By Marina Williams
The Middle East has long been synonymous with protracted conflict and division, yet amidst the turmoil, many individuals persist in the quest for a just and lasting peace.
In joining or forming organisations such as Roots/Shorashim/Judur, The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), Peace Now, Refuser Solidarity Network (RSN), and Wi’am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center, these people are transcending political and ideological divides to foster reconciliation, address structural injustices, and build bridges between communities.
Their efforts and work have become even more important following the latest chapter in the conflict, which began on October 7, 2023 when Palestinian military group Hamas killed about 1200 Israelis and foreign nationals, and took more than 240 civilians hostage.
Israel’s response since then resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of much of Gaza.
While a ceasefire in hostilities last month was welcomed, the work continues towards securing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Synod Senior Social Justice Advocate Mark Zirnsak says organisations such as Roots, PCFF, Peace Now, RSN and Wi’am highlight the resilience and determination needed to overcome entrenched divides and provide support, at a grassroots and global level, for peace.
“It’s important to provide our Uniting Church members with a sense of the groups on the ground that are working for a just and lasting peace,” Mark says.
“Our Church mission aligns with these peacebuilders because they embody the values of justice, reconciliation, and hope.
“In understanding and supporting their work, we contribute to a broader vision of peace and solidarity that overcomes national and religious divides.”
At the heart of peacebuilding efforts is the recognition that dialogue is a powerful tool for dismantling stereotypes and fostering understanding.
Roots and PCFF exemplify this commitment to human connection.
Roots is a joint Palestinian-Israeli initiative founded on the belief that personal interaction transforms perspectives.
“The conflict in this land is not just political, it’s existential,” explains Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger, co-founder and director of international relations.
“It’s about identity, about who belongs here and who has the right to call this place home.
“Our work is about reconciling those deep-seated identities.”
Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger is a co-founder of Roots, which brings Palestinians and Israelis together through structured listening circles.
Hanan became involved after realising he had never engaged with Palestinians despite living in proximity to them.
“I was overwhelmed and unsettled. I realised I had been blind to their humanity,” he says.
Roots hosts regular gatherings within the West Bank where Israelis and Palestinians share their humanity through structured listening circles.
“In these spaces, we don’t try to convince each other or score political points,” Hanan says.
“We just listen, with the intention of truly hearing and understanding the other.
“It’s an incredibly difficult but transformative process.”
These encounters often shatter stereotypes, opening participants’ eyes to shared hopes, dreams, and tragedies, Hanan says.
“There’s a profound recognition that we’re all human, that we all belong to this land,” he says.
“It’s then that the walls of fear and hostility start to crumble.”
Beyond listening circles, Roots has established a community centre for joint cultural, educational, and recreational activities.
“Our work is about building relationships, not political agreements,” Hanan says.
“If we can foster genuine human connections, the path to a just and lasting peace becomes clearer.”
Similarly, PCFF harnesses the shared grief of bereaved families to promote reconciliation.
The not-for-profit supports more than 700 Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost immediate family members to the conflict and believe reconciliation must be part of any resolution.
Robi Damelin joined PCFF after her son David was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002 during his reserve duty in the West Bank.
“It was the most devastating moment of my life, but I realised that continuing the cycle of violence would only lead to more suffering,” Robi says.
“The Parents Circle gave me a way to channel my grief into something positive – a pursuit of peace that honours my son’s memory.”
Fellow international spokesperson Bassam Aramin, a Palestinian member who lives in East Jerusalem and joined in 2007, shares a similar story.
“I lost my 10-year-old daughter, Abir, to an Israeli soldier’s bullet,” he says.
“In the aftermath of her death, I could have chosen the path of hatred and revenge, but instead, I found the Parents Circle and discovered a new way forward – one of reconciliation and understanding.”
Robi Damelin joined The Parents Circle – Families Forum after her son David was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002. Bassam Aramin’s daughter Abir was killed by an Israeli soldier.
Bassam’s personal experience drives him to advocate for dialogue.
“When we come together to share our pain, we show the world that reconciliation is possible,” he says.
“It’s not about forgetting the past but building a future where our children can live in peace.”
Despite significant obstacles, such as being banned from Israeli schools in 2023, PCFF continues to demonstrate the healing power of storytelling, says Robi.
“Fear diminishes when people meet face-to-face and recognise their commonalities,” she says.
While dialogue is crucial, advocacy and resistance address structural factors perpetuating conflict.
Peace Now and RSN focus on tackling these systemic issues.
Peace Now’s Director, Mauricio Lapchik, describes its focus on monitoring settlement expansion and educating Israelis about its implications.
“Many Israelis do not even realise where the Green Line is or the implications of settlement expansion,” Mauricio says of the border that represents Israel’s internationally recognised borders with the two Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Since the 1990s, Peace Now’s Settlement Watch Project has been meticulously documenting settlement construction and its impact on Palestinian communities.
“Settlement Watch uses research and exposure to prevent expansion and stop illegal activity,” Mauricio says of the Israeli movement that advocates for peace through public pressure.
By publishing reports and engaging with international stakeholders, the organisation ensures the realities of occupation remain part of global discussions.
“Our partnerships amplify our voice, ensuring the world understands the urgency of a two-state solution,” Mauricio says.
