Combatants for Peace

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Combatants for Peace
Formation2006; 18 years ago (2006)
FounderChen Alon, Sulaiman Khatib
Legal statusActive
Websitecfpeace.org

Combatants for Peace (Hebrew: לוחמים לשלום; Arabic: مقاتلون من أجل آلسلام) is an Israeli-Palestinian NGO and an egalitarian, bi-national, grassroots movement committed to non-violent action against the “Israeli occupation and all forms of violence” in Israel and the Palestinian territories.[1]

The movement was formed in 2006 by Palestinians and Israelis who had taken an active role in the cycle of violence,[2][3] and decided to work together to promote a peaceful solution through non-violent action.[1] The former combatants had been gathering for a year in various towns around Jerusalem after leaders from both sides decided to take action to promote peace.[2] Originally, the activists were solely ex-combatants: the Israeli soldiers and refuseniks of the Israeli army and Palestinian fighters.[4] Today, members of the movement include also men and women who have never played a violent role in the conflict. Combatants for Peace is the only peace group worldwide that was founded and run by ex-combatants on both sides of an active conflict.[5] Other joint veteran-based peace initiatives have been co-founded only after peaceful resolution to their conflict has been achieved.[6]

The documentary film Disturbing The Peace was made in 2016 about the work of Combatants For Peace. The movie was screened throughout Israel, Palestine, the United States and Europe.[7], was a New York Times Critic's Pick,[8] and has won numerous awards internationally including the first ever Ebert Humanitarian Award.[9][10]

Goals[edit]

Combatants for Peace describes its main goals as:[1]

  • Building an ever-expanding Palestinian-Israeli joint activist community based upon CfP's bi-national regional groups that embody our vision and serve as a model for both societies and their future.
  • Motivating broad and effective bi-national, non-violent activity promoting freedom and security for both peoples in their homeland.
  • Changing attitudes on a wide scale, both within the Israeli and Palestinian public, as well as with governmental decision makers.

Activities[edit]

Combatants for Peace has organized a series of meetings between veterans from both sides, most taking place in East Jerusalem in the early years,[2][3] but have expanded now into ten local bi-national groups operating between Tulkarm-Tel Aviv, Nablus-Tel Aviv, Ramallah-Tel Aviv, Jerusalem-Jericho, Jerusalem-Bethlehem, Beersheva-Hebron and in the North. Additionally, Combatants for Peace now organizes two region-wide Israeli-Palestinian bi-national groups, a Theater of the Oppressed group[11] and women's group[10].

Other activities include participating in humanitarian aid work including laying water pipelines, planting gardens and playgrounds in villages, renovating schools and protecting workers’ rights,[12] delivering community lectures and workshops,[12] direct actions and protests against the policy of occupation and its outcomes such as road blockings, house demolitions, limitations on Palestinian farmers and confiscation of land by Israeli settlers,[13] providing information and raising public awareness globally through media and international lecture tours,[14] and empowering marginalized Palestinian communities in the areas of agriculture, protection of human rights, preventing demolition of houses, community development and all forms of non-violent struggle.[15]

Media[edit]

Combatants for Peace have been interviewed on CNN,[16][17] by Democracy Now!,[18] had a front page article in the New York Times,[8][19] had several articles featured on the BBC,[20][21] and were featured in the Huffington Post,[22] the LA Times,[23] Al Jeezera,[24] and the front page of the Jerusalem Post.[25][26][27]

Awards[edit]

Combatants for Peace has won a series of awards for their nonviolent, joint activism including:

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "About us". cfpeace.org. Archived from the original on 2019-08-31. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  2. ^ a b c "120 former Israeli, Palestinian combatants in new peace drive". Haaretz. Reuters. 10 April 2006. Archived from the original on 11 April 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b Ynet (10 April 2006). "New movement: IDF soldiers and Fatah prisoners". Yedioth Internet. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  4. ^ Ghanem, As'ad (2013). "Palestinian Nationalism: An Overview". Israel Studies. 18 (2): 11–29. doi:10.2979/israelstudies.18.2.11. S2CID 145627992.
  5. ^ Haines, Jenna (May 1, 2018). "Combatants for Peace: ex-combatants lay down arms to seek peace". Center for Religious and Spiritual Life at Smith College.
  6. ^ "Vision and Mission - Combatants For Peace". afcfp.org. Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2018-02-02. (see minute mark 1:09 of video)
  7. ^ "DISTURBING THE PEACE A FILM BY RECONSIDER". Combatants for Peace. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  8. ^ a b Webster, Andy (November 10, 2016). "Review: 'Disturbing the Peace' Profiles Israelis and Palestinians United Against Violence". The New York Times.
  9. ^ a b Allen, Nick (April 18, 2016). "Ebertfest 2016: "Disturbing the Peace" Wins First Ebert Humanitarian Award | Festivals & Awards". RogerEbert.com.
  10. ^ a b Ebert, Chaz (November 8, 2016). "Disturbing the Peace: Stephen Apkon talks to Chaz Ebert | Chaz's Journal". RogerEbert.com.
  11. ^ Greenwood, Phoebe (22 Jul 2010). "Fighters turn to theatre to advocate Middle East peace". The Guardian.
  12. ^ a b c Walker, Chris (9 December 2015). "Tomorrow's Peacebuilders - 2015 Winners". Peace Direct.
  13. ^ "bostonreview.net". Archived from the original on 2009-07-12. Retrieved 2009-07-11.
  14. ^ "Guest Voices: Combatant For Peace - On Faith at washingtonpost.com". March 22, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-03-22.
  15. ^ a b "Combatants for Peace Tour". Anna Lindh Foundation. Archived from the original on 2017-01-03.
  16. ^ "The Israelis and Palestinians uniting for peace - CNN Video". CNN. 25 November 2016.
  17. ^ "Israelis and Palestinians march for peace in Jerusalem". CNN. 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "As Gaza Plunges into Darkness, Israeli and Palestinian Fighters-Turned-Peace-Activists Speak Out". Democracy Now!.
  19. ^ Baker, Peter; Nazzal, Rami (28 October 2016). "Once Devoted to Suicide Bombing, She Now Embraces a Peaceful Jihad". The New York Times.
  20. ^ "Middle East families united by grief". BBC News. 27 October 2007.
  21. ^ Patience, Martin (1 February 2007). "Bereaved activist renews peace call". BBC News.
  22. ^ "Disturbing the Peace: A Vision of Hope". HuffPost. 15 November 2016.
  23. ^ "Review: Israelis, Palestinians join forces in documentary 'Disturbing the Peace'". Los Angeles Times. 17 November 2016.
  24. ^ "International Press". afcfp.org. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021.
  25. ^ Dell, Josh (17 January 2016). "Palestinians, Israelis block Route 60 to protest 'occupation'". The Jerusalem Post.
  26. ^ Shaham, Udi (16 July 2016). "Hundreds participate in Israeli-Palestinian Freedom March". The Jerusalem Post.
  27. ^ Ashkinaze-Collender, Sophie (14 July 2016). "Ex-foes, seeking peace, meet at Jerusalem Film Fest". The Jerusalem Post.
  28. ^ "January 31, 2017: Nobel short list for 2017 to be sent to the committee". www.nobelwill.org.
  29. ^ a b c d e "Awards". afcfp.org. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024.
  30. ^ "International Pfeffer Peace Awards". Fellowship of Reconciliation (United States). Archived from the original on April 19, 2017.
  31. ^ "Combatants for Peace: Sulaiman Khatib and Maya Katz". www.tuftsgloballeadership.org. October 6, 2015.
  32. ^ "Prize Winners: 2010 – Bassam Aramin and Avner Wishnitzer". Institute of International Education. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  33. ^ "Int'l Courage of Conscience Award: 129. Combatants for Peace". www.peaceabbey.org. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  34. ^ "Fourth Edition 2009 | Award Winner: Combatants for Peace". Anna Lindh Foundation. Archived from the original on 2017-10-30.
  35. ^ "Award ceremony 2009". liviafonden.dk. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  36. ^ "Common Ground Awards 2007". Search for Common Ground. November 6, 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
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