This is an article I recently came across from YES magazine. This is an interesting collection of organizations that are working towards peace in this contentious region. Your task, research and take a look at one of the organizations and find out how legitimate they are. Secondly, discuss why media organizations are not promoting more of these organizations.
Here is an example of an Entry:
I took a took a look at AL-MEZAN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. It seems that it has not been updated for a while. There is a banner on the front page that says "MOURNING" in black and white letters. There is a link to an article from 2014 of a man who was killed by an IOF drone strike in July of 2014. This seems to be the last update for the website and organization. I am wondering why the man was targeted and the collateral damage that occurred with the water maintenance workers he was talking to. I also wonder how often these attacks happen.
Now, someone should build on the response. Or start another comment strand....
I tried to post this once before but I believe it got deleted... anyway if this shows up twice
ReplyDeleteTOM CARLSON-
Articles like this make me recall an NPR program I had heard a while ago about the value of american lives over others in our world. Heres an article that brushes upon the idea
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/09/which-deaths-matter-media-statistics/380898/
The article says
When it comes to the humans behind these statistics, however, not all casualties are covered equally. Researchers have found that the U.S. media gives more sustained and personalized attention to some deaths than to others. What informs the decision about whether a victim of violence or disaster gets an obituary, or is simply subsumed into a bigger number?
This is very similar to that of the phrase 'Black Lives Matter' and looking at the holocaust through eyes of statistical data. The concepts are biased in that Americans tend to identify with the issues of other americans. Where as many are killed all over the world our attention is focused on events that have become national tragedies like the CT shootings or 9/11 where as stories like the ones we just read that include 'On July 28, at least eight children in Gaza were killed when a playground was shelled' but don't bring the same tear to our eyes that American events do.
I can recall 7th grade we tried to look at the holocaust from a more personal perspective in reading stories to avoid just looking at statistics. In reality we only focused on the loss of lives in the Jews. A subreddit exists called Porajmos that focuses on the deaths of the Sinti and Roma people during this period.
Underneath the article we can see another post that says why it is important for us to care about deaths over seas as though we have to stress that lives of ones in Isreal or Palestine have any different values than our own. Every death matters and let that ring.http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/amer-shurrab-lost-3-family-members-in-gaza-why-their-stories-matter
"We believe that only by joining forces, will we be able to end the cycle of violence, the bloodshed and the occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people. We no longer believe that it is possible to resolve the conflict between the two peoples through violent means; therefore we declare that we refuse to take part any more in the mutual bloodletting. We will act only by non-violent means so that each side will come to understand the national aspirations of the other side. We see dialogue and reconciliation as the only way to act in order to terminate the Israeli occupation, to halt the settlement project and to establish a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem, alongside the State of Israel."
ReplyDeleteWhat I just entered was a quote from the website of the "Combatants For Peace" organization, detailing their belief on how the Israel-Palestine Feud can be dissipated peacefully only when both sides are willing to lay down their arms and come to a true agreement. Being soldiers from both sides of the (methaphorical and literal) wall, these people know first-hand the reality of the suffering and torment this petty feud has brought to both Palestinians and Israelis alike, and despite the directives of their superiors they recognize that violence breeds only more violence.
I believe that, much as how India does not belong solely to Hindus, and how Russia does not belong solely to Eastern Orthodox Christians, Israel and Palestine and especially Jerusalem do not belong solely to Jews and Muslims. I believe that land belongs to whoever wishes to live on it, regardless of religion or other worldviews. Above all else, however, that land belongs to the children--to the future of the world. At a time when "one-third of those injured in Gaza are children and tens of thousands more have been displaced from their homes, or have lost homes that were damaged or destroyed," according to Yes Magazine, this fact could not be any clearer to me. They deserve to live in a peaceful world free of conflict or the threat of gunfire or missile bombardment, because right now that's all they've ever known, and--as I said earlier--violence breeds only more violence.
To quote that one lady in The Simpsons, "Won't somebody please think of the children?"
