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.