ALLMEP & Our Members in the Press

Over the past several weeks, ALLMEP has spoken extensively about the ongoing crisis in Israel and Palestine. At the same time, we have been working diligently to center the actions and perspectives of peacebuilders at this critical moment. Please find a chronological summary of ALLMEP’s interviews and statements below, to provide a more holistic perspective than individual soundbytes may offer:

 

English-speaking Press

🟣 On October 10th, Avi Meyerstein, ALLMEP President and Founder, spoke to France24 a few days after the horrific Hamas attacks, and the start of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

“Right now, we’re still in a place of utter shock and deep concern for people all around. There are 14 million Israelis and Palestinians between the river and the sea, and they are trapped right now by a ‘generational conflict’ that is turning a land that should be full of so much promise into a bloodsoaked land of tears.”

• Key Words: Condemnation of Hamas, Shock and Trauma

 

🟣 On October 10 John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live about the deeply ingrained trauma experienced by those living in Israel and Palestine, triggering some of the darkest cultural and familial memories for all people. For Jews, the Holocaust, the most horrific crime in human history and the most significant event in Jewish modern history. For Palestinians, the Nakba, and especially for Palestinians in Gaza, the deep trauma of past wars and the yearly, deadly airstrikes that have plagued their lives for the past two decades.

“The level of trauma that both Israelis and Palestinians live with needs to really be understood by anybody who wants to objectively approach this from a solutions-oriented perspective….So that when we see or hear dehumanizing ideas or perspectives, know that that’s where it’s coming from, without in any way justifying it”

• Key words: Trauma, Nakba, Holocaust.

 

🟣 On October 10 John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, speaking to BBC The World at One highlighted the dangers around the dehumanizing language that is spreading across the media and wider landscape. He also spoke about Vivian Silver, a dedicated Canadian-Israeli peace activist and leader in the field, who has spent much of her life tirelessly working for Israeli-Palestinian peace, who remains missing following a Hamas invasion of her community and home on October 7th.

 “What’s amazing about Vivian is she is perhaps the most expert and impressive peace builder between the Mediterranean and Jordan but she wears it really lightly. She has this kind of humility and fun and humor and warmth. She founded an organization called Women wage peace in 2014. She lives right on the border with Gaza. The war in 2014 – up until this weekend, was the most devastating we’ve seen between Israel and Gaza – and this was her response to it. This shows you what kind of person she is, to found an NGO to bring women together to try and build Israeli Palestinian peace. We urge if she has been kidnapped, her immediate release as well as the release of all hostages”

• Key words: Vivian Silver, Dehumanizing language, Social media, Hostages.

 

🟣 On October 10 John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to BBC news about the lack of contact between Israelis and Palestinians over the past two decades, especially since the collapse of the Oslo Accords – and – why moving forward, this must change. He also spoke about Vivian Silver and the hostage situation.

“What we’ve done now, is that we’ve separated both people, with Gaza behind a huge wall and the West Bank separated as well; we’ve introduced a regime of permits and exclusionary practices, often with security justifications. This means that we’ve created a Petri dish for polarization extremism, fostering the worst stereotypes. That’s why really re-socializing these populations is important; making them understand that the vision you see of Hamas marauding through Israel a few days ago is not all Palestinians and equally for Gazans who are sitting terrified right now due airstrikes, that it is not the desire of all Israelis. So we must push back against those stereotypes”

• Key words: Oslo Accords, Relations between Israelis and Palestinians, Bottom-up peace, Vivian Silver, Hostages.

 

🟣 On October 11, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to France24 as the events in Israel continued to unfold and the bombardment of Gaza escalated and intensified. He stated his fear around the siloing and separation of (social) media consumed by Israelis and Palestinians, and the severe ramifications it is having on Israelis and Palestinians’ perception of the other. He also discussed the wider regional situation and Biden’s recent comments.

“I’ve been spending the day speaking to Israeli and Palestinian colleagues. And you can see these silos of images that each is seeing. So for Palestinians, their screens are filled with horrific images of the consequences of the most devastating round of airstrikes we’ve seen in Gaza for many, many years. Of course, Israelis aren’t seeing the visceral impact of that on their screens, and vice versa. For many Palestinians, (…) I was telling them about what had happened, and some of the attacks and sharing some of the really horrific videos circulating and it was news to them because it was not in the Palestinian media sphere.”

• Key words: Social media, Regional escalation, Biden.

 

🟣 On October 11th, Avi Meyerstein, ALLMEP President and Founder, spoke to Julie Mason on SiriusXM Radio about how Israeli and Palestinians peacebuilders that make up the ALLMEP community are standing in solidarity with one another, amidst their own personal pain and trauma. He also gives an overview of some of the work the ALLMEP community has been doing over the past two decades.

“As you can imagine, if your mission and your programming is about bringing Israelis and Palestinians together – which is a tough job any day of the year – at times like these you really go into a mode of trying to just take care of people, to reach out to them, to make sure that they know they have support, to maintain whatever channels of communication you can, to maintain what you’ve built so hard over a long time and to help people see something – which is very hard to see in this moment – that their ultimate best interests lie in cooperation and lie in partnership”

• Key words: Trauma, Polarization, Partnership.

 

🟣 On October 12, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, was a participant on France24’s The Debate. John emphasized the crucial importance of taking every step to prioritize civilian life – both that of the hostages and of civilian Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, and the worry around region spill-over.

