More Stories
Kids4Peace program coordinators win 2017 Goldberg Prize
The Institute of International Education awarded the 13th annual $10,000 IIE Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East to Sarah Stone and Montaser Amro
PeacePlayers wins Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2017 Sports Award
PeacePlayers International has been honored as one of the winners of the prestigious 2017 Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award.
Holy Land Trust program empowers young Palestinian girls
Holy Land Trust organization has successfully completed a second session of its Young Girls Empowerment program.
what’s our impact?
$90
million
in U.S. funds supporting
Israeli-Palestinian
cooperation thanks to
ALLMEP’s advocacy
97
organizations
coordinating, collaborating,
raising their profile,
recruiting resources,
and building a growing
community for peace
$230
million
to people-to-people
efforts worldwide
as a result of
ALLMEP's advocacy
JOIN THE MOVEMENT. SHARE PEACE.
Help the peacebuilders take back the spotlight. Sign up for our emails, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. Then make an impact when you forward, share, re-tweet, and repeat!
The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) shared Samer Atamni's post.
To all of our friends in the NY/NJ area, we'll be glad to see you this Sunday in the Through Other's Eyes exhibition. לכל החברים שלנו באזור ניו ג'רסי וניו יורק . אש...
The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) shared The Abraham Fund's post.
Yesterday our Arab & Jewish Women's Leadership group visited the Knesset and met with MKs Abdulla Abu Ma'Aruf, Osama Saadi أسامة سعدي (Joint List) and Yael German(Yesh Atid). MKs discussed w...
There is a shared common assumption that the only language that Israelis and Palestinians understand is violence. The theory states that violence, in all its ugliness, brings results. Violence, it is believed, can free each people from the burden of the other. Given enough time and bloodletting, we can finally finish this.
But violence has side effects. Violence creates separation, but destroys the trust necessary to make separation work. Violence creates communal legitimacy, but only at the cost of young lives. The main side effect of violence however is amnesia. Violence, whether structural or acute has not moved us closer to a conclusion in the past twenty years.
During periods of violence in each community, shibboleths are created and those not repeating the same lines as those around them are cast out. If you do not share the same picture, voice the exact same outrage, condemn the same act or advocate the same approach you are not to be heard at this time. Your voice is only valid in the periods of calm between the outbursts. When the people clash together, conformity is expected.
Our members, the over a hundred groups that make up the Alliance for Middle East Peace, are not the majority of each society. They do not control the media, the educational systems or the security services. They are pioneers and entrepreneurs, finding ways to affect themselves, their families, their communities and their societies. They use innovative messages, strategies, programs and approaches. They evolve, adapt and try to amplify their voices at times when all around them try to silence them.
At times of increased stress it is our vision, our mission and our values that guide us.
We believe in a Middle East in which Israelis and Palestinians have built the trust necessary to live in peace and security, prospering in societies that protect their human and civil rights.
In order to achieve this we secure and scale up funding to expand trust-building interactions between Palestinians and Israelis. We provide capacity-building support and visibility to amplify the voices and impact of our member organizations in the region. We connect individuals and groups to create a critical mass that lives and acts in support of peace.
Our values that guide us are those of Peace, Freedom, Coexistence, Justice, Security, Rights, Nonviolence and Dignity.
We will support our community, we will help their voices be heard, we will not allow this crisis to defeat us.
In peace and solidarity,
Joel Braunold
Executive Director
We are proud of The YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus and all of our members, who continue to push towards peace when it's most crucial:
Amid Jerusalem clashes, Palestinian-Israeli youth chorus sings melodies of peace
i24news.tv
The Jerusalem Youth Chorus was joined on stage by the Yale Whiffenpoofs
Important perspective in this piece from Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger of Rabbis Without Borders
"Before we make demands of others, we must first make demands of ourselves. Before we speak and even before we think, we must listen. After we begin to heal ourselves and to change our behaviors, the other side may be more able to begin to heal itself."
Friends of Roots
I’ll Tell You What You Need to Do | My Jewish Learning
myjewishlearning.com
In the wake of the horrific attack this past Friday night in which three innocent Jews were stabbed to death ...
