The Peace Army
A group exploring both narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in order to find common ground and foster peace.
The mission statement is currently under construction, and before Break is over we will have a more comprehensive statement posted. And more links will be forthcoming.
In the mean time, some food for thought: David Grossman's To the End of the Land.
The Israeli writer's novel, originally published in 2008, and translated into English this September, captivated me for its entire 575 pages. The book deals with the trauma and drama of love and family in Israel in a way that is universal. I'm linking to a lengthy New Yorker review of the book, but briefly, I'll state why this book is essential reading to our mission. An Israeli mother's fears for her enlisted son and a tortured former POW's shattered spirit provide an unresistible emotional impetus for peace. This novel can transcend political and narrative subjectivities to reach our common humanity, as the spiritual and emotional destruction from violence, so richly detailed by Grossman in his two main protagonists, provides an urgent and emotional reason to transcend seemingly irreconcilable differences.
New Yorker Link: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/09/27/100927fa_fact_packer