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View Full Version : Oasis of Peace - Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam


crimzonsol
10-07-2007, 06:40 PM
The reality of Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam as a binational community serves as the base for its educational work. This section has articles and reports on the village’s government, infrastructure, and future development plans, some pages about community members, a chronicle of events, and information regarding the volunteer program.
Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam was founded in 1970 on land leased (and later given) to it by the adjacent Monastery of Latroun. In 1977 the first family came to reside here. By 2006, about 52 families are settled in the village. The members of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam are demonstrating the possibility of coexistence between Jews and Palestinians by developing a community based on mutual acceptance, respect and cooperation.
Democratically governed and owned by its members, the community is not affiliated with any political party or movement. Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam gives practical expression to its vision through its various branches.



The village operates a program to provide humanitarian assistance - mainly, but not exclusively, medical relief - for Palestinian villagers affected by the ongoing conflict. The project is conducted by NSWAS residents on a voluntary basis and is supported by donations of money and materials from Israel and abroad.
Since the start of the second intifada in October 2000, many Palestinian villages and towns have faced a humanitarian crisis. Now, a few years later, the situation in many towns and villages remains desperate, due to high unemployment and poverty. The building of Israel’s "security barrier", the continued presence of multiple military road blocks that prevent freedom of movement to fields, jobs, schools and hospitals are factors in creating a very difficult situation, especially for the inhabitants of remote villages.
The residents of NSWAS have been organizing projects to help alleviate the suffering. We have raised money for the distribution of food and medicines and are conducting medical treatment days in towns and villages. These projects are based on voluntary work by physicians, medical personnel and others.
We wish to continue with similar treatment days in additional Palestinian towns and villages. A committee has been formed in the village to identify sources of need.
NSWAS is interested to receive monetary donations and donations in kind in order to further this work. All funds will be used to purchase essential items such as medicines and food. We will ensure that assistance is rendered to those who are in genuine need.


Seems like the people are tired of war. A chance for peace is emerging from the ashes of occupation.

Their website: http://nswas.org/rubrique22.html

PatrickHenry
10-07-2007, 06:57 PM
There are other groups and individuals aiming at reducing the Israeli/Palestinian frictions.
http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/15580/edition_id/303/format/html/displaystory.html
http://www.k2news.com/stories004sec4002/peace2004dis9.htm
http://www.iht.com/articles/2000/11/02/edpals.t.php

But our media would rather hype the violence and exacerbate the conflict.

crimzonsol
10-07-2007, 07:02 PM
They are not the only ones Patrick, many anti-Zionists completely ignore the fact that not all Zionists are blood thirsty agressors. Which is why it is hard to actualy have peace talks, people like to focus on the negatives of others.

The difference between this goup and many others is that it is an actual town were the people live together in and for peace. These people are willing to give up much to prove that Zionism can work.

PatrickHenry
10-07-2007, 07:11 PM
They are not the only ones Patrick, many anti-Zionists completely ignore the fact that not all Zionists are blood thirsty agressors. Which is why it is hard to actualy have peace talks, people like to focus on the negatives of others.

The difference between this goup and many others is that it is an actual town were the people live together in and for peace. These people are willing to give up much to prove that Zionism can work.
Zionism can work? I'm sorry, that is a delusion.

Those Israelis are not Zionists regardless of their location in Israel.

Zionism is Jewish supremacism. It is hate.

Pogo
10-07-2007, 08:05 PM
They are not the only ones Patrick, many anti-Zionists completely ignore the fact that not all Zionists are blood thirsty agressors. Which is why it is hard to actualy have peace talks, people like to focus on the negatives of others.

The difference between this goup and many others is that it is an actual town were the people live together in and for peace. These people are willing to give up much to prove that Zionism can work.

Zionism is Jewish racialism, with is quite the antithesis of the laudable example of coexistence that you cited.

crimzonsol
10-07-2007, 09:02 PM
Me Jewish, Me Zionist. You other.
You have atributed charaistics to Zionism that are NOT part of it.

