Peace in the Holy Land - Interfaith Peacebuilders & Hope

The stories of grassroots Holy Land groups working by active nonviolent means for peace need to be told. Lamarre-Vincent shares his summer 2008 experience of the Interfaith Peacebuilder’s delegation to Palestine and Israel.

Life in the occupied territory of the West Bank and in Israel was investigated by meeting with representatives of Israeli and Palestinian civil society, religious leaders, politicians, businesspeople, farmers, students, Human Rights workers, former combatants and more.  This multi-media presentation shares their stories.

The history of Palestine and Israel in the Holy Land’s popular mind is more than one narrative.

The 1948 establishment of the State of Israel was experienced as a Nakba (catastrophe) by Palestinians. Their story is an alternative to the more commonly known story of Zionists who came to an empty desert and made it bloom. Palestinian farmers, villagers and city residents both Christian and Muslim have a different memory of 1948.

The 1967 Israeli Occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem that led to the Israeli settlement movement in the occupied territories is recalled differently by Israelis and Palestinians.

A peace process is urgent since the 2000 West Bank separation wall and restrictions of access and movement by Palestinians.

Lamarre-Vincent will relate ways Palestinians and Israelis act for peace through creative nonviolent acts and invite world support in practical ways.

Peace can come to the Holy Land only if  U.S. citizens play their crucial role in bringing this to reality.

David Lamarre-Vincent, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Council of Churches is available to make presentations based upon his experience with interfaith Peacebuilders in Palestine and Israel.

Contact him at ChurchesNH@verizon.net, (603) 496-6989 (cell).