Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land, with Eliyahu McLean and Ibrahim Abuelhawa, by Paula Peterson

Ibrahim Abuelhawa, an Arab-Muslim peace activist for more than forty years, is known as the Ambassador of Goodwill from the Mount of Olives.

Eliyahu McLean, an observant Israeli-Jew, is director of the Peacemaker Community-Israel in Jerusalem.

And they are friends. They visit each other's homes. They attend each other's family celebrations. And they work as a team to initiate successful reconciliation projects between Israelis and Palestinians.

In their homeland, thousands of people from diverse nationalities, denominations, and ethnicities — including community activists, peace groups, human rights delegations, religious leaders, and pilgrims — have joined Ibrahim and Eliyahu at the Old City Peace Vigil.†

As they travel the world together, Ibrahim and Eliyahu share the story of their friendship and spread the message that it is not only possible but essential for Jews and Arabs to live harmoniously in the Holy Land.

Paula: Both of you have recently returned from an extensive lecture tour throughout the United States and are about to embark on your tour of England. How has the public responded to your presentations so far?

Eliyahu: Almost without fail, our talks have been received enthusiastically. Many hearts have been opened. People everywhere have expressed amazement at our presentation, because the news media do not report most of the positive things that are happening in our land on a regular basis. So, after our talk, people are very inspired, filled with hope, and many come to tears in the realization that there is all this good that is going on.

In several communities where we have given our talks, new dialogues have been inspired between Jewish and Arab groups as well as between others in the peace and reconciliation field.

Paula: Your work is truly courageous. How did the two of you come to work together in the first place?

Eliyahu: Ibrahim and I saw each other at many different peace gatherings. When the Intifada‡ started, we vowed that we would work in a much closer relationship. Ibrahim has accepted me like a member of his family. I feel as though I have a protector in Jerusalem — someone whose family has been here for nearly fifteen hundred years.

For example, recently I danced at the wedding of Ibrahim's son Muhammad, with hundreds of his family members, on the Mount of Olives. We've come to see ourselves as one extended family and not whether we're Israeli or Palestinian.

I feel as though Ibrahim and I and our families and friends are living in a microcosm — living the way we aspire for all to live. We would like everyone to relate to each other this way. We are creating an alternative reality to the rage, hatred, violence, and all the horrible things that you hear. Our reality is one where we all get along and visit each other regularly.

Paula: How long have you been doing peacemaking work?

Ibrahim: I am a Muslim in my sixties and have been doing this work for over forty years. My grandfather died when he was 140 years old. His life was written about in National Geographic magazine [April 1959].

My mother died just three months ago when she was 101. Eliyahu is like my son: a smart guy. We walk together, do our work, and lead the way.

I also work with others who can bring love to the land and to the children. We easily live together here. On the Mount of Olives where I live there are around four thousand people. I know everyone by name, what kind of jobs they have, and how they live inside their homes. Even though my family has lived here for more than fourteen hundred years, I am not a citizen of this land. I am a citizen of the world.

Paula: How do some of your friends react when they learn that you spend time with the "enemy," so to speak?

Eliyahu: When I visit my Palestinian friends in Bethlehem, my Jewish friends have said, "What? You went there? You'll get killed!" Then the Palestinians will say to their friends, "What? You had Israelis here in Palestine? You can't do that while there's an occupation!"

But we don't want even to recognize the boundaries and borders that the politicians and the politics of division have created. We simply don't acknowledge them. What we do acknowledge is that human beings who share the same land should live together.

Paula: You are living the vision.

Eliyahu: Yes, we are. Last week I spent one day in Bethlehem with young Palestinian peace activists, and two days later I visited a West Bank settlement with a Rabbi who works closely with Muslim sheikhs to bring peace. When I spoke with many of the students who came to the Rabbi's home for a special holiday, they were all very enthusiastic and wanted to be a part of it. All of them were warm — hungry for peace and eager to be a part of a new vision and a new reality.

There is a deep yearning and hunger for peace and harmonious co-existence amongst many people here. This yearning and the peacemaking activities are not represented in the media.

Paula: World news seems to focus so much attention on all the killing and suffering in your land. However, you both have a different — and much more hopeful and wonderful — story to tell.

Ibrahim: The news, especially in America, never reports the good works between the good people of this land. One hears and sees on TV and in the newspaper how one side is bad. But there is a lot of goodness going on between the Arabs and the Jews.

When there have been killings, many Jews have come with tons of food to give to the Palestinians and the villagers in the West Bank. You must understand that the news never reports this. The world mostly hears that everything is bad and what the army did here. But they never show how much good the Jews did for their brothers. They even give blood to the Palestinians, as brothers and cousins.

