As negotiators discuss a possible cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, the Parents Circle Family Forum, a nonprofit organization made of Israelis and Palestinians who have lost loved ones in previous conflicts, sees reconciliation as the only way forward once hostilities cease. Keith Lane has more.

About two dozen students, faculty and staff gather in Newcomb Hall Tuesday to hear from a Palestinian father and an Israeli mother who have both lost loved ones to violence in the Middle East. They are part of a group urging dialogue as a path to peace.

Parents Circle-Families Forum, Taghyeer, and Standing Together are explicitly working to create the political will to end the occupation and create a way for the Palestinians and the Israelis to live together in dignity and equality.

Bassam Aramin, Palestinian, and Rami Elhanan, Israeli, are members of The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), families whose lives have been upended due to tragedy. However, instead of giving into hate, each member has worked to understand and listen to the other side. They have become friends and advocate constantly for solidarity and peace … Continue reading “I was 47 the first time I met Palestinians as human beings” | RTL Today

In the midst of the chaos, efforts are growing to promote peace and shared security between Israel and Hamas. Organizations such as Oasis for Peace, the Parents Circle-Families Forum, Hand in Hand, and the Palestine-Israel Journal are working towards reconciliation and dialogue. These groups, which have been around for years, have seen a surge in … Continue reading A Glimmer of Hope Amidst Chaos: Emerging Social Order in the Israel-Hamas Conflict | BNN

The terrible war initiated in October 2023 between Israel and Hamas was the result of the failure of leaders in both camps to construct a mutually acceptable peace. Yet, the horrors of this war can be an impetus to put an end to such violence. People from both sides must take shåared actions to fashion … Continue reading Examples of shared Israeli-Palestinian Actions | Foreign Policy in Focus

This week, the Haifa municipality canceled an event marking the book launch of the Hebrew translation of “Apeirogon” by Colum McCann. The book is based on my story and that of my brother in bereavement, Bassam Aramin.

In 2007, I moderated a panel at the Nobel Women’s Initiative Conference on Women, Peace, and the Middle East. The panel was made up of two Palestinian women and two Israeli women, and the topic was empathy. Two of the panelists had lost children and family members in the conflict and they were members of … Continue reading Not Looking Away | Brene Brown

Beit Hagefen, an Arab-Jewish cultural center in Haifa, is threatened by silencing and infringement of freedom of expression. The city’s legal adviser sent a letter Sunday to Beit Hagefen, requesting that he convene the center’s board for an emergency meeting over a book launch for the Hebrew translation of “Apeirogon: A Novel,” scheduled for February … Continue reading Haifa Is a Bastion of Israeli-Arab Coexistence. Why Does Its Mayor Yield to Incitement? | Haaretz

Residents have expressed their opposition to the upcoming event, which is scheduled to launch the Hebrew translation of the book that recounts the story of a friendship between two bereaved fathers, one Israeli and the other Palestinian