“We’re using this word ‘unprecedented’ a lot in recent days, but it’s true. Now it remains to be seen whether Hamas can certainly be toppled in Gaza and I think the civilian toll required to accomplish that goal is going to eclipse anything we’ve ever seen before with regards to casualties in the Gaza Strip. So I’d echo all of the other speakers about the need to really prioritize civilian life and ensure that every step is taken to prioritize both that of hostages and of civilian Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip (…). Ultimately 50% of the people between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean are Palestinian and 50% are Jewish Israelis neither are going anywhere. And there needs to be a real diplomatic process that maybe harnesses – as you’re saying – these regional dynamics which are new and provide different kinds of leverage and opening to address the Palestinian issue not to avoid it”

• Key words: Hostages, Humanitarian Corridor, Regional spill-over.

 

🟣 On October 12, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to Australian Channel 7 about the dire situation for civilians in Gaza, as Israel continues to enforce a blockade. He also spoke about the uncertainty and concern around a regional spill-over.

“The humanitarian situation for the citizens of Gaza is – the word you use is dire – it’s correct. We have issues with regards to food, water, electricity, medicines, and obviously intense human insecurity as well with the waves of airstrikes that have been coming. So obviously we’re appealing number one for the prioritization of civilian life and their welfare and also for the release of the hostages. (…). There are two huge aspects of this that I think should concern everybody. First is the on-the -ground deterioration in Gaza, inside Israel itself, and in the West Bank – and for every step to be taken to deter any level of further escalation. The second dimension is on a wider regional escalation, which would make what has gone on so far, the prelude to something even more serious.”

• Key words: Humanitarian situation, Regional spill-over.

 

🟣 On October 12th, Avi Meyerstein, ALLMEP President and Founder, spoke to Scripps News’ Morning Rush about ALLMEP members’ pain, in all communities across Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, as well as the hope that this community – who is working towards a just, equal and shared future – gives him.

“I sit in meetings with Israelis and Palestinians. During the meeting, the Israeli may have to run to the bomb shelter, the safe room, because there is a rocket attack. The Palestinian may get a notification that their family home has just been leveled in a bombing in Gaza. The fact that they can come back to the room and work together, and – together – they can reach out to their communities and bring people together, that gives me a little bit of hope in these days. And ultimately, what keeps us moving forward, is knowing that there is no alternative. We have got to exit this perpetual zero-sum game.“

• Key words: Vivian Silver, Peacebuilding community, Pain.

 

🟣 On October 13, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about young people, mental health, polarization and the repercussions for young Israelis and Palestinians, and those abroad.

“The thing I’m most concerned about is the impact that it has directly on Israelis and Palestinians in the region, particularly the youngest ones who have almost no real experience of the other. So they already are living in conflict, are incredibly polarized, are primed to think the very worst stereotypes about the other, all of which fuels the conflicts. And then you add in the images and videos that they’re being exposed to in recent days…I spent the entire week speaking to, at this point, hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians, and they’re each seeing one part of the tragedy that’s been unfolding in recent days in its most visceral and horrible forms”

• Key words: Mental Health, Polarization, Youth, Spill-over of trauma and hate to/on those living abroad.

 

🟣 October 13, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director spoke to CNA Asia, highlighting the situation in Gaza, with 1.1 million people being told to relocate to the South of the Gaza strip. 

“It is practically impossible. And I’ve seen this dilemma playing out today with friends of mine and their families in the Gaza Strip, where people are trying to scramble to move essentially half the population of the Gaza strip, to the other half, the southern half of the territory. Some of them said there’s no point, they’re staying at home. They’re barricading themselves in and hoping for the best. Others are now arranging to stay with absolute strangers down close to the Egyptian border, in the hope that it will allow them to escape the worst of the carnage that does seem to be coming following a ground invasion that the most expect in the coming hours and days”

• Key words: Gaza, Ground Invasion, Fleeing.

 

🟣 On October 14, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to France 24 about the urgent need for unity, trust, and the end of dehumanization in the midst of devastation for the Israeli-Palestinian community, calling for a “Marshall Plan to rehabilitate both societies”. 

“If we allow that dehumanization and zero sum paradigm to become calcified and permanent, everything gets more difficult and we would love to see when this is over – and God it will be over at some point – a ‘Marshall Plan’ for rehabilitating both societies and their attitude towards each other. We can never let dehumanization get to this level again.”

• Key words: Dehumanization, Marshall Plan, Civilian life, Agency of regional and international actors.

 

🟣 On October 18, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to BBC Radio Ulster about the previous night’s devastating events in Gaza, without clear confirmation and much dispute of the cause of the huge loss of life at al-Ahli Hospital. He also spoke about the role of the international community to end the failed era of conflict management, and to instead move toward Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution.

“We have over 160 members who are a part of ALLMEP. They’ve been rallying Israelis and Palestinians together to provide humanitarian aid to people who have been caught up in this absolute nightmare. And really showing that level of solidarity which I think is what we need to try and scale (…). There has been a de-prioritization of this conflict, and a sense that it could be managed. That must be over. This needs to be resolved because the human catastrophe is awful. But also for all of us, regionally, globally, the instability that can be generated from this conflict has profound geopolitical consequences”

• Key words: International Community Responsibility, al-Ahli Hospital, Failed era of conflict management, Regional and Global Instability.

 

🟣 On October 20th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to France24 about international responses to the war, the role of the region, and the need for a ‘Marshall Plan’.   

“Young people have been traumatized to a degree that’s hardly believable over the last few weeks, seeing images either on screens or with their own eyes, which will be with them forever. And the international community needs to embark, I think, on a long term project to bring Israelis and Palestinians together, rebuild trust, build that diplomatic horizon (…) and have a bottom up grassroots process that can actually have a deeply rooted peace process that sticks”

• Key words: Trauma, Youth, Social media, Peace process, Regional war, Humanitarian aid, US $100billion Supplemental Aid package, Marshall Plan.