We don't like to watch the news on TV because the reports are not accurate as to what goes on here. We don't even have a TV in our home. The reports tend to build hatred.

We are in this land for love — in loving one another. When you feed the people and they are not suffering, that will create peace and love for the brothers in this land. We want the people to see and ask God to show them in their heart what the truth is and to forgive the businesses that build weapons and missiles and process oil.

Paula: It's unfortunate that the news media does not report on the good things that are going on in your country. I don't watch TV for the same reasons you give, and haven't owned one for nearly twenty years. I feel a lot better for it. Please tell us more about your peace efforts.

Eliyahu: We continue to hold our weekly peace vigil and prayer circle in the Old City of Jerusalem every Friday. Peace activists, Palestinians, religious Jews, and internationals join us. We often get our message out in Hebrew, Arabic, and English to Palestinian-Muslim worshipers, to Israeli soldiers, and to religious Jews — who all intermingle in that area.

Paula: Do you see an increase in the number of participants?

Eliyahu: Last week we had an influx of about forty new people who joined our vigil at the end of their seven-day peace walk from Jaffa to Jerusalem. That was mostly Israelis and internationals.

There also are a few different peace centers around East Jerusalem that have made it their responsibility to regularly participate in the weekly vigil. Even as we speak, Islamic and Jewish religious leaders work behind the scenes to influence the political process in bringing about a cease fire.

Paula: Have you seen evidence of the more violent ones beginning to change their ways?

Eliyahu: I'm finding there is an increasing sense that violence is futile. In the long run, violence will not bring about the creation of a Palestinian state on one side or a peaceful and secure Israel on the other side.

So although there is still a lot of anger and rage on the streets within the two societies, there are increasing numbers of people who recognize that a violent approach is a dead end. They are more open to the possibility for reconciliation and bridge-building.

At one Israeli-Palestinian peace camp I visited, they are doing a lot to educate the people in Bethlehem about the importance of non-violence by working with the youth as an approach to bring about change. They help the young people develop healthy and creative ways to express their anger and rage — with art, music, and other creative activities, including a program that brings the Palestinian youth out into nature with hikes and workshops.

Paula: That's wonderful. It's so important to reach the young while they are still developing their belief systems.

Eliyahu: It's true. I also have friends on the Palestinian side who are involved in this work in bringing awareness to the Israeli society, because the conflict in the last two years has seen more of a militaristic attitude on both sides. Increasing numbers of people are getting fed up and are protesting.

Paula: In your opinion, why is reconciliation between Israel and Palestine so difficult?

Ibrahim: Well — when God searched the whole world to find who should live in this land, he found the two most stubborn people: the Arabs and the Jews. (laughter)

Eliyahu: Yes, that is part of the problem. It's hard to get either side to budge or to recognize each other's story.

And another part of the problem is that we have two narratives — the Palestinian narrative and the Jewish-Israeli narrative — of what it's like to live in this land. We need to weave a shared narrative, where the two come together. What happens, unfortunately, is that when there are conflicts each side retreats to its own exclusive version and narrative.

It adds to the difficulty in solving conflict when the Israelis have a narrative that basically says, "The Arabs are all out to get us. They're out to push us into the sea. They don't want compromise. It's not about the West Bank and Gaza. They want all of Israel."

The Palestinian narrative says, "The Israelis are the aggressors and occupiers. They are grabbing up all the land they can."

Now certainly there are situations that happen on the ground that might affirm one's fear of the other side. But the only way out is to work with both societies in creating an awareness of the other person's deeper longing and historical and religious connection with the land.

Paula: Does the origin of these present-day conflicts really go all the way back to Abraham and his two sons, Ishmael and Isaac?

Eliyahu: On the one hand, yes. It's an ancient and biblical struggle that really does go back that far. But on the other hand, the problems between the Arabs and Jews have only risen within the last hundred years — before 1920. Prior to that time, there were peaceful relations in this region.

Sometimes I think we put too much emphasis on how ancient the situation is and try to ignore the modern context of it. If we see it, instead, as a situation that has existed only since the 1920s — that it's only a hundred-year conflict instead of a two-thousand-year conflict — that could begin to cultivate the psychology of thinking that encourages togetherness in working toward a solution.

Paula: There seems to be a belief among some Israelis and Palestinians that they will have peace only when they have killed enough of their enemies. How do you go about changing the thinking of people like that? Where do you start?

