Momentum is building and the chorus of those committed to (and working for) peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is growing. But the voice of those who want to silence any possibility of peace is simultaneously getting louder. The specter of more violence, and the loss of life also seems very present. In fact, on my trip to Israel and Palestine in November the tension was palpable with riots, street skirmishes, and several deaths from violence on both sides over the 10 days we were filming.
Yet even with the rising tensions, we met with peacemakers on all sides of the conflict. We captured some amazing stories of moral courage and unswerving commitment to peacemaking. In our 2 minute trailer you meet several of these people. The full interview and the story of their convictions to work for peace will show up in the forthcoming movie. Mazen for instance. He is a Palestinian who lost his father to Israeli sniper fire. As a teenager he was one of the stone throwing “freedom fighters.” But he realized at one point that more violence motivated by his own personal pain from the loss of his father was not going to bring peace, nor his father back.
His important discovery, which is really the clue to solving this conflict, was not more violence. Violence begets more violence. Hate begets more hate. Revenge spawns a dark energy that fuels more conflict and the loss of life. Mazen moved from wanting revenge to working for peace. He became a peacemaker. In his journey he met a Jewish mother who lost a child to a Palestinian suicide bomber. Don’t you kind of wonder how their 1st conversation started?
“Your people killed my father!”
“Well, yours killed my daughter!”
Mazen still holds the painful memory of his father’s death. But he also knows he needs to work for peace to make a better world for his daughters.
Help us finish telling Mazen’s story. And the story of a former IDF soldier. And a Palestinian mother from Hebron. And a U.S., self declared “blue blood Jew.” And a Palestinian Christian. And many more. All peacemakers. Working for a better future in the Holy Land. #givepeaceachance #peacemaking #IsraelPalestine
Love what you’re doing Andy and would like to help.
Any thoughts on our last telephone call about bringing some Islamic friends to the Seattle/King County Prayer breakfast( May 8) to hear Ambassador Ahmet Shala (Muslim) and Slobodan Petrovic (Orthodox Serb) share their stories of reconciliation in the Spirit of Jesus of Nazareth. I think you’d find them wonderful resources for the kinds of things you’re doing. Just let me know if this would be something you think would be useful.
WES