 

🟣 On October 23rd, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, participated in France24’s The Debate where he spoke the de-prioritisation of this conflict for the past twenty years and the need to re-prioritize a project that succeeds in delivering peace, equality, self-determination and security to both Israelis and Palestinians.

“We’ve had a glimpse into an abyss of how bad things can get (…) and it needs to be seen as a place for a handbrake turn back towards diplomacy.“

• Key words: President Macron, Diplomatic process, Failed paradigm of conflict management, International responsibility

 

🟣 On October 24th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to France24 about President Macron’s visit to Israel and his commitment to move past the failed paradigm of conflict management and replace it with a real, substantive diplomatic process – a notable distinction from remarks made by other world leaders on their visits to the region. 

“World leaders are paying more attention to I/P than they have for perhaps two decades, and what is really important is that attention does not fade as soon as a ceasefire is secured.”

• Key words: President Macron, Diplomatic process, Confidence building measures, Political vacuum.

 

🟣 On October 25th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to BBC Radio 5 live about Secretary General Guterres’s comments, President Macron’s visit to the region and the need for a real diplomatic process based on conflict resolution, not management or mitigation. 

“We need to engage millions of Israelis and Palestinians who are traumatized, hurt, scared, and angry right now, and build a grassroots constituency and bottom up consent for peace that we’ve never tried to do in Israel/Palestine”.

• Key words: Trauma, Grassroots consent for peace, Northern Ireland, International Fund, UNSC, Secretary General Guterres, Traumatic historical memories (Holocaust & Nakba), Privilege and role of international community, President Macron, Hostage release, Humanitarian aid, Renewed diplomatic process.

 

🟣 On October 25th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on Spectrum News+ about what ALLMEP is doing right now, the immense trauma that Israelis and Palestinians are dealing with (both ‘new’ trauma and historical), and the need for the international community to stand in solidarity with peace-builders working to build a better future – for all.

“And our overriding priority (…) is to be there for our members to process this trauma, to understand their partnership and solidarity with each other and (…) to focus upon their shared values of peace, of self determination, for security, equality, and to really focus on how we do a handbrake turn after this to set chorus very clearly towards that destination”

• Key words: Trauma, International community, Solidarity with peacebuilders.

 

🟣 On October 27, Nivine Sandouka, ALLMEP’s Regional Chief of Staff, and Dr Yael Braudo-Bahat from ALLMEP member Women Wage Peace, were interviewed for France24’s show “The 51%”. They both spoke about what it’s like to be working in the field of peacebuilding right now, the kidnapping of two members from Women Wage Peace, and what it will take to move beyond this horrific situation: The re-humanization of Israelis and Palestinians along with a real diplomatic and political process.

“Even the peacemakers right now are in a state of shock and trauma of what has happened since October 7, and what is still going on. We’re still there. It’s not like we’re “post-traumatic”. But the good thing is, we understand that if we don’t come together, and if our voices are not being heard, it means that we’re going to keep falling into the same cycle of violence. And right now we feel that more than ever there is an opportunity for us to be calling for ending the occupation, and actually having a peaceful, negotiated agreement”

• Key words: Hostages, humanization, Trauma.

 

🟣 On October 27th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, was on RTE Radio in Ireland speaking about the freeing of hostages, the impact on the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians and the need for a Marshall plan to rehabilitate Israelis and Palestinians that is a priority for Arab, European and American governments.

“I think what we’re seeing is a very clear decision now that needs to be made. Conflict Management, which is what both actors on the ground but also shamefully, the international community has been pursuing for decades has failed very visibly, and it has claimed an incredible toll on both Israelis and Palestinians. We now need to move towards conflict resolution (…). but also that works bottom up. One of the failures of recent decades is a complete neglect of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, of people, of communities who have to build a level of trust and partnership that peace will require. They have moved further apart in recent decades. (…). There needs to be essentially a Marshall Plan scale to rehabilitate both populations to build that trust in parallel with the final status exercise that brings in the rest of the world. This cannot be a US solo exercise again, it needs to have the European Union and Arab States too”

• Key words: Hostages, Rehabilitate relationships, Marshall Plan, International effort.

 

🟣 On October 29th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, was on France24 discussing the geopolitical state of play with the recent UNGA resolution, the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and the urgent need for humanitarian aid and the need for a substantial, international, diplomatic effort to take place once this war ends. 

“Geopolitically, we’re in perhaps the most dangerous moment for decades, where there’s a land war taking place in the continent of Europe, simultaneous to this and this block, I guess, of Russia and China and some other countries being seen as an ‘alternate’ power center and really a more multipolar moment that we’ve had for a long time”

• Key words: Geopolitics, Humanitarian aid, President Macron, UNGA.

 

🟣 On October 29th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, was on BBC Radio Ulster discussing the enduring partnership between Israelis and Palestinians, amidst the atrocities of recent weeks,  the necessity of a diplomatic solution to ensure equality and security for all, and the need for international solidarity with the peacebuilding community’s efforts. 

“And the community of peacebuilders at ALLMEP that we work with, they will – I think –  be the foundation, the catalyst for building towards that [equality, self determination, security], and rebuilding the trust between both peoples. What I’d ask for all of us internationally to do is to, number one, really be in support and solidarity for that community. You’ve no idea how much it means to them, to see people who care about the region internationally weigh in behind them, rather than taking more polarized sides, which doesn’t really help anybody”

• Key words: Building trust, International solidarity, Trauma.

 

🟣 On November 7th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, was on the Irish Tonight Show, TonightVMTV, discussing the hostage situation, the crucial need for a cessation of violence and the importance of opening up diplomatic space after a ceasefire takes place. 

“We – I mean, we very broadly – in the international community need to hold our leaders to account, that when that ceasefire comes, the attention does not dilute or dissipate in any way and we pivot very quickly towards the sort of process that can actually produce a diplomatic solution for Israelis and Palestinians and prevent this ever happening again” 

• Key words: Hostages, Humanitarian, Diplomatic space, International community.

