THE IFLAC BRIDGE
Israeli Peace Movement of Jewish & Arab Women

The Bridge: Jewish and Arab/Palestinian Women for Peace in The Middle East

In 1975, two years after the Yom Kippur War, a group of Jewish and Arab/Palestinian women founded in Haifa, a Voluntary Association entitled: The Bridge: Jewish and Arab/Palestinian Women for Peace in The Middle East. This was the first association of its kind in Israel, that dared to gather Jewish and Arab/ Palestinian women in the same organization to promote peace in the Middle East, and to promote the status of women. In the beginning, the group met with much criticism and resistance, which was sometimes violent, in both sectors. However, they knew they were promoting a just cause that required courage and perseverance, and it gave them strength to act and struggle to promote their goals. To this day, twenty-six years later, the women of The Bridge are still working hard through various ways, especially through the building of cultural bridges between both sectors, to promote peace and the status of women in Israel and in the Middle East.

The members of “The Bridge” originate from Israel's various ethnic and religious communities. The legal status of “The Bridge” is “a non-profit organization”. The number of its members is 350 members, and thousands of sponsors and affiliated members (students and youth). The Yearly Membership is $25, and the main Financial Sources are from membership, the Haifa Municipality, and donations. “The Bridge” holds its meetings mainly in The Tent of Peace, in Ussfiya, and in private homes. The organization is run by an executive Board of eight women: four Jewish and four Arab/Palestinians. The Board is elected by the yearly General Assembly, which also elects the President, the Director, and the Treasurer.

The goals of The Bridge are to awaken the consciousness of every woman as to their power in taking an active part in the promotion of peace and in the promotion of women's rights. In the Middle East, both goals are inextricably linked, for when there is war and conflict, the problem of women's rights gets shoved aside as “not the most important just now”. The women of The Bridge feel that as women, mothers, and educators of the new generation, they have to ensure peace in their region, and in the world, so that life on earth may continue. The motto of “The Bridge” is the one I had heard, at the women's peace meeting in Egypt: “Women of the World Unite and Ban War”. Together with “Iflac: Pave Peace”, The Bridge has initiated a Ban War Petition, and has collected millions of signatures throughout the world, which have been sent to Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations, and to 60 Governments around the World.

An international conference of “The Bridge” and “Iflac”, took place in Shavei Tsion International Center in June 1999, in which member of the Knesset, Neomi Hazan, was the Guest of Honor, and with the participation of delegates from twenty four countries, including from Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. The latest Conference of “The Bridge”, was in May 2000, at "Beit Hagefen", the House of the Vine, in Haifa, with the participation of Mr. Amram Mitzna, the Mayor of Haifa.

“Iflac: The International Forum for the Culture of Peace”, together with “The Bridge: Jewish and Arab/Palestinian Women”, have called upon the peaceful majority on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to take the lead and to make it work. There is no way out. We have to go back to the discussion table, and find ways to arrive at a full Peace Treaty that would be acceptable by both the Palestinians and the Israelis, as the Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel, and Jordan and Israel.

In response to the recent madness and the shootings, there have been numerous peace meetings in different places in Haifa and Tel-Aviv, the Galilee. We are calling on Jewish and Arab/Palestinians everywhere, to renew good neighborly relations that were such an important part of our lives. These initiatives taking place at the grassroots levels, give us renewed motivation to continue our efforts for peace, which is so crucial in these difficult days.

Among the various peace activities: “Iflac – Pave Peace” together with “The Bridge”, organized a culture of Peace Festival in “The Tent of Peace” in Ussfiya. There were hundreds of participants, half of them Jewish and half Arab/Palestinian, who all spoke about the importance of stopping the shooting and returning to peacemaking. The resolution of this admirable assembly was: NO to violence – and YES to the culture of peace. It is hoped that like in all social innovations,

“When people move, leaders will follow”.

Offering a Pyramid of Peace…

Israelis and Palestinians Build Bridges of Peace

Positive News (England) – Winter 2000
By Virginia Kennedy

A unique initiative provides a dynamic opportunity for Israelis, Jews and Arab Palestinians to work for peace and cross-cultural understanding through discourse, literature, culture and art. “IFLAC: The International Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace” – and “The Bridge: Jewish and Arab Women for the Promotion of Women and Peace”, call on the peaceful majority on both sides to take the lead and make the peace process work.