Eliyahu: I hear those views often, to be honest, even among some people that I know. It's difficult. The way I approach these people is first to point out that to have peace purely on a political level isn't going to make a difference. It has to be peace between the people.

I also include the spiritual element. To find a common spiritual definition for the Holy Land, for example, we could call it the Land of Peace, or whatever both sides can agree with.

Our work is in emphasizing the spiritual dimension, tapping into rituals like Sulha. Sulha is an ancient Middle-Eastern form of reconciliation, a ceremony to bring forgiveness between warring Arab tribes who may have been in blood feuds for generations. We wish to bring about Sulha on a national level: not just between two tribes, but between the Children of Abraham — the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.

Paula: How have the violence and destruction affected your own lives?

Eliyahu: I personally know several people who have been killed and families who have had tragic loss. But I also would say that for Ibrahim and me and our friends these losses motivate us all the more in working harder for peace and reconciliation. We know that this is the only possible future and that no solution will come through violence.

While Ibrahim and I were in the States, we noticed that there were many pro-Israeli rallies and pro-Palestinian rallies. In our opinion, they both have it wrong. Both approaches are self-defeating and neither is going to negate the existence of the other.

It's one existence. We all live here together. It should be a "We are all one human family" rally or a "We're all the children of Abraham" rally. These are the kinds of messages we promote.

We're very much plugging away and having faith and trust that all of the dialogue, workshops, and peace and prayer gatherings are working. We have spoken with the British House of Lords and have met Israeli and Palestinian officials as well as radicals and militants on both sides in our efforts to promote peace.

Paula: Many politicians on both sides seem resistant to peace. Is that basically because both sides have the same mindset?

Eliyahu: It's true that there seems to be resistance. But my sense of it is that what we need to focus on is not just one specific politician — whether it is Sharon or Arafat. I find that too often we get caught up with the politics of blame. We need to heal the underlying wound of the Israeli and Palestinian people that continues to lead them into electing leaders who act like this.

We must work at the deeper levels. I, too, am very unhappy with certain policies of this or that politician. However, I know that protesting that person is not going to bring about change. The change has to come from feeling the underlying pain of two wounded spirits in one Promised Land.

In touching the deeper levels of pain, transformation is possible. And that's the level we're working on.

Paula: Based on what you've observed in your country, do you think there is ever a time when revenge is appropriate?

Eliyahu: Some Palestinians do believe that revenge is the only weapon oppressed peoples have. And some Israelis might say that if we know someone is on the way to kill us, we have a right to kill them first.

But in the long run revenge doesn't bring us to healing and transformation. I personally feel there is never a time when killing another human being is necessary. If revenge is carried out, then the ones who experienced the loss of their loved one will want to get revenge back.

The whole process of Sulha is about ending the blood-feud of revenge and instead celebrating our lives together.

In a recent Sulha gathering, there were about four hundred people, including Arabs, Jews, Muslims, Christians — even a Zulu leader from South Africa and a teacher of Buddhism. The idea was to initiate a process and dialogue of healing and reconciliation and then complete the day with a celebration to experience joy together and help rebuild trust.

So much trust has been lost, not only between Israeli Jews and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, but also amongst the Arabs who live within Israel in the Galilee Triangle and Negev regions. Every program that we do is aimed at opening hearts and rebuilding trust that has been eroded from the long duration of violence and distrust.

Paula: These gatherings sound wonderful and uplifting.

Eliyahu: Yes, they are very uplifting and inspiring. The Arab families that participate, the religious leaders, Israeli peace groups, and even those who are not necessarily peace activists come away from these gatherings with new hope.

Paula: It's so important to keep the momentum going.

Eliyahu: Absolutely. That is very important because there seems to be a parallel process: As the situation gets worse on one hand, there is now, on the other hand, more of a wellspring of people within the mainstream general society who are hungry for a different way and a different approach.

Both Israelis and Palestinians have been polled as supporting military strikes, suicide bombings, and continuing the violent Intifada. But in these same polls, when asked if they were given peace, hope, and reconciliation instead, would they choose that over the violence? And the answer is always yes.

Paula: How has your work in peacemaking affected your life?

Eliyahu: This work has definitely deepened my commitment to Judaism and to the path of indigenous Middle Eastern peace wisdom. It has helped me understand that Jerusalem truly is a city of peace. My connection as a Jew living in Jerusalem is to help transform the city into its Hebrew meaning: Yerusha-Shalom means "Legacy of Peace." We want Jerusalem to be the peace capital for the whole world. I feel really gifted and blessed to be a part of this process.

