Palestine-Israel: Is peace activism serving occupation?
Next month, a French initiative to revive peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis is expected to take place in Paris.
The new initiative, however, is being held against the background of tensions that have boiled over into violence since October in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the blockaded Gaza Strip. During this period, the Israeli army has killed at least 206 Palestinians, including protesters, bystanders and alleged attackers, while 33 Israelis were killed in stabbing and shooting incidents.
Detached from the reality of hostility are dozens of joint Israeli-Palestinian peace-building NGOs - and other highly creative ventures - who are working "to overcome challenges and foster tolerance in the absence of political reconciliation".