- Alex Williams
I like the point that Alex brought up; everyone should share the land. The only problem is that it is easier said than done. I found an article that talked about the US pushing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Right after viewing that article I found one on how this conflict is continuing to take heavy casualties; mainly civilians. Long story short, we’ve been trying to resolve this situation for decades by making both sides settle for part of the prize. I know in World Studies people have brought up points about how “the Jews and Arabs are children, and if the children are arguing over something you simply take it away.” I found this point interesting, and after thinking about it some more I think it might be the only reasonable solution. Even if both sides “settle down” in the land they both claim, there is always the risk of more conflict. What if we have an “adult” involved? If a larger power is there to monitor the two communities, giving neither control in any form, than maybe this could all be put to bed. If there’s one conclusion that I’ve come to from researching this subject, it’s that giving any power to the Arabs or Jews in this situation will prevent any progress towards a solution.
Delete-Spencer Rees
U.S. vows to push for two-state solution to Israeli Palestinian conflict
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-03/24/c_134091193.htm
Palestinian conflict continues to destroy human life, dignity
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=50407#.VRGahvnF9XE
I chose to research the same organization because I have very similar beliefs. Combatants for Peace is a joint Palestinian-Israeli organization whose members are former militants who have seen the first-hand violence through their own weapon sights. This organization stood out to me because many people ask or may think, ‘why can’t these two countries just make peace’, while only a special few act upon it by laying down their weapons to resolve conflicts. This group has a goal of educating people internationally across the globe of what is actually taking place in jerusalem.
Delete"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Combatants of Peace has this quote stamped on the bottom of many of its donation sites because it shows what they are trying to achieve and how successful non-violence has been in the past. This group is trying to educate and solve a disagreement in a non-violent way. This method has been used by Martin Luther King as well as Mahatma Ghandi, both have also solved a national struggle without using violence, and Combatants of Peace has the ability to do the same.
Interested by the goal of this organization I researched a list of other israeli-palestinian organizations looking to make peace found in the link below.
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/cur_sit/groups.html
-Ibaad Nazeer
http://www.justvision.org/about
ReplyDelete“Our overarching goal is to contribute to fostering peace and an end to the occupation by rendering Palestinian and Israeli grassroots leaders more visible, valued and effective in their efforts. We drive attention to compelling local role models in unarmed movement-building and demonstrate to journalists, community leaders, public intellectuals and students – in the US, Israel, Palestine and beyond – what is possible when leaders at the grassroots choose to act. We tell their under-documented stories through award-winning films, digital media and targeted public education campaigns that undermine stereotypes, inspire commitment and galvanize action. We are a team of human rights advocates, journalists, and filmmakers who have a reputation for leadership, credibility and excellence.”
http://www.palestinenote.com/just-vision/
This is a quote from the Just Vision organization that works in Israel and Palestine. As stated in their missions (quoted above) they work on highlighting the importance and work of “Grassroot leaders” or peaceful mediators between Palestine and Israel. Much of the work of these individuals is lost behind the violence in Gaza in Israel. Just Vision creates and distributes media showing the public about these actions and how all of the people in the neighboring country do not wish death upon each other, but some do in fact want peace between the two countries. According to The Palestine Note Just Vision highly acclaimed and their pieces (media to highlight peaceful activists) have won many film awards.
I find it sad that the bombings and shellings between the two countries kill an average of one child per every two hour interval, yet the violent activists continue to attack their neighboring countries. Organizations like Just Vision should be supported and funded, because they are crucial in stopping the violence between the two countries.
-Jeff Johansen
I looked at B'Tselem which is an Israeli information center for human rights in the occupied territories. In their about page, it states that this website "endeavors to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel". I went through this website and a vast amount of the categories, I noticed that this website is constantly updated with new stories about different violent acts and situations. The latest article posted was March 24th, 2015 and the one before that was March 19th, 2015. This proves that this page is constantly updated with new stories. I believe that B'Tselem is an amazing organization because their primary goal is "to promote Israel's human rights and international humanitarian law as it applies to Israel's conduct in the Occupied Territories." They strive to drastically decrease or better yet end the violations of human rights of all people not just Israelis but also Arabs. Their mission is not to be a political group but a group that fights for what is right and to save the people of these poor conflicts so their lives don't constantly involve violence and being terrified. The media doesn't promote these different organizations because it's like Taboo, it's a very touchy subject with many different sides and views involved. On the other side, they should promote these organizations in the media because they are for the good of humanity in making peace between two major religions and communities. The media needs to help make this more about peace than the violence that is shown every day, by focusing on how to improve the country everything will become better between the areas in Israel to become a home for many religions that get along.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.btselem.org
-Shaina Eichel
From what I have observed, there seems to be a lot more campaigns and organizations than the ones that YES Magazine talked about.
