JERUSALEM | Four Palestinian Seeds and 12 other members of their communities met on June 15 as part of Seeds of Peace’s ongoing series of Community Dialogues funded by USAID, in which Seeds identify, design, and implement programs based on what they perceive as the most important conflict-related issues facing their societies.
The participants gathered to discuss Israeli rights violations in Jerusalem with the help of a representative from an Israeli human rights and peace organization.
The organization, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), presented about the history of Jerusalem and the challenges its Palestinian residents face, from residency and property rights limits to home demolitions and displacement. Participants asked questions about ICHAD’s mission and the challenges it faces.
Seeds and community members then engaged in a facilitated discussion about the Israeli occupation, and the topics covered in the presentation. Many shared personal stories about their experiences as well as their opinions.
“I believe Jerusalem is for all religions,” said one participant. “Each one of us should respect the other religious views.”