IFPB Delegates in Action!

September 12th, 2017  I Issa Amro I Youth Against Settlements

Interfaith Peace-Builder partner Issa Amro speaks after his arrest by the Palestinian Authority (PA). He was arrested for a post critical of the PA's incarceration of journalist Ayman Qawasma.

Issa was released in bail Sunday and continues to face PA charges as well as separate charges in Israeli Military Court. Together, the Palestinian Authority and Israeli occupation authorities aim to silence Issa's voice and challenge his human rights activism.

September 8th, 2017  I Nadya Tannous & Sharif Zakout I Facebook

Interfaith Peace-Builder delegate Sharif Zakout of AROC and Nadya Tannous, IFPB's Education & Advocacy Coordinator (speaking as a representative of Palestinian Youth Movement) addressed the Stop Urban Shield Rally in Oakland, CA, this past weekend. 

They referenced the direct international linkages between Urban Shield and Israeli military training of local police departments, as well as the exchange of surveillance technology & tactics.

August 20th, 2017  I Rebecca Pierce I The Forward

Interfaith Peace-Builder delegate Rebecca Pierce’s writes a direct and honest piece in the The Forward on patterns of harmful engagement & lashing out by Ashkenazi Jews at Black and Brown activists "or else refusing to do the introspection and relationship-building work needed to meaningfully participate" in anti-racist actions with them.

She writes: "This type of reaction only solidifies serious issues of racism within the Jewish community, and creates further barriers to meaningful coalition-building between marginalized peoples. And it’s got to stop." .... "Real racial justice struggle is courageous work that involves self-examination, honest assessments of privilege, and a willingness to admit and be accountable for harm. Black and Brown organizers, both inside and outside the Jewish community, must be treated as partners to build with, and not gatekeepers or potential threats. Anti-racist organizing is not a commodity to be fought over, but something you build with your brothers and sisters in struggle."

August 17th, 2017  I Naomi Dann I The Forward

Interfaith Peace-Builder delegate Naomi Dann's most recent article in The Forward on Richard Spencer and his recent interview on Israeli TV.

Read the excerpt below and the full article below:

" The images of Nazis and white supremacists marching in the streets of Charlottesville with torches chanting “blood and soil” shook me to my core. But so did something else that happened this week. In the aftermath of these acts of blatant racism and anti-Semitism, one of the march’s leaders, Richard Spencer, was invited onto Israeli TV. His words were chilling, but not for the reason I expected.

The Israeli TV host asked Spencer how he, a Jew, should feel about Spencer’s platform. What Spencer said was shocking:

“As an Israeli citizen, someone who understands your identity, who has a sense of nationhood and peoplehood and history and experience of the Jewish people, you should respect someone like me,” Spencer said. “I care about my people. I want us to have a secure homeland for us and ourselves, just like you want a secure homeland in Israel.” He told the Israeli host that he sees himself as “a white Zionist.” "

August 9th, 2017  I Dr. Alice Rothchild I Voice Across the Divide

July 28th, 2017  I Nora Barrows-Friedman I Electronic Intifada

Interfaith Peace-Builder delegation leader Nora Barrows-Friedman covers the organized civil disobedience in Jerusalem, where “thousands of Palestinians linked arms and entered the al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem”, making demands to return the al-Aqsa compound back to its original state.

Listen to her full podcast and read the article at the link below.

July 10th, 2017  I Issa Amro I Facebook

Every year, our delegations meet with activist Issa Amro of Youth Against Settlements شباب ضد الاستيطان in Al-Khalil.

We stand with Issa against lawfare, persecution, and kangaroo courts.

July 9th, 2017  I Ariel Gold I +972 Mag

Interfaith Peace-Builder delegate Ariel Gold was focused on in an article titled "BDS activist tricks authorities, enters Israel against protocol,” published in Israel Hayom, the country’s most widely-circulated daily newspaper.

In Ariel's words, "when human rights are being violated, all people around the world have a stake in helping bring about peace and justice. As an American, and especially as a Jewish American, I have a responsibility to do what I can to end Israel’s occupation and human rights abuses. At the end of Obama’s term, he increased U.S. military aid to Israel to $3.8 billion a year. This comes at the expense of American communities in need, and is the result of groups like AIPAC demanding unquestioned American diplomatic and financial support for Israel."

Read more of her interview with +972 Magazine in the link below.

July 4th, 2017  I Nora Barrows-Friedman I Electronic Intifada

Interfaith Peace-Builder delegation leader Nora Barrows-Friedman has released a new podcast on the recent MLA anti-boycott vote.

"Dozens of scholars have condemned a recent vote by members of the Modern Language Association (MLA) to 'refrain from endorsing' the academic boycott of Israeli institutions complicit in violations of Palestinian rights.

The adoption of an explicitly anti-boycott measure by the MLA, the main academic association for scholars of language and literature, represents 'support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine and will fortify the repressive measures already targeting individuals and campuses where the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement and activism for Palestinian human rights take place,' the scholars warn in an open letter.

The June vote followed a rejection of the academic boycott by the MLA’s delegate assembly in January."

Click the link below to read her updates in The Electronic Intifada and listen to the full podcast.

June 27th, 2017  I Molly McQueen I RIP

June 26th, 2017  I Izzadine Mustafa I Gay City News NYC

Interfaith Peace-Builder delegate Izzadine Mustafa is featured in an interview with Gay City News NYC about Ramadan, Pride, community, being Palestinian, activism and much more.

Read in the link below!

June 16th, 2017  I  Carolyn Cicciu I Facebook

June 8th, 2017  I  Sheila Carrillo I Santa Cruz Sentinel

June 6th, 2017  I  Rebecca Armstrong Pierce I JOCSM

Interfaith Peace-Builders delegate Rebecca Armstrong released her short film "No Man's Land", featuring Reuven Abergel-a Mizrahi Black Panther who tells his story of growing up under Zionism as an Arab Jew. He illustrates why he believes anti-Mizrahi racism in Israel is deeply connected to the dispossession of Palestinians. Reuven has hosted many IFPB delegations.

The film is now available to watch and share online, via the link below.

May 14th, 2017  I  Izzy Mustafa I Palestine in America

Interfaith Peace-Builders delegate Izzy Mustafa wrote an open letter to his cousin, living and working in the West Bank as a policeman for the Palestinian Authority, about their security coordination with Israel.

“To my dear cousin,

Put your baton down. Look in the mirror and remember who you are and where you come from.

I know it’s been awhile since you have felt proud. Working in our village rock industry wasn’t cutting it for you and you wanted to feel like you’re doing something meaningful. For you, that meant putting on a uniform, boots, and strapping a gun around your shoulders...

Put your baton down ya zalameh and just look towards your people. You are a reflection of them. You have the authority to exist, rise up, and resist as a Palestinian, but your “authority” as an accomplice to the persecution of our people is illegitimate and will not be respected.”

May 8th, 2017  I  Joe Schoolcraft I Photos

As Palestinian political prisoners enter the 21st day of hunger strike, we reflect on Interfaith Peace-Builders delegate Joe Schoolcraft of Vermont who conducted a 24 hour fast in solidarity with over 1600 hunger strikers who are living off of only water and salt.

April 26th, 2017  I  Julie Norman  I Washington Post

Interfaith Peace-Builders delegation leader Julie Norman published a piece today on the Palestinian hunger strike, called #TheStrikeofFreedomandDignity, in Washington Post.

Read the full article below