 

🟣 On November 9th, Avi Meyerstein, ALLMEP President and Founder, spoke on A Better World Community’s radio show in North Carolina about ALLMEP’s work. 

“What keeps us moving forward, is knowing that there is no alternative. We have got to exit this perpetual zero-sum game”

• Key words: ALLMEP, Peacebuilders.

 

🟣 On November 10th,  John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director spoke on Voice of America’s Issues in the News to discuss regional dynamics and the urgent need for peace for all groups.

“To put it into context, more Israelis died on the single day of October 7 than died in the Second Intifada, and as of today, three times as many Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip as died in the entire second Intifada – a five year period which had been, up until now, the most devastating violence either side had ever seen (…). I think everybody – again, particularly with the privilege of not living in this nightmare needs – to really reflect on the toll this is taking on civilians and on the prioritization of civilian life, Israeli life and Palestinian life”. 

• Key words: Abraham Accords, hostages, humanitarian crisis. 

 

🟣 On November 13th,  John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, was on France24’s The Debate discussing Macron’s calls for a ceasefire, the rise of antisemitism, racism and islamophobia, and the way forward out of conflict management and towards true conflict resolution. 

“We have to integrate what Europe, the United States, the Arab League, everybody is doing because otherwise what we’re going to have is two or three different parallel processes with slightly different principles that both Israel and Palestinian factions will find quite easy to reject and dismiss and go back to the status quo ante or to move back to conflict management. We have to do everything possible to ensure that after this horror show, we move towards conflict resolution very, very clearly.”

• Key words: President Macron, conflict management, antisemitism, islamophobia, David Cameron, Tony Blair. 

 

🟣 On November 14th, Avi Meyerstein, ALLMEP President and Founder, spoke to CBC about the life and legacy of Vivian Silver and the critical work she did to build peace between Israelis and Palestinians throughout her life.

“What I’m seeing – and especially in the last 24 hours, since we heard the terrible news of Vivian’s death – I’m seeing people who are literally taking an oath to commit themselves to honor her memory by redoubling efforts:

• Key words: Vivian Silver 

 

🟣 On November 15th, Nivine Sandouka, ALLMEP’s Regional Chief of Staff, and Dr Yael Braudo-Bahat from ALLMEP member Women Wage Peace, spoke to CBC Canada’s The Current to remember fellow peace activist Vivian Silver.

“This is the time for us to lead and to have our voices heard exactly as Vivian would have loved” – Nivine

• Key words: Vivian Silver

 

🟣 On November 20th, Nivine Sandouka, ALLMEP’s Regional Chief of Staff, and Eran Nissan, CEO of Mehazkim, spoke to the BBC [37 mins in] about their reactions to October 7, the effects it has had on their communities and their thoughts on the way forward. They also call out the rise of antisemitism and islamophobia around the world, and especially in the UK. 

“The hatred, and the anonymity, and the mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians is not just limited to the region. We have seen a dramatic rise in antisemitism and islamophobia throughout the world, but specifically in the UK. And we need you – the British people – to help us lower the flame so we can put out the fire here” 

• Key words: Antisemitism, islamophobia, peacebuilding 

 

🟣 On November 21st,  John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke to Fathom about how October 7th and the war have transformed the peacebuilding field and what is needed from both sides to advance the peace process.

“Israelis and Palestinians don’t fully recognise the trauma the other is living in right now”

• Key words: Trauma, peace process

 

🟣 On November 21st,  John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on CNA Asia about a possible hostage release and ceasefire deal. 

“There is no military solution to the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians. This will require diplomatic and political progress and it will require intense international engagement…. All of those things will become more central, more viable, and people would have the time and space to explore them more fully in the 5-day pause that’s being rumored around this hostage release”

• Key words: Hostages, Ceasefire

 

🟣 On November 26th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director was interviewed for the Sunday Times about Ireland’s efforts to release Emily Hand who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7th. 

“If we can establish the dynamics of a prolonged ceasefire, extend hostage relief, increase aid entering Gaza and the exit of very sick and injured people from the strip, it builds a new path of de-escalation. It makes it more diQcult to get to the intensity of violence we’ve seen.”

• Key words: Ireland, Hostage

 

🟣 On November 26th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live about the temporary ceasefire. 

“What we need to be doing, internationally, is sketching out paths and ways that do not involve … another 2 months of war, which would obviously have horrific consequences….And I think every day we have a temporary ceasefire opens up a context for those conversations to take place”

• Key words: Ceasefire, Hostage release

 

🟣 On November 28th, Avi Meyerstein, ALLMEP President and Founder, appeared on France24 to discuss the status of the truce, the political role of the US, and the post-conflict future.  

“The only way we’re ever going to get ourselves out of this situation and prevent ourselves from being back in a crisis like this – that will be even worse next time, because it’s always worse the next time – is by having all of those countries, the US, the other G7 nations, the European Union, and the Arab states all come together and build a serious effort that involves attending to, of course, the humanitarian crisis, of course, a ceasefire ultimately, whenever they’re able to bring the fighting to a halt. But then also a serious diplomatic effort. That is both a reconstruction effort to rebuild…But we also have to rebuild a political horizon and trust so that people have a different way to resolve this conflict. Because I think what we’ve seen in these last weeks, is there’s pretty much no end to the amount of death and suffering that this conflict can bring us if we don’t actually bring it to a conclusion”

• Key words: humanitarian crisis, reconstruction effort, rebuild political horizon, rebuild trust.

 

🟣 On November 29th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director spoke to France24 about the crucial work of civil society and the temporary Israel and Hamas’ truce to free hostages and prisoners.