Robi Damelin (פורום המשפחות השכולות Parents Circle Families Forum منتدى العائلات الثكلى) has an important message in response to recent events: "It's not too late."
Read her powerful words in Ha'aretz (English translation below):
Here we go again, how many people have to die before the cycle of violence finally turns for the last time. Revenge being the main tool, we kill, they kill , more force, more troops, and more rhetoric of fear and hatred. Are we on the brink of another war or uprising? How can the sanctity of human life just be political expedience. Decisions made by leaders sitting in rooms in the dead of night and at the last minute. Is there no thought for the consequence of no communication with our neighbors. Instead of listening to the army and understanding that the shooting from the hip decision to place metal detectors outside one of the most holy places for the Muslims would lead to a violent reaction and more death. How can the man voted to be in charge of our future take a plane trip to a foreign land when there was a burning need for sanity and negotiation to create a dialogue with our neighbors and perhaps to calm down a situation just waiting to explode.
Seven people died over this weekend and for what? for an anger festering among both peoples, which can only get worse with time. Can the powers that be not take a breath and imagine what it is like for the families involved. Those innocent attacked by a crazed young man who imagined that a future life in paradise would surely be better than this one, and the three Palestinians fighting for a cause they believed, also fueled by their religeous leaders. Notice it is not the leaders who give up their lives, but rather young men who have no reason to hope for a better life , and believe that they are protecting their holy Site.
Let us think of another scenario, say our elected leader would have thought again and realised that more of the same, only more would be a solution, and had picked up the phone to the heads of Jordan and Egypt, who have no interest in any further violence, perhaps if he had done so and they had all come up with a plan which did not include more force, perhaps we would not have to watch the horrific bloody scenes , each side with its own interpretation , on the Television and on the Web.
Imagine what the future will be like for all of the families of the dead, some will have their houses demolished, and others will die together with their children, they may not die physically , but nothing will ever be the same, nothing . Some will never have the joy of parents or grandparents and others will start to think of revenge, some will be so angry that it will effect their health, and others will simply wither away and look for solice at the graveside of their loved ones. We at the Parents Circle know the whole gamit of pain , and indescribable sadness which never goes away. We have realised that violence begets violence and for the sake of our children and grandchildren we must find a way to recognize the humanity of the other .
It is not too late for change, watch a bereaved Palestinian mother embracing an Israeli mother in our group and understand that we recognize that we share the same pain. Watch us continue to work under the most difficult of circumstances to the extent where we will still run our summer camp this Sunday and will plant the seeds of understanding reconciliation in the next generation. If we can, then surely this is an example to all. Please refrain from spitting at us or throwing bags of urine and take that energy into trying another way, for the way we are going , with more of the same can only lead us to share the land with graves.
The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) shared a link.
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development is organizing a special media event of religious leaders in Jerusalem speaking out on climate change!
They invite journalists to join them at the Jerusalem Press Club this Wednesday, July 26th at 11 am. Please note that this is a press-only event:
madmimi.com
Amidst Rising Heat and Jerusalem Violence, Religious Leaders Come Together to Address Climate Change JERUSALEM, JULY 17 – With tensions running high ...
Despite high tensions in Jerusalem, The YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus and The Whiffenpoofs of Yale came together for a fantastic show that has already amassed thousands of views since last night! Watch it now:
We are live in Jerusalem with The Whiffenpoofs!
Israeli and Palestinian women are ready for peace. Join them this Thursday with נשים עושות שלום - نساء يصنعن السلام - Women Wage Peace
ביום חמישי הקרוב אנחנו, נשים עושות שלום, יהודיות וערביות, חילוניות ודתיות, נתכנס בירושלים ונצא בדרישה נחושה למ...
The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) shared נשים עושות שלום - نساء يصنعن السلام - Women Wage Peace's post.
נשים עושות שלום - نساء يصنعن السلام - Women Wage Peace
נפתח רישום להסעות: goo.gl/tbXyb2 (אם יש ביקוש להסעה מיעדים נוספים, אנא כתבו כאן באירוע וננסה לתת מענה)
If you're in the Chicago area, be sure to join OneVoice Movement this Friday to learn more about innovative grassroots peace efforts from leaders in the field including ALLMEP's Joel Braunold:
Some Vision & Hope. Not impossible at all. Thank you Ron Gerlitz (Sikkuy) for bringing it on, especially today.