“The silent majority of Israelis and Palestinians have been taken unawares and are dismayed to see that the peace process has stopped. We have to go back to the discussion table, and find ways to arrive at a full Peace Treaty that would be acceptable to both the Palestinians and the Israelis, like with Egypt and Jordan”, said Professor Ada Aharoni, President of the Forum.

With eleven branches in Jewish, Arab and Druze sectors in Israel actively and harmoniously working together to develop good neighborhood relations, bridges are being built through meetings, symposia and congresses.

A “Bedouin Tent of Peace” is one of their great successes where regular meetings of ‘Creative Women’ (and men) of all creeds and denominations, work towards building bridges of understanding through the study of the culture and literature of ‘the other’.

Recent initiatives include a Jewish and Arab/Palestinian students' reconciliation meeting, the publication of Galim 9 the New Waves anthology of articles and poetry on the theme of peace, and a Souka for Peace in Haifa in the “Mother's Garden” – “Gan Ha'Em”.

A previous success was a campaign, which led to the election of the world's first Arab Mayor (the late) Violet Khouri. Enduring much opposition from male colleagues, she proved a great success improving economic, health and education standards for both women and men in the town Kfar Yassif, and the whole of Galilee.

“The Bridge” joined “Iflac” at its Foundation Conference in December 1999, and is now an integral part of IN – the Iflac Network.

A Quarter of a Century of Peace Activity
The IFLAC Bridge Today: Jewish and Arab/Palestinian Women for Peace in the Middle East (1974-2001)

The Haifa Link
“The Bridge”, together with “Iflac Pave Peace: The International Forum for the Culture and Literature of Peace”, comprise the Haifa Link. As Israeli and Arab/Palestinians of The Haifa Link, we work together to promote peace and the status of women, as well as a culture of peace, respect, understanding and cooperation between our peoples. We are opposed to war and the use of violence, and are committed to the promotion of democratic values and norms. We believe in conflict resolution through peaceful means, and through bridges of culture.We call on women and men in Israel, in the Middle East, and elsewhere, to join us in making our vision of peace a reality.

From the Founding of The Bridge to this Day

“The Bridge” was founded in 1974, after the Yom Kippur War, and it was registered as a non-profit organization in 1976. Twenty five years later, we and the new generation have joined IFLAC, and are still working hard to cultivate basic grassroots, for the promotion of women and peace in Israel, in the Middle East, and in the world, together with the male members of IFLAC, who promote women equality.
Main Activities of The Bridge:
Lectures, presentations and discussions.
Meetings in “The Tent of Peace”, and in Jewish and Arab towns and villages, for the building of "Bridges" of culture and understanding.
Exchange visits of Israeli and Arab pupils in schools.
Group dynamics: the Jews act the roles of Arab/Palestinians, and the Arabs the roles of the Jews.
Radio and television programs on The Bridge in Arabic, Hebrew, English and French.
Arabic courses for the Jews, and Hebrew language courses for the Arabs.
Picnics, outings, weekends with the families.
Seminars, common feasts and happenings.
Symposiums, and International Conferences and Congresses.
Translation of literary and poetry books for peace, written in Hebrew, Arabic, English and French.
Encouragement and promotion of the Culture of Peace, videos with films and plays on TV, the Internet, and other media.
Celebration of the publication of new books.
The Bridge's main projects in 2001 are the “Turn Off Murder On TV Campaign”, and the “Ban-War Petition and Campaign”.

Support and Donations
Donations for the promotion of The Bridge of Jewish and Arab/ Palestinian Women are welcome. Please send checks or postal orders, in any currency, to the following account:
IFLAC: The Bridge c/o Ada Aharoni - Bank Leumi:
Account Number – 16738/49 Horev Branch, No. 880, Haifa, Israel
Please send a copy of your contribution to:
IFLAC: P.O.Box 9934, Haifa 34341, Israel – Thank You!