We Refuse to be Enemies: Vision Camp in Israel-Palestine

The following is a press release from Leila Dregger

The Middle East is exploding in violence. In the last two weeks the war has killed more than 700 people, the vast majority of them in Gaza, with more than 100 children amongst them. Due to the extensive bombing of even schools, mosques, hospitals and private homes people can no longer find protection or shelter. Hatred, fear and anger are at a peak in the whole region.

Today, in this turbulence, peace workers from Israel, Palestine and other countries are begining a five-day vision camp in the Westbank. In the middle of the war they hold a peace vigil and create a frequency of calmness in which mutual perception, sharing, deep listening, clear thinking and vision building is possible. They say, "We refuse to be enemies." And, "Together we can give a clear sign to end the war."

Co-initiator Sabine Lichtenfels, co-founder of the peace research center Tamera, Portugal: "Justice cannot be achieved through bombing. The tears shed by Israeli mothers are the same than those of Palestinian mothers. By gathering those who are against the war we want to make visible the knowledge and vision which is more powerful than globalised violence. This could become a turning point for the peace movement."

Sami Awad, Director of the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem and a participant of the vision camp: "The recent violence has once and for all shattered the illusion that all that is needed is to reach a political agreement through a diplomatic mechanism referred to as a "peace process". It is time that a nonviolent movement emerges: a movement of Palestinians and Israelis, at a community level, addressing all aspects of injustice in this land; to work together in building a new vision and model for what peace, justice and equality mean in the Holy Land and link it with a strategy that breaks down all the physical and psychological barriers that perpetuate hatred, anger and thus separation and violence."

For its protection and success the vision camp needs international accompaniment and publicity. The war in Gaza and Israel is not a local conflict but another breakout of the global war system - just like Syria and Ukraine. War is the unavoidable result of a society which follows the hypnosis of fear and separation - on economical, ecological, social and spiritual levels. Let us leave the war system whereever it is possible. Stay online and accompany the vision camp with your thoughts and prayers. We invite people all over the world to join in meditation on Monday morning (sunrise) and Tuesday evening (sunset and the end of Ramadan). Please take part.

We will publish photos, videos, thoughts and results here:

Blog: http://sabine-lichtenfels.tumblr.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aVisionCampinIsraelPalestine?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark

The Cause "We refuse to be enemies - together we can stop the war" has more than 18.000 supporters: https://www.causes.com/werefusetobeenemies