ReplyDeletehttp://voicesfrominside.net/organizations.htm
An organization that I found on this URL can be related to the book Palestine. “The most destructive weapon of the Occupation may not be an F-16 or helicopter gunship, but rather, an armor plated D-9 or D-11 bulldozer. These are the machines that have demolished thousands of homes, uprooted countless olive trees, and carved gaping holes in roads, making them impassable. Even when used in Israel’s colonial intrusions on the land through construction of illegal housing or bypass roads, CAT equipment is being used daily in the commission of war crimes and violations of human rights.” In the book, the soldiers cut down the olive trees, the only profit or income the poor Palestinian families have. There is no real reason for the destruction of so many trees, and yet the soldiers bulldoze them anyway, or make the families cut down their living themselves. After reading this article I found out, as the quote above already states, that an American company distributes the machinery; CAT. This organization tries to help stop the US Corporation involvement in the Occupation.
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict not only harms its children and its civilians as Alex, Spencer, and Jeff said, but it takes a great effect on the rest of the world. In the United States a “23-year-old American activist Rachel Corrie was killed by the Israeli military with a weaponized Caterpillar bulldozer as she tried to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian family's home”.
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/section.php?id=158
-Emma Johansen
I researched the group Zochrot ("remembering" in Hebrew). The goal that they strive to reach is to help hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees return back to their homes that were destroyed in shellings. “Zochrot will act to challenge the Israeli Jewish public's preconceptions and promote awareness, political and cultural change within it to create the conditions for the Return of Palestinian Refugees and a shared life in this country.” This is a quote within their mission statement. They clearly do have their heart and sole in the right place when they say they want a shared life in this country. I believe more American media organizations are not promoting these groups because the vast majority of the population doesn't understand or is scared of the middle east. Why would we want to hear about things that make us uneasy. I believe though that it is necessary that we promote these groups as they are striving for peace in their region; isn't that the first step in world peace? Region by region?
ReplyDeleteIn this article I dug up I discovered that instead of having the media tell Americans their story and trying be publicised that way, they took the matter into their own hands. For example they had a small march in New York City, as well as holding a speech. This is how you know they are passionate about their views and is really something that is worth backing.
I also wanted to add that what Alex said about the different religions in various countries was perfectly worded and couldn't be said better.
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/03/zochrot-bring-audience
David Wieczerzak
I researched an article that talks about the history behind the Israelis and Palestinians conflict on land. Similar to David, this article spoke of the Zochrots and how this organization has been working towards educating Israeli Jews to understand history without it being obscured. This organization also has been helping Palestinian refugees, such as David had stated, return back to their country. In the article it says "the Jewish people were given a large part of Palestine...the Arabs that lived their and neighboring countries felt this was unfair and did not except this new country" (Israeli and Palestine fighting if Gaza). The reason the Jewish people were given the land to begin with was because after WW II 6 million Jews were announced dead. This lead to more Jewish people wanting their own land resulting in splitting Palestine.
ReplyDeleteZochrots plan is to rid of any preconceived opinions and to allow people to understand that how Israel is coming about, wanting all the land is unjust and catastrophic. By bombing and shelling trying to fight for land is not helping Israel. If Israelis begin to understand that they are creating a catastrophe rather than proving a point of strength, the two countries could eventually co-exist and be okay with sharing the land. The Zochrots are attempting to achieve co-existence but one organization can't fix a situation such as this.