RSN supports conscientious objectors who refuse military service as a form of protest.
Mattan Helman, its Executive Director, joined after serving 110 days in prison for refusing military service in 2017.
“I couldn’t participate in a system that perpetuates oppression,” Mattan says.
RSN provides legal, emotional, and logistical support to refusers while inspiring others to consider non-violent resistance.
“Without soldiers, the machinery of occupation cannot function,” Mattan says.
In 2023, RSN assisted more than 1100 people, with “a significant increase” last year.
“The growing number of refusers is causing panic within the government as it struggles to maintain the occupation without enough soldiers,” he says, adding that a “big wave of refusals of reserve and draft people” was a key factor in Israel withdrawing from Gaza in 2005.
While RSN does not have a specific vision for the future, Mattan is clear that the current situation of “oppression that is basically apartheid … cannot continue”.
Mauricio Lapchik says the world needs to understand the urgency of a two-state solution in the Middle East.
In October 2023, it established Voices Against War, a social media initiative to share stories of Israelis resisting the war.
Mattan says this work has been instrumental in garnering international support.
“By sharing our stories on global platforms, we’re inspiring a new wave of resistance that transcends borders,” he says.
“The goal is to achieve an end to the bombardment of Gaza, the entry of aid and restoration of vital resources like water, electricity, and safe return of all hostages.”
In Bethlehem, Wi’am adopts a holistic approach to peacebuilding.
Founded by Christian Palestinian Zoughbi Zoughbi in 1994, it addresses the “deep societal and personal traumas” caused by conflict.
“Our programs address both immediate needs and long-term resilience,” Zoughbi says.
In Arabic, ‘wi’am’ means “cordial relationships”.
The organisation provides food aid, job creation and vocational training, mental health and youth programs, and gender empowerment initiatives for Palestinians.
“We refuse to hate. Our mission is to build collective responsibility for peace,” Zoughbi says.
“Our programs address both immediate needs and long-term resilience … we believe that empowering women is essential for creating lasting change.”
Its youth programs foster a generation committed to non-violence and dialogue, and participants often describe the programs as “life-changing”, Zoughbi says.
To expand its reach, Wi’am hosts international delegations and participates in global peacebuilding conferences.
“By showcasing our grassroots work, we’re building bridges with communities worldwide,” Zoughbi says.
The centre also partners with universities and NGOs to share best practices in conflict transformation.
Understanding the various models of reconciliation can give valuable insight to the economic and social challenges being faced in the region, says Mark Zirnsak.
“Each of these organisations works in distinct but complementary ways toward a shared goal: a lasting peace that addresses the legitimate needs of all people,” Mark says.
“Through their efforts, we see the resilience and determination needed to overcome entrenched divides and the understanding that there is no way that killing can bring a lasting peace,” he says of their shared commitment to justice, resilience, and reconciliation.
As Hanan observes: “Both peoples belong here, and both deserve dignity and security.”
Zoughbi echoes this sentiment: “Hope is a form of non-violent struggle. Faith assures us that tomorrow can be different.”
“We refuse to hate. Our mission is to build collective responsibility for peace,” says Zoughbi Zoughbi from Wi’am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center.
UCA’s position on the Middle East
In March last year, the Uniting Church in Australia’s Assembly Standing Committee adopted a number of resolutions relating to the Middle East.
Among those resolutions were:
To support the Middle East Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches in their advocacy concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict;
To condemn all acts of brutality and atrocities committed, noting that such actions continue to form barriers to any efforts at peace;
To welcome the efforts the Australian Government has made to see an end to the current escalation in the war between Israel and Hamas, including by calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and opposition to Israel’s illegal settlements in Palestinian territories;
To welcome the humanitarian assistance the Australian Government has provided to Palestinians and urge that the Australian Government continue to provide such funding to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza;
To call on the Australian Government to:
i) support the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures for the prevention of genocide, including calling for a sustained ceasefire, ending weapons exports to Israel and providing greater transparency over Australia’s weapon exports;
ii) do all it can to facilitate a meaningful and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians and facilitate an end to atrocities and acts of brutality no matter who perpetrates them;
iii) to provide financial assistance and political support to organisations working for a meaningful and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians; and,
iv) impose targeted sanctions on Israeli settlers responsible for serious human rights abuses against Palestinians.
To call on the Government of Israel to:
i) end its use of extrajudicial killings against suspected terrorists, and instead seek to bring suspects to trial in judicial processes that meet international standards;
ii) end impunity for members of the Israeli security forces and settlers that murder Palestinians and bring such people to justice in judicial processes that would meet international standards; and,
iii) abolish the practice of administrative detention that allows Palestinians to be imprisoned without knowing the charges against them or being able to contest the evidence used to imprison them;
To encourage congregations to offer support and comfort to those who are living with grief and fear in their communities as a result of the current escalation in the conflict and acts of racial and religious hatred happening in Australia including by:
i) praying for, listening to, and promoting the voices of those who are suffering;
ii) participating in events and actions in support of a just peace;
iii) donating to the Act For Peace Gaza Emergency Appeal and Palestinian Christians in Australia accommodation drive; and
To write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the Australian Greens, the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, the Israeli Ambassador to Australia and the Head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, to inform them of the clauses above.