SAVE Israel and Palestine
Israel and Palestine Profile
The Israel-Palestine issue is never off the international agenda. The complex interplay of geographical, religious and historical factors often make a political solution to the conflict seem impossible.
The instability and violence in the region have devastating consequences, not only for Israelis and Palestinians, but also for the world beyond. The issue is often used as a tool by terrorist networks in the recruitment and radicalization of young Muslims, both in the wider Middle East, and in major cities in the West.
Recent events in the Israeli-Palestinian saga include the resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority in September 2010, and Palestine’s pending bid for full UN membership, submitted in September 2011.
Thankfully, despite frequent stalemates in intergovernmental negotiations, there is a vibrant network of ordinary people promoting intercultural education and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. SAVE draws particular inspiration from the work of Robi Damelin, Moira Jilani and Siham Ikhlayel who founded the Parents Circle Families Forum to promote reconciliation and understanding between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.
In addition to suffering alongside men during decades of political instability and economic hardship in Palestine, women have had to cope with discriminatory laws and deeply entrenched gender inequality. Across the region, women suffer from lower levels of education and higher levels of poverty, and are grossly under-represented in the corridors of power.
However, while the work of many women has not been recognized, their grassroots activity, such as the management of underground schools during the first Palestinian intifada, has been crucial in the maintenance of a functioning civil society.
Robi Damelin and Ali Abu Awwad