“Civil society groups can be the key to breaking the current impasse, and I work with over 170 different NGOs of Israelis and Palestinians, Arabs and Jews who are building partnership and equality, in the sense of solidarity, that can really generate the trust, the ideas, the new leaders that I think everybody has sensed has been needed even before October 7… Trust needs to be rebuilt between both populations. And politicians need to be incentivized to take the sort of risks and moves towards peace that are necessary. And that requires robust civil society working at scale on both sides within Israel and Palestine and cooperating with one another, coordinating their efforts, and calling on the international community to take the sort of action necessary”

•  Key words: civil society, temporary ceasefire, settler violence, trust, diplomatic horizon. 

 

🟣 On December 4th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director was a participant on France24’s The Debate. John emphasized the need for a real, multilateral diplomatic process and the support needed for the Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilders who are working non-violently towards this.   

“It’s important for us internationally to offer an alternative to more of this despair…something that’s really clear and tangible.”

•  Key words: civil society, diplomatic horizon, Peace movement.  

 

🟣 On December 15th, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on VOA about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the long-lasting consequences of the wide-scale destruction in the Gaza Strip. John highlighted the difficulty to plan for reconstruction without clear and stable assurances that this would be the last time Gaza would see war.

“There cannot be reconstruction of Gaza without some sort of a diplomatic horizon that can demonstrate that this is the last time that we’re building again from the ashes in the Gaza Strip.” 

• Key words: humanitarian crisis, diplomatic horizon, reconstruction efforts.

 

🟣 On January 31st, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, appeared on France 24 to discuss the viability of a potential new truce between Hamas and Israel. He addressed the conflicting internal political pressures experienced by Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as the humanitarian challenges faced by Hamas which could contribute to the push for a truce.

“The humanitarian catastrophe, on the ground in Gaza, has reached such terrible proportions that […]  pretty much every actor seems to be mobilized around that priority and hopefully that pressure will result in something conclusive in the coming days.”

• Key words: temporary ceasefire, humanitarian crisis, civil society.

 

🟣 On February 7th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live about the 135-day truce and hostage exchange offered by Hamas. John highlighted the challenges in negotiations arising from Israel’s conflicting objectives of eliminating Hamas and ensuring the return of hostages.

“I think everything else in this conflict, if you look at regional partners and wider actors, is a little bit controversial. The return of those hostages, under the ceasefire that it would engender, is something that a growing number of people around the world are looking to get behind.”

• Key words: diplomatic horizon, ceasefire, hostage release. 

 

🟣 On February 10th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, discussed the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza on France 24. He reflected on the conflicting war goals declared by the Israeli government, particularly the tension between eradicating Hamas and the release of hostages.

“I really do have to ask why we’re now discussing this imminent escalation and invasion, when only two weeks ago, we’d had a paradigm, a proposal that could result in a cessation of violence, even only temporarily, and the release of those hostages. Surely more time must be given for that proposal to play out and for the chance of those hostages coming home alive, humanitarian aid getting into Gaza, and the daily loss of life we’re seeing, all to be paused, if not ceased altogether.”

• Key words: humanitarian crisis, ceasefire, hostage release.

 

🟣 On February 12th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live where he discussed his recent experiences meeting with peacebuilders in the Middle East, highlighting the importance of civilian efforts in pushing for conflict resolution. He also reflected on the potential for political change after periods of violence.

“We owe it to everybody, to Israelis and Palestinians living in this nightmare right now, to leverage that towards real diplomacy that can deliver the peace, the equality, the justice, the security that both Palestinians and Israelis deserve.”

• Key words: diplomatic horizon, civil society, Vivian Silver.

 

🟣 On February 12th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, appeared on 7NEWS to address the alarming and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza and urged the audience to be mindful of the trauma experienced by both sides. He called for empathy and called for a de-escalatory approach, while advocating for international pressure on both parties to achieve a ceasefire.

“We have to do something that maybe is quite challenging, but it’s much easier than it is for Israelis and Palestinians: we have to hold both realities in our mind at the same time and to have empathy with both parties at the same time and try to encourage both parties to listen to their better angels and to look for a de-escalatory path. I think Hamas should be pressurized to accept the terms of the hostage deal that was put together in Paris two weeks ago. And I think Israel should be pressured not to go over there cliff here with an operation in Rafah.” 

• Key words: humanitarian crisis, ceasefire, hostage release.

 

🟣 On February 13th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on BBC TV where he emphasized the importance of international pressure, particularly from the US and Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, in urging Israel, but also Hamas, to agree to a ceasefire, facilitate hostage release negotiations, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“In addition to bringing an end to this war as soon as possible, the world is working together. And it’s very, very important to the Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, the Abrahamic core countries, Europe, the UK, the United States, multilaterally to create a real diplomatic framework that can make this the last Israel Gaza war, and create an unstoppable process toward Israeli Palestinian peace and reconciliation.” 

• Key words: diplomatic horizon, ceasefire, peace movement.

 

🟣 On March 8th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, talked to VOA about ALLMEP’s Advocacy Day in Washington DC, emphasizing the need for meaningful dialogue with individuals affected by the conflict. He expressed worry concerning heightened tensions during Ramadan and challenges in negotiations, including potential political motives on both sides. John also mentioned evolving international perception of the conflict and the importance of maintaining objectivity in seeking to end the violence.

“It’s on us, internationally, with the privilege of being able to see what’s happening both in Gaza and what took place in Israel on October 7, to really try and maintain as objective an analysis as possible and to be focused on the result of trying to end this war, rather than supporting one side over the other and waving the flag. And we should be very careful not to lose sight of that.”

• Key words: civil society, diplomatic horizon.