What I picked up from the article I read was the fight for land isn't mutual. Some people, Israeli and Palestinian want to co-exist and stop the outrageous pursue to win the land. Once the U.S. announced mutual empathy the conflict began to fade. If Zochrot can achieve their mission of shutting down preconceived opinions, educate Israeli Jews on what's actually happening from an outside point of view and to continue helping Palestinian refugees this conflict could begin to end. The more organizations like this, the more people can begin to understand that violence and bombing is not going to get you land. What people will begin to understand is that co existence is the best option until another agreement can be arranged between Palestine and Israel.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/02/nakba-israel-palestine-zochrot-history
Katie Casey
I decided to research The Freedom Theatre (Jenin Refugee Camp) because It takes an interesting approach to finding freedom and peace. The Co-founder Juliano Mer-Khamis was assassinated out in front of the freedom theatre Aprill of 2011. Juliano said, “My dream is that The Freedom Theatre will be the major force, cooperating with others, in generating a cultural resistance, carrying on its shoulders universal values of freedom and justice”. His goal is still in the process of being achieved today. He left a huge mark in the attempt to create peace between different cultures through the way of art. His idea was to bring different cultures together through theater classes, a professional drama school, filmmaking, photography, writing workshops, and more. Jonathan Cook from AMEU articles says the Palestinian city of Jenin on the most northerly point of the West Bank, had gained an unexpected degree of international recognition due to the uprise of The Freedom Theatre. He also said it ultimately stopped the conflict between the Palestinians and Isreal. The Freedom Theatre lured the youth into learning different arts and co-existing with other religions and cultures. The kids who were not going to the freedom theatre were likely to be strapping bombs to their chest and suicide bombing. Jenin’s idea changed the lives of many taps into the potential of art as a catalyst for resistance and social change.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ameu.org/Current-Issue/Current-Issue/2015-Volume-48/The-Art-of-Resistance.aspx
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org
-Mike Mancini
I chose to take a different direction with the organization I researched by looking at a media organization named “ActiveStills” that is hoping to be a catalyst for social and political change not just in Israel but throughout the Middle East and World. Their idea of how to raise awareness and peace is through photos which are usually accompanied by a caption of no more than 10 words.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found most intriguing about this organization is that there goals, some written specifically in their statement of solidarity, include protecting the rights of Palestinians and was founded by a group of Israeli citizens. I decided to include and link this website below because I find it powerful that when there is known hostility between the two cultural groups it is possible that at least some groups on both sides are trying to reach out to each other. I feel that this idea of mutual want for peace can often be hidden when everyone else is being asked to “pick a side”.
Goals Of ActiveStills:
“2. Practice universal democratic values of justice and equality by ending institutionalized discrimination against non-Jewish citizens of Israel, and by respecting the human rights of all, regardless of ethnicity; and
3. Recognize and implement the rights of Palestinian refugees according to UN Resolution 194, which states in part: “refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return...’”
Link: http://www.activestills.org/about.php
Aside from the ideas and beliefs of the organization, the actual concept of a media outlet solely through photos is quite revolutionary and powerful. As the tired phrase goes “A picture is worth a thousand words” and in terms of media, it will often boil down to the pictures. I believe that today, pictures and visuals have become so easily accessible that if you don’t have a picture, it didn’t happen. Although the idea of photos in journalism is nowhere near new, the idea of ONLY photos in journalism is and ActiveStills is wise to use a medium that makes news more accessible to the general public. Through the use of minimal text and strong pictures, I believe the reader is given tremendous power. They can analyze the picture, take it at face value, add bias or create a totally new perception of the photo’s message which ultimately puts the decision in the reader’s hands. From there, the reader decides their opinion on the issue and whether they want to do something about it. By this standard, perhaps our #artsy and #throwback instagram photos can hold more relevance and deep meaning in the eyes of another. Or maybe not.
-Callie Cinque
Just as Callie did, I picked “ActiveStills” as my organization. Being established in 2005, “ActiveStills” is still a relatively new group and is trying to expand their viewership around the world. Like Callie said, their many goal is to spread social and political change through a series of photos. Through these photos, the organization is hoping to shed light and shape opinions on subjects that are not normally presented through the popular media.
ReplyDeleteI think this organization’s message is extremely important. They are trying to show us the pain and different forms of oppression certain parties of people go through every single day. When it comes to the mainstream media, certain subjects are not always touched upon on an everyday basis. Many of the oppressive struggles “ActiveStills” is trying to bring attention to are currently glossed over by news reporters and seen as ‘unimportant’ in light of different events around the world.
