In Part 2 of this profound episode of Provoking Peace, we continue our conversation with Palestinian peacemaker Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli peacemaker Maoz Inon. They dive into the difficult, emotional process of writing their upcoming book, an eight-day shared journey that explores the physical geography of the region alongside the emotional geography of their own grief, healing, and partnership.

Aziz and Maoz discuss the messy, imperfect reality of being a peacemaker. They reject the idea that one must be a perfect, saint-like figure to do this work, arguing instead that peacemaking is an active, daily choice to build a world rooted in justice, equality, and dignity. They navigate the complexities of dialogue across the divide, emphasizing that true peacebuilding requires listening without silencing each other's narratives, even when discussing highly charged terms.

The conversation highlights the immense power of public symbolism and dreaming. They share the breathtaking story of their embrace in front of Pope Francis and 13,000 peacebuilders in Verona, Italy, illustrating how a single moment of unity can transform skepticism into hope. Ultimately, Aziz and Maoz offer a powerful reminder: we cannot fix broken realities with logic and arguments alone; we must also rely on poetry, art, and the courage to dream of a shared future.

Key Takeaways:

• Dialogue requires the mutual respect of allowing each person to speak from their own narrative without silencing the other.
• Writing their collaborative book was a deeply emotional process that required transforming unimaginable personal loss into a roadmap for reconciliation.
• Peacemakers are not flawless saints; they are imperfect people who actively choose to do the hard work of creating a better world.
• Public symbols of unity, like an Israeli and a Palestinian embracing before Pope Francis, have the power to shift global skepticism into faith and hope.
• A roadmap to peace begins with the courage to dream, followed by the commitment to amplify that dream loudly and publicly.
• When logic and political arguments fail, art and poetry hold the profound ability to address broken realities and bridge divides.
• Ignoring injustice and conflict is not a viable option; peacebuilding is a necessary, urgent choice for the survival and safety of all humanity.

About the Guests

Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian peacemaker, author, and tourism entrepreneur.

Following the tragic loss of his brother Taysir to the conflict, Aziz dedicated his life to reconciliation and building bridges across divides. He is the co-author of The Future Is Peace and travels the world to amplify the dream of a shared future, demonstrating that peace is not only possible but essential.

Maoz Inon is an Israeli peacemaker, author, and tourism entrepreneur.

After the heartbreaking loss of his parents to the ongoing conflict, Maoz chose the path of peace and partnership over revenge. Alongside his "brother" Aziz, he advocates globally for justice, equality, and a peaceful resolution, proving that shared grief can be transformed into a powerful catalyst for collective healing.

Notable Quotes:

“I think what makes peacemakers unique is that we are not perfect people. We are very much an imperfect people who trying to create a better world.”

“The only way I will be able to justify their death, if there will be a sacrifice for peace and not for war. Only peace will justify their death.”

Resources Mentioned:

• The People's Peace Summit
• The Future Is Peace

In this episode of Provoking Peace, hosts from the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom sit down with Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon, co-CEOs of InterAct International. As a Palestinian and an Israeli working together, they discuss their shared journey as peacemakers and their upcoming book, The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land, set for release on April 14th.

Key Provisions

• The Power of Vulnerability: Both authors emphasize that true healing and reconciliation require being vulnerable and working through personal pain and trauma.
• Brotherhood and Partnership: Their relationship is built on a "brotherhood" that rejects the narrative of being "supposed enemies" in favor of equality and shared action.
• Breaking Ignorance: The book is described as a "hammer" intended to break down walls of ignorance that lead to fear and hatred.
• Shared Humanity: Rather than debating historical facts to "win," they focus on a dialogue that recognizes 50% of the region's population is Israeli and 50% is Palestinian, requiring a joint path forward.

Scope of Work & Compensation

• Peacemaking as a Lifestyle: For Aziz and Maoz, peacemaking is a 24/7 commitment that informs everything they do, including tours, writing op-eds, and leadership.
• Personal Cost of Conflict:
  • Maoz Inon: Lost both of his parents and several childhood friends to the conflict.
  • Aziz Abu Sarah: Lost his brother and has family members separated by exile and different administrative rules in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
• Defining the Nakba: Aziz explains the Nakba (1948) as a "catastrophe" that continues to affect Palestinians today through trauma, displacement, and disconnection from family.

Communication & Compliance

• Intentional Terminology: The duo decided to use equalizing language (e.g., if one says their parents were "killed," the other says their brother was "killed") to ensure their relationship began on level ground.
• Authentic Voice: In writing the book, they allowed interviewees the freedom to use their own terms without censorship to remain faithful to their lived experiences.
• Shared Values over Perfect Agreement: They argue that while people may never agree 100% on the past or specific terms, they must agree on the values and actions needed to fix the future.

Resources

• Book: The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land by Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon (Available April 14th).
• Organization: InterAct International, a non-profit dedicated to Middle East peace.
• Podcast: Provoking Peace by the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom.

In the second half of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom’s annual conference keynote, Dr. Dalia Fahmy and Peter Beinart tackle the complex and heavily weighted language used to describe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They explore how trigger words like "terrorism," "Zionism," and "from the river to the sea" are often misunderstood or unevenly applied, emphasizing the need to ask deeper questions rather than shutting down dialogue.

The conversation highlights the media's failure to center Palestinian voices and the necessity of embracing discomfort as a vital tool for learning and democratic renewal. Answering audience questions, Peter and Dalia confront historical blind spots, such as the lack of memorials for the Native American genocide, and then discuss why true safety for Jewish people cannot be built on a system of supremacy. Ultimately, both speakers share where they find hope in dark times: the courage of young people, the rise of new morally grounded institutions, and a generation that views the entire world as their collective "pond."

Key Takeaways

• Language must place all people on an equal footing; terms like "terrorism" should be applied consistently to both non-state actors and state violence.
• Instead of reacting defensively to polarizing words, the most productive path forward is to ask people to define what those terms mean to them personally.
• "Gotcha media" and debate-style discourse prevent active listening. True education and understanding require stepping into spaces of discomfort.
• Safety and supremacy are not synonymous. True security is found when neighboring populations have equal rights and a voice in their governance.
• Philosopher Peter Singer’s "drowning child" thought experiment serves as a powerful reminder that our moral obligation extends globally.
• Hope for the future lies in cross-cultural solidarity, student activism, and the building of new community institutions free from the moral compromises of the status quo.

About the Guests

Peter Beinart is a leading journalist, political commentator, and professor of journalism and political science at the Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza. A frequent contributor to the New York Times, the Atlantic, and the New Republic, Beinart is known for his thought-provoking analysis on American politics, foreign policy, and the intersection of Jewish identity and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Dr. Dalia Fahmy is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Long Island University, where she teaches US foreign policy, international relations, and politics of the Middle East. She is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Policy and has served as a visiting scholar at the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights at Rutgers University. Dr. Fahmy is a prominent voice on political Islam and democracy, frequently appearing on major news networks to provide expert analysis on global conflicts.

Notable Quotes

“Every time you're uncomfortable is because it's an opportunity to learn... If we don't want discomfort, we've actually decapitated the ability to learn.” — Dr. Dalia Fahmy

“Being uncomfortable is not the same as being unsafe... Have those conversations side by side, recognizing that all students have the right to be safe on campus and all students should be expected to be challenged intellectually.” — Peter Beinart

Resources Mentioned

• Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom
  https://sosspeace.org/
• Famine, Affluence, and Morality - Peter Singer
  (Essay PDF)https://rintintin.colorado.edu/~vancecd/phil308/Singer2.pdf