 

🟣 On March 20th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, was invited to speak on France24 Debate where he discussed the IPC report on imminent famine in Gaza, emphasizing the unprecedented intensity of this crisis and the urgent need for humanitarian aid, beyond political considerations.

“Everything we’ve seen up until now will be only a prelude to the sort of tragedy that would be possible if famine conditions arrive. That, if nothing else, ought to create a sense of urgency if diplomats should fail. One other observation is, we talked a little bit about elite-level diplomacy and political machinations, but we have to also put the human beings, Israeli and Palestinian citizens who were traumatized, right at the center of our calculations whenever Secretary Blinken discusses with the Saudis or with Bibi. There are millions of traumatized Israelis and Palestinians who will need to be stakeholders in any diplomatic process.”

• Key words: humanitarian aid, international community, civil society, diplomatic horizon.

 

🟣 On April 2nd, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on BBC5 Live about the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Gaza following devastating attacks on the aid workers of the World Central Kitchen, while also addressing the growing tensions and political challenges within Israel, including protests against Prime Minister Netanyahu and debates over military conscription exemptions for ultra-Orthodox citizens.

“We need success immediately for these discussions in Doha. They’ve been going on for about a third of the overall war. When you think about how quickly the negotiations in November resulted in some level of success, we have to really ask why progress has been so slow this time around. And I think culpability lies both in Hamas and the Government of Israel for failing to prioritize quick resolution of this. Every day that goes on, more and more people are losing their lives both through the war and hunger, and the likelihood of those hostages emerging alive reduces day by day. So this is not a game there is a clock that is very much ticking here.”

• Key words: diplomatic horizon, ceasefire, civil society.

 

🟣 On April 8th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, talked to BBC5 Live about the latest diplomatic developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as we reach the six-month-mark of the war. He emphasized the need for a multilateral, bottom-up diplomatic peace process.

“Each previous Israel Gaza war, we’ve seen this flurry of diplomats, Prime Ministers, Foreign ministers come to try and secure a ceasefire and then disappear afterwards, leaving the status quo ante intact. We cannot allow that to happen this time. We have to move very quickly towards this sort of diplomatic process – and this region has not seen it for a very long time, if ever – that is multilateral, bringing in all the different actors and also engaging ordinary citizens, Israelis and Palestinians are traumatized. As they’re scared, they’re angry. We have to see a pronounced focus on civil society to empower that kind of diplomacy.”

• Key words: diplomatic horizon, civil society, trust, ceasefire.

 

🟣 On April 8th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, talked on CNA and discussed how international opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has shifted over the six months of the war, emphasizing the need for a diplomatic shift towards multilateral and bottom-up efforts.

“A renewed push towards the final status diplomacy needs to be the non negotiable position of the entire international community. But it’s really important that we don’t repeat the failures of previous diplomatic rounds. The stakes are just too high. Now, first of all, it needs to be much more multilateral, the US, Europeans, Arab States, the wider world treating this as a big geopolitical issue that needs to be solved multilaterally where everyone’s influence is brought to bear. But secondly, it needs to not just be elite driven and top down. You know, we have great examples in places like Colombia and Northern Ireland of how a bottom up strategy in synthesis with final status diplomacy can generate far greater outcomes and we’ve ever seen in Israel Palestine. In Northern Ireland. We spent $44 per person in the world every year for two decades to generate civic support for peace. In Israel Palestine, we spend about $1.50 to $2 per person per year so that the difference is enormous.”

• Key words: diplomatic horizon, civil society, international community.

 

🟣 On May 5th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, talked to France 24 about the challenges of reaching a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. He highlighted the brinksmanship on both sides and discussed concerns over a possible Israeli assault on Rafah, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the broader geopolitical implications involving Egypt and Qatar. 

“It is very hard to know until it’s retrospective that you are in famine, but once you are, it has a momentum, a deadly, devastating momentum. Anything to be done to disrupt that, to get food and basic humanitarian supplies into Gaza needs to be at the forefront of everybody’s thinking right now. Even if we managed to get that ceasefire today, and flooded the Gaza Strip with aid, there are still huge developmental consequences for the lack of food, particularly for the youngest Palestinians, over the last several months now. They’ll be living with the legacy of this for their lives. This should go beyond politics.”

• Key words: humanitarian aid, ceasefire, international community

 

🟣 On May 28th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on BBC 5 Live where he regretted the neglect of the international community and highlighted the upcoming G7 summit as an opportunity for international leaders to prioritize civil society peacebuilding. 

“ In around two weeks time, leaders are going to gather at the G7 summit in Italy, where this conflict has been deprioritized and not really been addressed for the last five summits. That’s an opportunity for the international community, including the UK, to put the work of the peacebuilding community, the people that are doing that spade work to get us from this disaster towards that negotiated agreement, to put that work of civil society peacebuilders at the center of their diplomatic efforts.”

• Key words: international community, multilateralism, civil society, diplomatic horizon

 

🟣 On May 29th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, spoke on Radio Wales where he called for the upcoming G7 summit to prioritize the conflict, emphasizing the need for global leaders to support grassroots peacebuilding efforts and stressing the importance of a multilateral approach.

“I was just looking into some previous summits, and the Israeli Palestinian conflict was mentioned in almost every summit this century, and for the last five years, it was mentioned only once. And that’s a really stark measure of how much the world has forgotten about Israelis and Palestinians and our responsibility to resolve this conflict. We’re really hoping that this forthcoming G7 summit, civil society in particular are hoping that world leaders will center their work and in addition to restating important principles about a two-state solution, talk about how are we going to empower the communities on the ground that are working for peace, that are trying to build some modicum of trust, that are trying to advocate for diplomacy.”