On their website, “ActiveStills” states, “Israeli public opinion is shaped first and foremost by the mainstream media, which is shifting to become more racist and violent.” Another reason I believe that this organization is so important is because it is trying to bring truth to the stereotypes that are portrayed in the media. Although no media outlet is perfect, this website is doing a wonderful job of showing the side of conflicts we don’t get to see, the stories of the people who are living through oppression and violence every day rather than hearing about it through a screen.
Telling a story through pictures is revolutionary, as Callie put it. It is a new source of media for any type of person to become educated on issues that are never broadcasted to the world. One photo can show more raw emotion than any two page article could, helping the reader feel attached to the subject. That is what makes this organization so powerful. I think it is really relying on pure emotions to adequately deliver a message that words can’t.
-Rhiannon King
I chose the Combatants For Peace movement, primarily because of the small write up under the “Yes” article. I found it extremely interesting that the people who started this organization are former Israeli soldiers and former Palestinian militants. These people have decided to put differences aside and join forces and “non-violently fight for peace.” The main reason I find this so interesting is because they’re supposed to be fighting against each other, but instead they think that fighting over this isn’t the right approach.
ReplyDeleteCombatants for Peace is built of many people who have gone through rough situations and who know about the conflict and are seeking to tell others about what is going on. There are numerous members of this movement that are Palestinian and Israeli, those names are listed on their websites “about” page. Many of them have seen each other in such a negative light. They have fought with each other and now are looking to spread peace and non-violence. They no longer want to see violence between everyone. The ultimate goal is to teach everyone about reconciliation and non-violent struggle in both Israeli and Palestinian societies. They also want to put pressure on not only the people of these areas but governments to end the cycle of violence.
I think that what they are doing is so important, not saying that I don’t believe in war, or I don’t like the thought of it and I think it should end, but I think that they make very good points. I think that it is very mature of these people to join forces and to think the way that they do. On their website they have photos, videos, etc. of the events that they have hosted and it is eye opening to see how many people show up and are there to support and become civil with one another. The Combatants for Peace group also says that they are convinced that the conflict cannot be resolved through military means. I agree with that 100%, violence solves nothing.
--Olivia Cerra
One of the articles that YES Magazine mentioned was the Gaza Community Mental Health Program. This organization works to enhance the capacity of Gazans in dealing with mental health problems. The Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP) was established in 1990 by Dr. Eyad el-Sarraj to meet the needs of people who were regularly subjected to humiliation, loss of freedom, injury, destruction of homes and the loss of family members. Much of their work is directed at helping traumatized children, women who are victims of violence, and the victims of torture. The organization now has hundreds of paid staff, a main facility in Gaza City, a research center, several community mental health clinics in Gaza City, and two refugee camps. It has also established the Rachel Corrie Women's Empowerment Project as well as crisis intervention programs, a rehabilitation program for drug abusers, a Children's Project, and a Training and Education department for potential teachers and nurses. GCMHP has given individual psychiatric and family therapy to tens of thousands of people. Many of the psychologists on staff have also suffered from trauma. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said in a public message, “The legacy of Dr. Eyad el-Sarraj will continue in the Gaza Strip as long as organizations like the Gaza Community Mental Health Program exist to help such victims, their staff caring for the psychologically wounded while often enduring similar trauma as those they treat. “However, even considering everything they have accomplished as well as their efforts to raise awareness through crisis interventions, trainings, hospital, school and prison visits, and public awareness campaigns, they have only reached one in ten people in the Gaza Strip.
ReplyDeleteThe Gaza Strip is home to over a million Palestinians, half below the age of fourteen. Seven thousand Israeli settlers had lived in eighteen armed settlements in a security zone before they were evacuated in 2005. Since the evacuation, Israel has kept the Gaza Strip sealed off from the world, destroying its economy and the hopes of people for a better future. Restrictions imposed on Gaza during Israel's forty year long occupation have condemned Palestinians to a life of extreme poverty, destitution and the systematic violation of their human rights. The first intifada against the Israeli resulted in the imprisonment and torture of over one hundred thousand Palestinians. During the second intifada, the Israeli army repeatedly used heavy armaments, including tanks, F16s, and helicopter gunships against a defenseless civilian population. More than forty- two hundred Palestinians had been killed by 2007. Over one thousand homes had been destroyed in the Gaza Strip's Rafah refugee camp alone, leaving twenty thousand people homeless.
