Israel-Palestine

In October 2010, Karuna Center met with a group of 20 carefully selected Israelis and Palestinians for a consultation to explore possibilities for future peacebuilding initiatives in the region. Topics brought up and discussed by the group included developing relevant peacebuilding training programs for the region, ways to expand support within Israel for a future peace process, media campaigns for peace, the role of Jews and Palestinians in the diaspora in promoting peace, and lessons learned in organizing from ideological movements.

Based on what we learned from this consultation, we are developing a training program that Karuna Center would offer each year for Israelis and Palestinians—partnering with members of this consultation, and engaging some of them in teaching so that the program can be carried locally in the future. For more information about this developing program, please contact paula@karunacenter.org.

Previous work
Karuna Center was invited by Ma’an Development Centre, a Palestinian development NGO that works on food security, women and youth initiatives and capacity building for community organizing, to lead seminars in 2005 and 2006 on the topics of conflict management, social change, youth leadership and organizational development. Ma’an staff and their partner NGOs participated in these programs.

Residents of Ramallah, the present Palestinian capital, are separated from adjacent Jerusalem by the massive concrete wall and the numerous checkpoints along the wall.  Ramallah, the most open and progressive of the Palestinian cities, is hindered by poverty, lack of opportunity, isolation, and internal and external conflicts that add to their difficultes. Many non-governmental organizations have arisen to encourage development and people’s civic participation, offering hope in the midst of formidable obstacles to development and freedom.

Despite extremely difficult conditions our participants were very concentrated on what they can do to build a more vibrant, proactive and transparent civil society in Palestine, knowing how important it is to create the conditions in which peace and democracy can succeed. Participants were interested in the challenges of developing more collaborative and transparent styles of leadership in Palestinian society, using more horizontal forms of power, developing culturally appropriate methods for resolving organizational and community conflicts, managing social justice issues for women and the marginalized, and creating opportunities for youth engagement and leadership. Group members developed plans to address these vital issues within their own organizations and communities, and have created forums where they can continue to meet and reflect on their progress. Ma’an staff and local partners are focused and determined, with excellent reach into the forefront of the Palestinian civil society movement, thus insuring continuity of visions and action plans to improve civic life in Ramallah and beyond. Karuna Center will continue in partnership with Ma’an, providing training, skills and support for their work and their partners as needed.