This is what needs to happen for Jews and Arabs to coexist in Israel
haaretz.com
How to build a shared Israeli society where Jews and Arabs are equal and perceive themselves as sharing a joint homeland
We were happy to be a partner for this important roundtable
Diplomats, experts and civil society leaders discussed modalities for policy impact of pro-peace Israeli and Palestinian organizations at a joint event of Mitvim - The Israeli Institute for Regional F...
ALLMEP welcomes the announcement by the U.K. Government of the commitment to spend three million pounds in new funding for people-to-people and coexistence projects.
DFID announcement today
International Development
Paul Masterton: What support her Department provides to projects intended to foster coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis. [3942]
Alistair Burt:
DFID will provide up to £3 million over three years to fund a co-existence or “people-to-people” programme. This UK support will help Israelis and Palestinians work together to achieve tangible improvements in their lives and build understanding between people on both sides of the conflict.
ALLMEP thanks Chairman Rodgers and Ranking member Lowey's staff and team on including full funding for the USAID CMM program for FY18 in the budget. Given the fiscal constraints this was by no means a given and we are deeply thankful for their leadership. A special thank you goes to Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and his team who have been tireless advocates for our community on committee and Congressman Joe Crowley and his team for their leadership in the dear colleague letters for this line item.
Watch ALLMEP Executive Director Joel Braunold and Dr Ned Lazarus discuss the latest BICOM report on i24 www.i24news.tv/en/tv/replay/THE-RUNDOWN/x5tut8j
-- THE RUNDOWN | Bridge the peace-gap: Israel-Palestine case study | Monday, July 17th 2017
Great quotes by EcoPeace Middle East
PA, Gaza to get more H20 under Red-Dead water sharing agreement
jpost.com
A start, but the Strip needs more, NGO says.
Great write up in the Jerusalem Post on the International Fund www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Can-N-Ireland-peace-building-model-solve-Israeli-Palestinian-...
Can N. Ireland peace-building model solve Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
jpost.com
A new study released this week by the BICOM says that if Israelis and Palestinians participated in in more peace-building programs, the situation on the ground could be much better.
"Cutting off US economic assistance to the West Bank and Gaza would negatively impact the lives of millions of Palestinians who have nothing to do with terrorism."
An important piece by Sarah Yerkes:
The ‘Taylor Force Act’ Must Be Done Right
matzavblog.com
On Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on the “Taylor Force Act”, which requires the United States to withhold all economic support funds (ESF) for the West Bank and G...
Read MP Joan Ryan's analysis on "A future for Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding" and her argument for an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
labourlist.org
I introduced a cross-party bill in support of the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace in January and I have also spent time in Washington working with The Alliance for Middle East Peace (...
The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) shared a link.
A future for Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding
fathomjournal.org
BICOM and Fathom have published a new research report, A future for Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding. It has been written by Ned Lazarus, visiting Professor at George Washington University and before...
"Prayer of the Mothers," a song written for the Women Wage Peace March of Hope goes viral:
נשים עושות שלום - نساء يصنعن السلام - Women Wage Peace
English page נשים עושות שלום نساء يعملن السلام Women Wage Peace
Coexistence mothers’ prayer song goes viral
timesofisrael.com
Singer Yael Deckelbaum tours the world with her latest tune composed by ensemble of Jewish, Christian and Muslim women
Commissioned by BICOM, Dr. Ned Lazarus' landmark new study finds that grassroots Israeli-Palestinian peace building projects work and are a vital missing ingredient in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
The report sets out clear recommendations for practitioners and funders looking to help build the conditions for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Download it below:
A future for Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding - BICOM
bicom.org.uk
A landmark new study commissioned by BICOM finds that grassroots Israeli-Palestinian peace building projects work and are a vital missing ingredient in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. It was wr...
Help us welcome ALLMEP's newest member organization, IT Works, and read about how they're bringing diversity to Israel's high-tech sector:
jpost.com
Diversity Works is a joint initiative between ITWorks and the American Embassy’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).