Palestinian-Israeli grassroots movement Combatants for Peace comes to AZ
When? 28.04.26, 19:00-21:00, Doors 18:30
Where? Autonomes Zentrum (AZ) Köln
Languages: English, Arabic (Translation to English)
We are honored to welcome Elie and Sayel from Combatants for Peace (CfP) at AZ Köln. CfP are a grassroots movement of Israelis and Palestinians working together to end the occupation and bring peace, freedom and safety for all people between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea.
Elie and Sayel spoke on Monday (20.4.) at the Berlin screening of the 21st Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Ceremony (organized among others by the berlin friends of standing together).
„For more than two decades, this ceremony, organized by Combatants for Peace and the Parents Circle – Families Forum, has brought together bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost loved ones in the conflict. Many of whom have lost their loved ones in the past 2.5 years. Their testimonies remind us that grief is not confined to one side, but is lived across deeply different realities – and that acknowledging one another’s pain and humanity is a necessary step toward a different future.“
(https://www.cfpeace.org/memorial-ceremony)
We, as the Common Ground Group in AZ, invite you to take this rare opportunity to listen to Sayel’s and Elie’s stories and their engagement for a future without violence and oppression for all people in Israel and Palestine. We believe there is a lot to learn about, how peace and human rights activists in Israel and Palestine see the current situation and their perspectives on a way forward.
Sayel Jabareen is a Palestinian member of Combatants for Peace and is active in the West Bank in the fields of nonviolent resistance and community work. He brings firsthand experience of how settler violence affects Palestinian communities and how nonviolent resistance protects dignity and rights.
Elie Avidor is an Israeli member of Combatants for Peace. He works to address violence within Israeli society and advocates for accountability, equality, and security for all. He is also active in providing protective presence for Palestinian communities in the Westbank to document human rights abuses from settlers and to deter potential violene.
Together, they stand for shared responsibility and commitment.
Elie and Sayel will talk about their personal path toward nonviolence and their activism with Combatants for Peace for Collective Liberation and Peace rooted in justice and equality. They will also take time to discuss the current war and the situation in the West Bank.
At the beginning, we will screen a short version of the 2016 film Disturbing the Peace, which introduces founding members of Combatants for Peace and their transformational journeys from soldiers committed to armed battle to nonviolent peace activists, leading to the creation of Combatants for Peace: https://www.disturbingthepeacefilm.com/ [Trailer]
We look forward to your participation and hope the Common Ground events will provide a space for exchange and dialogue. We ask all participants to treat one another—and especially all speakers—with respect and consideration, and to be mindful of each other’s needs and vulnerabilities.
More information on Common Ground: https://az-koeln.org/commonground
A video from the Joint Memorial Ceremony in Tel Aviv (Israel) can be watched here:
