Interfaith Peace-Builders Delegation Arrives in Israel/Palestine 

May 28, 2007      Interfaith Peace-Builders and the American Friends Service Committee are pleased to announce that their 21-member delegation to Israel/Palestine entered Israel at the Ben-Gurion airport Monday morning and is now safely on its way to Jerusalem. The purpose of this delegation, the 22nd to make the trip since 2001, is to educate North American citizens about the region and deepen their understanding of its conflicts. 

     In a tense climate with an intensified siege on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the prospect of a Palestinian Civil War, and the possibility of a nuclear Iran, these delegates have had the unique experience of learning about the Middle East through the eyes of those who live there. The delegates are scheduled to meet with a diverse array of Palestinians and Israelis who will share their observations on the current situation, the effects of United States foreign policy in the region, and the possibilities for a just and sustainable peace. Interfaith Peace-Builders delegates will be housed in Palestinian homes, giving them unique insight into the hardships of Palestinian daily life in the West Bank and also will meet with different sectors of Israeli society. Delegates will join with the nonviolent peace movement in Israel and Palestine. 

     The group will visit the Palestinian village of Bili’in, which has organized weekly demonstrations against the building of Israel’s Separation Wall and the confiscation of their village lands. Delegates will participate in a weekly vigil by Women in Black and will join a rally organized by the Israeli Peace Block, Gush Shalom, marking the 40th year of the Israeli occupation and calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Individual meetings will be held with Jeff Halper and Ghassan Andoni, who were recently jointly nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and Rami Elhanan, an Israeli whose daughter was killed by a suicide bomber and who currently works for peace and justice with the Parents’ Circle. 

     Additionally, delegates will meet Israeli and Palestinian college students, inhabitants of a Palestinian refugee camp, Israelis who refuse to serve in the military, and Palestinian farmers whose lands and livelihoods have been impacted by the occupation. The group also plans to travel to the north of Israel and speak with both Israeli Jews and Israeli Palestinians about the recent war with Lebanon. 

     The delegation includes the following people: 

-Michael Batchelder, from Redwood City, California 

-Steven and Linda Bell, from Mt. Berry, Georgia 

-Paul Bennett, from Asheville, North Carolina 

-Tony Bing, from Black Mountain, North Carolina 

-Eric Bjorgan, from Woodbury, Minnesota 

-Eugenia Brown, from Madison, Wisconsin 

-Ilise Cohen and Dan Rice, from San Francisco, California 

-Beth Keiser, from Black Mountain, North Carolina 

-Cecilia Lucas, from Oakland, California 

-Richard Moss, from Watsonville, California 

-Edward and Eunice Ordman, from Memphis, Tennessee 

-Nancy Parlin, from New Richmond, Wisconsin 

-Susan Ravitz, from Easton, Pennsylvania 

-John Robinson, from Fort Collins, Colorado 

-Zarinah Shakir, from Washington, DC 

-Lois Swartz, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

-Sabina Swift, from Honolulu, Hawaii -Bruce Welz, from St. Peters, Missouri 

     Interfaith Peace-Builders and the American Friends Service Committee believe in the power of eye-witness experience and transformation. Given the opportunity to speak directly with Israelis and Palestinians, delegates return to the United States better informed, more energized, and with a deeper understanding of the possibilities for true justice in the Middle East. 

    Upon their return to the United States in June, delegates will share their experiences with the public, the media, and their political representatives. Media interested in interviewing the participants when they return, and groups wanting information about speaking engagements, should contact Interfaith Peace-Builders (office@ifpbdel.org and 202.244.0821) 

    The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice. 

     To learn more about the AFSC’s work on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, please see: http://www.afsc.org/israel-palestine/. Join a delegation to Israel/Palestine IFPB upcoming delegation dates: May 26 - June 9, 2007 July 28 - August 11, 2007 October 27 - November 10, 2007 

      The delegation website is:   http://www.ifpbdel.org/del22/default.html