I believe that the Gaza Community Mental Health Program is crucial to the people living in the Gaza Strip. The indiscriminate killing and destruction are bound to have a long lasting psychological impact on the Gaza community. This organization is completely underappreciated and should be more widely recognized. Many people may not pay as much attention or organizations such as the GCMHP because they are specific to one area, and they convince themselves that either it can’t make that much of a difference in the word, or they do not have any personal connection to it. However, with more support, the Gaza Community Mental Health Program has the potential to help hundreds of thousands of people. People may also have a tendency to give their support to other organizations that focus on pure survival needs such as hunger, shelter or medical aid. While I obviously recognize the importance of these, I believe that we should not let unseen injuries go unnoticed. Living with severe mental trauma or PTSD can destroy lives families and entire communities.
http://www.gazamentalhealth.org/
-Rachel Gagliuso
One of the article's that New Profile brought up was Militarized Parenthood in Israel.The New Profile is "a group of feminist women and men, who are convinced that we need not live in a soldiers’ state. Today, Israel is capable of a determined peace politics. It need not be a militarized society. We are convinced that we ourselves, our children, our partners, need not go on being endlessly mobilized, need not go on living as warriors". Their work includes providing information and support for youth grappling with the decision about whether to do their obligatory military service or become a hard working student. I believe military is always something good to have because you never know what will happen or when it will happen. Every country should be prepared for the unexpected. I saw some video's in my old criminal justice class and it showed the police of a certain city were acting as military for no reason. Military is very useful but to an extent. Military is a scary thing to get into when you are at a young age and it really has to be your choice if you want to join any type of service. Recently stated by 40 different mothers a petition given to Ruth L. Hiller stating "We do not wish to hand our boys to the IOF” (Israeli Occupation Forces), and calling for social responsibility and the end of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. I believe that it isn't a mother's decision if their children go into a service unless their child is a minor. If they are 18 they can decide on their own and I think that they are old enough to do so but to force them into a service is wrong and people shouldn't be able to do that.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteLike Mike I found the freedom theater the program draws kids away from all the violence and resistance in their community. They offer different programs to help kids build interests for their future. The theatre is located in Jenin, Palestine. In 2002 Jenin experienced something they wouldn’t forget, a war. It happened at the Jenin refugee camp and about 500 people were killed, Israel's military saw it as a threat and potential launching site. The theatre was founded in 2006 and it was made in place of Arna Mer Khamis’s Stone Theatre which was destroyed by the Israeli attack in 2002. The theatre continues to work with a younger audience and help them turn away from any influence on violence, the problem is the two locations, Palestine and Israel can’t get along and recently Jenin was attacked at midnight, a bomb had gone off and the Israeli soldiers bombed Palestinians with tear gas as they fled the scene. With all this violence going on how will the youth grow up safely and not turn to violence?
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/3/at-midnight-in-jenin-the-smell-of-resistance.html
-Collin Titus
Tom,
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting what you did. I loved the insight and the way you read between the lines to, in my opinion, realize why Adam really showed us these sites. I wanted to share something with you. I was at my friends house yesterday hanging out. We went into his family room and his dad was watching tv. The news was on and was featuring a story of air strikes in the Middle East that had killed women and children. This really grabbed my attention due to your post. However, my friend, selfishly, shook of the news and said to his dad, "hey I'm hungry what's for dinner?" This really bothered me. I feel like if the news story was featuring some kid from our town or something, he wouldn't have been so ignorant.
-jack kane
Combatants for Peace is an organization that was founded in 2005 by ex Israeli and Palestinian soldiers whose main goal was to create peace between the two and work towards it nonviolently. People belonging to this organization try to “pressure both authorities to terminate violence” though I wonder in what ways they attempt to pressure the “authorities” when the only thing truly seen as significant pressure to them is violence. Granted there is not much that the organization can do to stand out to the Israelis and Palestinians because at this point the violence and general issues are so disturbing, that non violent actions tend to be viewed as nothing too important. These non violent actions are actually some of the most important things happening in the areas because it is the only thing working towards peace without all the disturbing after effects.
ReplyDelete-Jon Ehrlich