• Key words: multilateralism, international community, civil society 

 

🟣 On May 30th, 2024, John Lyndon, ALLMEP Executive Director, participated in a debate on France 24 where he urged President Macron to empower civil society peacebuilders at the upcoming G7 summit in Italy, suggesting that this approach could also help reduce antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe.

“Imagine we scaled exponentially groups of Jews and Palestinians working in the region for justice, equality, peace, self determination, that are based on values that they share, rather than their ethnicity or their passport. Imagine that we could then have French and European citizens in solidarity with them, rather than making a binary that divides people here in Europe based on our diaspora identity. You could be in solidarity with people who share your vision and your values, regardless of their ethnicity. That would do more to counter anti-semitism and Islamophobia on this continent than any speech President Macron could give.”

• Key words: civil society, peace movement

 

Non-English-speaking Press

      🔵  John Lyndon, ALLMEP’s Executive Director, wrote an OpEd in French journal Le Monde discussing President Macron’s visit to Israel and his commitment to move past the failed paradigm of conflict management and replace it with a real, substantive diplomatic process – a notable distinction from remarks made by other world leaders on their visits to the region. The article incorporates the voices and actions of members – Israeli and Palestinian – from our community of peacebuilders, and calls on the international community to consider its response and its responsibility to stand in solidarity with both Israelis and Palestinians as they forge a more peaceful and just future.

 

    🔵  John Lyndon, ALLMEP’s Executive Director wrote an article in the German publication Zenith highlighting Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilders’ solidarity with one another, even amidst personal trauma, fear, and grief (in German).

 

      🔵 Nivine Sandouka, ALLMEP’s Regional Chief of Staff spoke to CBC extra news Egypt on October 19th, calling for a cessation of hostilities and a negotiated resolution, as the only way to bring peace and security to all people. She also called for the critical need for humanitarian aid and assistance for Gaza (in Arabic).

 

      🔵  John Lyndon, ALLMEP’s Executive Director, was interviewed by Bulgarian national TV on October 19th where he spoke about ALLMEP members and the work Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilders are doing to foster cooperation and partnership, amid their own trauma, pain and grief (in Bulgarian).

 

  🔵 Nivine Sandouka, ALLMEP’s Regional Chief of Staff spoke to the Italian news channel Avvenire about ALLMEP’s work and members, and the crucial importance – now more than ever – of talking and listening to each other again: “Palestinians do not realize the trauma experienced by Israelis: the October 7 massacre awakened in their memory the pogroms and the Shoah. Likewise, Israelis do not understand how much suffering the bombing of Gaza causes in Palestinians. They are our relatives, friends, compatriots” (translation from Italian).

 

🔵 Nivine Sandouka, ALLMEP’s Regional Chief of Staff, spoke to the French newspaper Madame Figaro where she expressed her steadfast belief in achieving peace through negotiations and dialogue rather than resorting to military actions. She emphasized the importance of elections and advocated for a change in Palestinian leadership, particularly addressing the need for representation of the youth to prevent radicalization.

 

Member Features

ALLMEP members have also been speaking in the media sharing their experiences and insights on the current situation, and the work they are doing to hold on to partnership and dialogue between communities in Israel and Palestine, amidst the pain, trauma and devastation. We will continue to update this list with their latest appearances.

 

       🟠 Alon-Lee Green and Sally Abed, two leaders from ALLMEP member Standing Together were interviewed for an article in the Guardian: “‘I hope it can endure’: examples of Jewish-Arab solidarity offer hope in Israel”.

 

       🟠 Efrat Meyer, the High School Principal at the Max Rayne Hand in Hand School in Jerusalem was interviewed on GBN. She discussed the challenges, and potential, that bilingual, Arab-Jewish schools have for a better, shared future in the region: “We at Hand in Hand School feel that we take a leading role in developing the next generation and the future, the possibility of a different future for this place. There is a possibility for a just peace, and for equality, for good life for both Jews and Palestinians.”

 

       🟠 Multiple ALLMEP members were interviewed for an article in USA Today highlighting the challenging work of Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilders, including, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, Parents Circle – Families Forum, Combatants for Peace and Search for Common Ground. 

 

       🟠 David Lehrer from ALLMEP member The Arava Institute wrote an article entitled ‘What we have lost’ expressing what so many from within the Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding community are feeling right now: “As the nightmare continues, it may be too much to ask that we have sympathy for innocent Palestinians in Gaza. But I do”. David wrote another blog in The Times of Israel about their colleagues and partners in Gaza. 

 

       🟠 Dr. Yael Braudo-Bahat, from Women Wage Peace was interviewed on BlueMarble – Chicago Council for Global Affairs. Only a few days before the October 7th attacks, Women Wage Peace and their partner in Palestine, Women of the Sun, rallied hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians in a march for peace. As Yael states: “Only last week we were in Jerusalem, in the Dead Sea together, hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian women calling the leaders of both sides to begin negotiations before things escalated. We cannot live like this anymore. We deserve peace. All of us in this region.”

 

       🟠 Robi Damelin and Bassam Aramin from The Parents Circle – Families Forum were interviewed on BBC woman’s hour speaking about the work they do with, and as, bereaved parents across the divide. 

 

       🟠 Gershon Baskin, former ALLMEP board member and founder of member organization IPCRI, spoke to channel4 news about his efforts to secure hostage releases.

 

       🟠 ALLMEP members Women Wage Peace, Women of the Sun, and Project Rozana were highlighted in this article as examples of organizations that are using their social media platforms to promote solidarity and partnership amid their own pain and trauma.