The unity of the Jewish people and the cetrality of Israel in Jewish life
The ingathering of the Jewish people in the historic homeland, Eretz Yisrael, through aliyah from all countries
The strengthening of the State of Israel, based on the 'prophetic vision of justice and peace"
The preservation of the identity of the Jewish people through the fostering of Jewish, Hebrew and Zionist education and of Jewish spritual and cultural values
The protection of Jewish rights everywhere


Lets Examine these objectives in detail and see if they apply to Neve Shalom.

The unity of the Jewish people and the centrality of Israel in Jewish life
Well the Jewish people living there are in Israel and are united. Check.

The ingathering of the Jewish people in the historic homeland, Eretz Israel, through aliyah from all countries
They live in Israel. Check.

The strengthening of the State of Israel, based on the "prophetic vision of justice and peace"
They are promoting peace with the Palestinians. Check.

The preservation of the identity of the Jewish people through the fostering of Jewish, Hebrew and Zionist education and of Jewish spiritual and cultural values

Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam runs an educational framework that today (January 2006) includes nursery level (depending on yearly demand), kindergarten, primary school and junior high school. The framework includes between 250 – 300 children, the majority of whom travel daily from more than twenty communities within a radius of 30 kilometers. The educational framework is bilingual and binational at most levels, with an enrollment that has shifted back and forth in its relative proportions of Jewish and Arab students over the years.

Children in the framework are educated to meet the requirements of the national school system and to be confident and knowledgeable of their own identity, culture and traditions.

Check.

The protection of Jewish rights everywhere.

NSWAS is managed by an annually elected steering committee ("secretariat") chaired by a "secretary general" - a paid position equivalent to mayor. Matters of policy, acceptance of new members, annual budget, etc, are made in assemblies of all the members.

Check and Mate.

Now, if showing you how wrong you are in the example of National Zionism. I will show you how it also esposuse the beliefs of Post-Zionism, the Zionism I ascribe to.

Post-Zionism holds that Israel should not be a Jewish state, but that Israel should evolve into non-ideological, secular, liberal democratic state which is officially neither Jewish nor Arab in character.
It is Democratic. It is not Jewish or Arab. It is secular. It is non-Ideological.

Please stop assuming that Zionism is a political stance, it is an idea. Like Democracy, there is direct democracy and representative democracy. There are many different types of Zionism.

Pogo
10-07-2007, 11:39 PM
Crim, do me a big favor and remind the Zionists about post-Zionism, OK? :dizzy:

As for your presupposed checkmate, I base my opinions on the situation on the ground, on behavior, not flowery rhetoric that is at odds with how Israel came into being and how it is maintained. That stuff is great for giving people warm fuzzies but it's a load of bull manure as far as reality is concerned. As for Neve Shalom, if you want to cite that as an example of post-Zionism, that's fine by me, but let's not confuse Zionism with post-Zionism: the two are entirely different animals.

crimzonsol
10-08-2007, 02:02 AM
As for your presupposed checkmate, I base my opinions on the situation on the ground, on behavior, not flowery rhetoric that is at odds with how Israel came into being and how it is maintained. That stuff is great for giving people warm fuzzies but it's a load of bull manure as far as reality is concerned.

Fair Enough. I conced to you on this point.


As for Neve Shalom, if you want to cite that as an example of post-Zionism, that's fine by me, but let's not confuse Zionism with post-Zionism: the two are entirely different animals.

Fine by me, I think I shall start a thread on Zionism and its different shades.

Pogo
10-08-2007, 02:10 AM
As for your presupposed checkmate, I base my opinions on the situation on the ground, on behavior, not flowery rhetoric that is at odds with how Israel came into being and how it is maintained. That stuff is great for giving people warm fuzzies but it's a load of bull manure as far as reality is concerned.

Fair Enough. I conced to you on this point.


As for Neve Shalom, if you want to cite that as an example of post-Zionism, that's fine by me, but let's not confuse Zionism with post-Zionism: the two are entirely different animals.

Fine by me, I think I shall start a thread on Zionism and its different shades.


I look forward to it and hope you'll give extra attention to post-Zionism. Seems like something the world could use right about now. :)

crimzonsol
10-08-2007, 02:13 AM
I look forward to it and hope you'll give extra attention to post-Zionism. Seems like something the world could use right about now.

I can try, but what I just posted was the bases for Post-Zionism. It like Anarchism requires thirty or so books to explain one little thing. It is a very complex idea.