I feel that life is always a mirror; that the outer peace work always reflects the inner peace process. The war here is not over land or other issues. The reason there is war here is that people are at war within themselves. If they are at war within themselves, how can they make peace in the world?

Paula: Ibrahim, what would you like us to know about your work and the situation in your country?

Ibrahim: I come from a family who has lived in this Holy Land for many generations and we live very good lives here.

I always did think the problems we have are because of the leaders and the laws. To build peace, we need to meet human being to human being. But we need support so that we can continue to build peace. We need your support in solving the problems between two people, and the problems between Sharon and Arafat.

We all have one God. God chose us to live in this land as the Holy Land for the whole world. What I do in my life is to meet with the Christian, Jew, and Muslim, and those of other nations with different beliefs, to live with them as one heart and to teach about loving one another. I believe that we are all descendants of Adam and Eve. Even in this country, we are the seeds of Abraham, and that is all we have to understand. No one can make us separate.

We are a people who want to live. We need the freedom to live. We want freedom for our children and their future.

Paula: What are some of the ways in which we can help?

Ibrahim: We want people in the world to come to this land and see how we live here. Those who bring love, peace, and support to this land will see that we are living side by side.

People once came to Jerusalem as tourists, and now they no longer come because they think it is dangerous and full of sorrow and suffering. For many years, our income and our support came from tourists visiting this land. Now we are suffering because the tourists don't come. We want everyone to come to this land and see how we really live.

Many people have come into my home. I open my home for anyone who wants to come to see this land and see and hear the truth. You must visit the heart of the country, the people and the families, to see what is good and what is bad, what makes us happy and what makes us suffer.

If you continue to listen to the news, you will never know the truth. Come to this land. Meet with us. And the love you give us will help build peace in the heart of the Jew and the Muslim. We need heart to let us continue with our jobs.

Eliyahu: The best thing that people can do is come here to this land for a few weeks to visit and meet the people on the ground — the Sheik, the Rabbi, the Palestinian, and the Israeli working for a nonviolent, spiritual solution. We want everybody to come and see for themselves what we're talking about.

Paula: This has been very moving and inspiring to hear both of you speak about your peacemaking work. Tears came to my eyes as I learned that many Jews and Arabs are helping one another and that you all yearn deeply for peace. What else would you like us to know in closing?

Eliyahu: Our message is that we can and will live together. The world should know that there are many Jews, Christians, Muslims, Israelis, and Palestinians working together — even now — behind the scenes in returning the land to its true purpose: to be a land of peace and not a land of war. There are many grassroots activists in Peacemaker Community, our worldwide network of amazing projects to bring about this transformation.

We are presently involved with Peacemaker Community in building a board that includes Jews, Muslims, and Christians, both religious leaders and peace activists. This will help bring more effectiveness to our message to all the societies of the world.

Ibrahim: I want to say thank you so much. I am asking God to bless you for everything that you are doing and to bless the world. Keep bringing the truth to the world, and ask God to give you the courage to be strong. I hope we will meet someday, somewhere in the world, and my home and my heart are open to you. God bless you.

Ibrahim Abuelhawa, a Muslim peace activist widely known as the Ambassador of Goodwill from the Mt. of Olives, works closely with the Jahalin Bedouin clan on the West Bank. He has been involved for more than forty years in peace and reconciliation efforts between Arabs and Jews. He has eight children and many grandchildren.

Eliyahu McLean, an observant Jew who directs the Peacemaker Community-Israel in Jerusalem, initiates reconciliation projects between Israelis and Palestinians. Peacemaker Community projects include a weekly Old City Peace Vigil, Sheikhs and Rabbis for Social Justice, Sulha (Healing Abraham's family), Jewish-Sufi dialogue, walks for non-violence, and a support network for peace and social change activists. He studied Middle Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley and in Chabad yeshiva in Brooklyn, New York.

To find out more about how you can support Jew and Arab peace efforts and peace-making worldwide, please visit PeacemakerCommunity.org/Hebrew. You also can email or call Eliyahu McLean at Eliyahu@PeaceCom.org, phone 972-2-625-4648, and Ibrahim Abuelhawa at MaryHawaLyn@alqudsnet.com, phone 972-2-628-0626. Use the 011 prefix when dialing from USA.

† A joint effort of the Peace Community and Bustan L'Shalom.
‡ The Intifada, meaning "insurrection" or "uprising" in Arabic, broke out in Gaza on December 9, 1987, in the wake of a traffic accident — in which several people were killed — involving an Israeli truck and a Palestinian car. The movement, which began with a general strike in Gaza, spread rapidly to the whole Palestinian Occupied Territories.