 

       🟠 Multiple ALLMEP members and partners, including Standing Together, Givat Haviva, Women Wage Peace, and New Israel Fund, were interviewed and referenced in a NYTimes article “Peace, a Forgotten Word, Renews its Claim in the Holy Land” 

 

       🟠 This Times of Israel article by Anna Rosier highlights the joint Jewish-Arab projects happening in Israel and the West Bank – including by ALLMEP members – and those that are choosing compassion over vengeance, amidst unimaginable pain. 

 

       🟠 Eran Nissan, CEO of Mehazkim and Sulaiman Khatib, co-director and co-founder of Combatants for Peace, both ALLMEP members, spoke on Suisse radio RTS’s podcast about making sense of peace in this year of war. 

 

       🟠Nava Sonnenschein, the former director of School of Peace (SfP), was interviewed on CBC News about Neve Shalom – Wahat al-Salam (‘Oasis of Peace’) where The School for Peace is located. It is an educational institution in Israel promoting broad scale change towards peace and more humane, egalitarian and just relations between Palestinians and Jews. Dr. Slieman Halabi, a Palestinian facilitator from SfP was interviewed on German television about the dialogue sessions he is conducting between Palestinian and Israeli-Jews who live in Europe. 

       🟠 Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, an Israeli-Arab, resident of southern Israel, who heads ALLMEP member the Arava Institute, was interviewed by Australian Radio ABC. Tareq was also interviewed for an article “In Palestine and Israel, De-Escalating Conflict Through Environmental Action”, in the journal Atmos. He was also highlighted in this opinion piece by the Jerusalem Press Club about his belief that despite Hamas’s atrocities, there is no substitute for dialogue.

 

       🟠 Leaders from ALLMEP members including Standing Together, the Arava Institute, A Land for All and Mehazkim are among the signatories in an opinion piece published in Newsweek. The article states: “ We would like to emphasize that there is no contradiction between staunchly opposing the Israeli subjugation and occupation of Palestinians and unequivocally condemning brutal acts of violence against innocent civilians. In fact, every consistent Leftist must hold both positions simultaneously”  

 

       🟠 This article discusses the rampant dehumanization between Israelis and Palestinians that is reverberating globally, fueling antisemitism and Islamophobia. Despite this, there are efforts by women in Israel and Palestine, like ALLMEP member Women Wage Peace, and women from Jewish and Muslim communities abroad, that are working together to bridge the divide, championing empathy, leadership, and solidarity to foster understanding and peace. 

 

       🟠 Benzion Sanders, the Jerusalem program director of ALLMEP member Extend, a group that connects Palestinian and Israeli human rights leaders with American Jewish audiences, wrote this article in the NYTimes about his journey to becoming a peace activist.  

 

       🟠 Women Wage Peace were interviewed by the Italian “Italian Peace and Disarmament Network”. 

 

       🟠 Bassam Aramin and Ayelet Harel from The Parents Circle – Families Forum spoke to Piya Chattopadhyay for an episode of The Sunday Magazine on the Canadian radio CBC, about their experiences, reckoning with anger and grief, and using dialogue as a way forward.

 

       🟠 Learn more about the critical work of several ALLMEP members, highlighted in this article, who are working tirelessly in their communities and across divides to achieve peaceful coexistence.

 

       🟠 ALLMEP members, Parents Circle – Families Forum and Combatants for Peace were featured in Peace News Network discussing their work and the vital importance of the peacebuilding field at this time. 

 

       🟠 An Italian article on the seeds of nonviolence in Israel and Palestine that we need to germinate featuring Eran Nissan, the director of ALLMEP member Mehazkim and Nivine Sandouka, ALLMEP’s Regional Chief of Staff. 

 

       🟠 Robi Damelin and Bassam Aramin from the Parents Circle – Families Forum participated in CNN’s “The Amanpour Hour” discussing the bloodshed and their experiences as bereaved Israeli and Palestinian parents. 

 

       🟠 ALLMEP member “Oasis of Peace” was featured in NBC News, highlighting how residents continue to push the community’s mission forward amidst the devastation.

 

       🟠 ALLMEP members Aziz Abu Sarah of the Parents Circle – Families Forum, Ayala of Hands of Peace, Ibrahim of Ropes, as well as ALLMEP friend Hannah Weisfeld of Yachad UK spoke on France24’s ‘The Debate’: “No return to status quo: How do Israelis and Palestinians find common ground?”

 

       🟠 This CNN piece “How Israeli and Palestinian peace activists are jointly facing this moment” features Chen Alon and Sulaiman Khatib from ALLMEP member Combatants for Peace speaking about their choice to join forces to fight for peace.

 

       🟠 The co-directors of Standing Together (עומדים ביחד – نقف معًا) Sally Abed and Alon-Lee Green have been in the US this past week (mid-November), speaking on university campuses and meeting  with a wide range of the American public to discuss their peacebuilding work. They have been covered by the Washington Post, the New York Times, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and the BBC.

 

       🟠 Dr Yael Braudo-Bahat, Co-Director of Women Wage Peace was interviewed by ABC News’ Phil Lipof on their mission and on Vivian’s passing.

 

       🟠 Robi Damelin and Bassam Aramin from The Parents Circle – Families Forum were interviewed by NBC News: “Families who might otherwise be enemies are coming together in an effort to bridge Israelis and Palestinians to push toward a better future for both sides” 

 

       🟠 Mohammed Darawshe of Givat Haviva and Peta Pelach of Women Wage Peace appeared on the BBC’s Heart and Soul podcast to discuss the future of the peace movement at this critical moment.

 

       🟠 Hamza Awawde from ALLMEP member Hands of Peace and Magen Inon shared the personal events that led them to peacebuilding in an interview with BBC Newsnight.

 

       🟠 Robi Damelin from ALLMEP member The Parents’ Circle – Families Forum, spoke with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour to discuss the recent peace vigil in London, her organization’s work, and the way forward for peace.