Drawing on interfaith resources for peacebuilding in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

1. Middle East
Peace Initiative
Principles of peacebuilding
Universal Peace Federation
www.upf.org

2. Principles of Peacebuilding
 There is one God, who is the Creator and
Parent of all humankind.
 Human beings are essentially spiritual in their
nature.
 The highest standard in human relationships is
to live for the sake of others.
 Interreligious and international cooperation are
essential to building genuine and lasting
peace.

3. There is
one God,
who is the
Creator and
Parent of all
humankind.
Have we not all one father?
Has not one God created us?
- Malachi 2:10
Our Father, who art in
heaven, hallowed be Thy
name. - Matthew 6:9
All [human] creatures are
God’s children, and those
dearest to God are those
who treat His children
kindly. - Hadith of Baihaqi

4. Connecting with the root of peace
At the Western Wall in Jerusalem,
a remnant of the wall of the ancient Temple grounds

5. Connecting with the root of peace
At the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem,
where Jesus prayed before his crucifixion

6. Connecting with the root of peace
Al Aqsa Plaza in Jerusalem, where Mohammed
ascended to heaven on a night journey

7. Interreligious dialogue
Round-table discussions

8. Human
beings are
essentially
spiritual in
their
nature.
Then the Lord God formed
man out of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living being.
- Genesis 2:7
It is the spirit that gives life.
- John 6:63
And He originated the
creation of man out of clay,
then He fashioned his
progeny of an extraction of
mean water, then He shaped
him, and breathed His spirit in
him. - Qur’an 32:8-9

9. Sharing faith traditions
A traditional Jewish welcome of bread and wine to Jerusalem

10. Sharing faith traditions
A Gospel reading inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,
Jerusalem

11. Sharing faith traditions
Peace rally at the gate of the Old City of
Jerusalem includes prayers of many faiths.

12. “When the high-level Ambassadors for Peace
continue to come from all faiths and nations
it gives us strength to overcome all barriers.”
- Sheikh Aziz Bukhari, Naqshabandian Sufi Method, Jerusalem
“You are part of a great vision to implement
peace.”
- Dr. Eliezer Glaubach, former Jerusalem city councilman
“We were all created by the same God. We
must learn how to respect each other.”
- Rt. Rev. Riah Abu El-Assal, former Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem

13. The highest
standard in
human
relationships
is to live for
the sake of
others.
He has showed you, O man,
what is good; and what does
the LORD require of you but
to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly
with your God? - Micah 6:8
Let no one seek his own
good, but the good of his
neighbor. - Corinthians 10.24
The best of men are those
who are useful to others.
- Hadith of Bukhari

14. In Jerusalem
Building bonds among faith leaders

15. Building bonds among faith leaders
In Gaza
In the Galilee

16. Building bonds among women
Sisterhood ceremonies in
Jerusalem

17. Building bonds among youth
An Arab youth tutors a
Jewish student.
Winning team members
salute the losing team in a
“Play Soccer Make Peace”
match between Jewish and
Arab youth.

18. The heart of reconciliation
A 9/11 memorial service at Jerusalem’s Independence Park

19. The heart of reconciliation
A wreath at Yad Vashem on Holocaust Remembrance Day

20. The heart of reconciliation
Jews and Arabs from the Parents’ Circle, who lost family
members in violent attacks, describe their work of reconciliation.

21. “Without true reconciliation we will
not have true peace, not in our families
or in our nation or region.”
- Baruch Shalev, Jerusalem
“All religions call for peace, quality
and respect for each other, without
destroying lives. We invite others to
join us to ensure that the children of
the future will enjoy peace.”
- Kamel Thabet, Gaza

22. Interreligious
and
international
cooperation
are essential
to building
genuine and
lasting
peace.
They shall beat their swords
into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks.
- Isaiah 2.2-4
If possible, so far as it
depends upon you, live
peaceably with all….Do not
be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.
- Romans 12.18,21
O mankind! We created you
from a single pair of a male
and a female and made you
into nations and tribes, that
you might know each other
[not that you might despise
each other]. - Qur’an 49.13

23. Promoting interreligious
cooperation
Interreligious peace march in Jerusalem

24. Promoting interreligious
cooperation
Briefings at the Israeli Knesset

25. Promoting interreligious
cooperation
Briefings
with
Palestinian
officials in
Ramallah
in East
Jerusalem
in Abu Dis

26. Promoting interreligious
cooperation
Briefings with US officials

27. Promoting interreligious
cooperation
“Halelu: Songs of
David” cantata
blends classical
European, Jewish
and Arab themes.
Collaboration among
composers and recording
artists of different cultures

28. Promoting interreligious
cooperation
The mayor of
Jerusalem
welcomes a Native
American chief.
A Native American leader
presents a traditional
necklace to a Gaza official.

29. “We need courageous leadership on
both sides for peace. Two people, both
not really religious, are fighting over
the holy places!”
- Prof. Moshe Amirav,
negotiator with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak at
Camp David talks, 2000
“We are in the Holy Land where God
sent His three main messengers. We
are the trustees of peace and the road
to peace.”
- Abu Ali Shaheen,
Member, Palestinian Parliament, Gaza

30. If we come from one God,
why allow boundaries to divide us?
Girls holding a peace poster

31. For information about current programs
email israel@upf.org