking tours
Three international speaking tours were organized for this first quarter of the year. A California tour took place from January 26 to February 12, with nearly over 20 events taking place up and down the Coast. Germany also hosted two pairs of our activists throughout February and early March. With the help of many supporters, and among many fruitful encounters, we made it to the Bundestag (the German Parliament) to meet with Member of Parliament, Bijan Djir-Sarai on February 10.
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| | | 15th Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony
We started to shift our attention to our biggest event of the year: the annual joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony. We are happy to announce that this year’s Ceremony will take place on April 27, 2020 in collaboration with the Parents Circle - Families Forum. Preparations are under way. We intend to live-stream and screen satellite ceremonies all across the world. Our German Friends of CfP have planned to organize a live streaming of the Ceremony at the Berlin Institute for Political Education. We also have events being scheduled across the USA. Partner with us on this special day by setting up your own live streaming event for your relatives, friends and communities of peace locally. Be in touch by email: office@cfpeace.org or beth@afcfp.org in the USA. We can help you organize your own partner event.
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| Post-election talk
How may the Israeli elections' results influence life in Israel and occupied Palestine in the coming years ? How does the daily life of Palestinians look like in the West Bank's occupied Jordan Valley ? To which extent discrimination and apartheid develop along occupation ? What are the scenarii discussed lately for the formation of a government in Israel ? Request the link to the one-hour analytical talk recorded with CfP activists, Galia Golan and Osama Elewat and hosted by our American Friends of CfP this Monday March 9, 2020 by writing to beth@afcfp.org.
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| Book tip
Finally, we recommend reading the book, Apeirogon, written by Colum McCann. This Irish writer was inspired by the powerful testimonies of two fathers: one Israeli and one Palestinian. Each man was devastated by the loss of his daughter, but renounced violence and revenge, for the sake of peaceful reconciliation. Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan are co-Directors of the Parents Circle - Families Forum. Bassam is as well co-founder of Combatants for Peace, as is Rami's son, Elik. Have a look at the fabulous reviews published in the New York Times and The Guardian. (Photo credit: Sonny Figueroa/NYT)
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