COMBATANTS for PEACE: Israeli & Palestinian

Shapira, Israeli Combatant for Peace: "the places where Israelis and Palestinians work together are placed which barely produce terrorist activities."



Shifa al-Qudsi, who was jailed six years ago after planning to blow herself up at an Israeli beach hotel, struggles to explain her decision to become a bomber.
Majdi Mohammed / AP

Go here for Shifa's story...
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Shifa's story is on top as a reminder of the crucial windows of time when people like Shifa are ready for people like the Combatants for Peace...and others like them...May all peace people be ready for these crucial moments & do all they can to stop the massacres like just happened in Gaza, only a set-back for the steps toward peace...

The Growing Community: Combatants for Peace: Israeli & Palestinian'We must prevent future violence'

We are a group of Israeli and Palestinian individuals who were actively involved in the cycle of violence in our area. The Israelis served as combat soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinians were involved in acts of violence in the name of Palestinian liberation. We all used weapons against one another, and looked at each other only through weapon sights; however today we cooperate and commit ourselves to the following:

* We no longer believe that the conflict can be resolved through violence
* We believe that the blood bath will not end unless we act together to terminate the occupation and stop all forms of violence.
* We call for the establishment of a Palestinian State, alongside the State of Israel. The two states can exist in peace and security one by the other.
* We will use only non violent means to achieve our goals and call for both societies to end violence.

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Here is an excerpt from remarks after a peace protest of which Shapiro was one of the leaders who was arrested by Israeli officials:

...IDF forces have been operating in recent years to block roads in the Samoa area by placing piles of dirt and large rocks. "As a result of these activities," said Pesach," the village residents are forced to talk many kilometers in order to receive medical treatment or sell goods. Even when they leave the village by car, they are forced to travel about an hour and a half instead of 15 minutes."

This reality has created a lot of bitterness and anger among the residents, he added. "The feelings of bitterness may lead to a violent uprising among the villages' residents. We call for a removal of the obstructions in order to prevent future violence."

Yonatan Shapira said, "This event demonstrates that we are prevented the right to carry out non-violent activities for peace. We must remember that our activity is aimed at preventing the violence created following the ongoing oppression and the illegal obstructions imprisoning the Palestinians in the territories."

. Shapira added that "the places where Israelis and Palestinians work together are placed which barely produce terrorist activities."

The Combatants for Peace organization is comprised of Palestinians and Israelis who were actively involved in the cycle of violence in the region and decided to lay down their weapons and turn from fighters in war to combatants for peace.

According to Shapira, who has been a member of the organization since its foundation in 2005, "If there is one thing that gives us hope in this area it's the joint activity between Israelis and Palestinians committed to reconciliation."