“Inner peace, the desire to know and accept the Other, is no less important than a broader peace. Stuck in Paris — not voluntarily but forced to remain there by the war — and spending this time together in doubt, fear, and uncertainty, united us. We got to know each other better and to realize that people are so similar on the inside: we all worry about family members who are far from us and all of us were gripped by uncertainty and fear. We stayed together and tried to cope with everything together. What moved me most of all was the solidarity at the airport in Paris when I was taken for security screening before boarding the plane. As I left the screening room, I saw that the members of WWP and some Knesset members who had been with me, were waiting outside the room. When I asked why they were still there, they said they were waiting for us until the screening was over.”

“On the same night we arrived in Paris, I received a phone call from my eldest son, who usually never calls, that an attack had been launched against Iran. He lives in Tel Aviv and had to relocate. This is when I understood that it was very bad. The next morning when the delegation met, before activities started, it was very difficult for us. It felt strange that we were at a peace conference when another war had just broken out. With some help, we were able to continue with activities. I was supposed to return on Sunday in order to teach at the University. I had such a heavy feeling that my children were in danger, all alone, and I couldn’t be with them, and I didn’t even know when I would return. It was also strange to be in Paris, in a calm place, while my country was in chaos. This dissonance reminded me of the life that we could be having.”

Our latest campaign "a Diplomatic Solution is a Security Move" features political, diplomatic, and military leaders explaining in short interviews to the Israeli public why peace is the best security. We are now widening the scope of this campaign by making the interviews available in English:  

Yael Admi Receives Honorary Degree

Dr. Yael Adami, one of the founders of our movement, was awarded an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University for her many years of contributing to peace, empowering women, and building trust between nations. We attach great importance to the fact that a leading academic institution in Israel has chosen to honor her grassroots activities promoting a diplomatic solution.

Our South American Chapter, Mujeres Activan por la Paz, will be hosting a talking tour in the beginning of August, in cooperation with the Anne Frank Centre in Argentina, with two of our beloved WWP activists, Hyam Tannous and Angela Scharf, together with the Director of WOS, Reem Alhajajra. All three will be giving a talk on the 12th of August in Uruguay.

The Belgian WWP/WOS supporter group organized, with the Belgian Friends of Standing Together, a screening of the Jerusalem “It’s Time” conference at the Tricoterie with more than 60 people present, including Palestinian representatives of Physicians for Human Rights. They joined the coalition of organizations “I am Belgium“ to fight against the racist attacks in Brussels against the Moroccan community. After the Paris Peace Conference, Angela Scharf, International Relations coordinator for WWP Israel met with more than twenty supporters to report on the meetings of Israeli and Palestinian civil society activists. An article about the Belgian support group was published in the Jewish magazine Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif.

The Canadian Support Group has over 450 members and continues to send out monthly newsletters to its members across the country. Most recently, hundreds attended the event “In her Voice”, honoring the life of Vivian Silver. It featured Jews and Muslims, Palestinians and Israelis, advocating for peace together. Click here to watch the entire event. In collaboration with the Canadian Memorial Centre for Peace, the regional group in Vancouver held an interfaith film night on May 26 to watch Wave Goodbye to Dinosaurs, a film about women’s resistance to war and violence in Ireland. They also marched on June 4th, together with Vancouver Friends of Standing Together, in solidarity with the March from Tel Aviv to Gaza.

The Supporter Group in Germany organized “It’s Time” watch parties, vigils, and demonstrations at several locations. Since the day of the Conference, May 8th also marks the official end of WW II, members of WWP/WOS attended local and national events and had the chance to remind their audiences of what is happening in Israel/Gaza/Palestine, and appeal for support to end the bloodshed and to move towards a lasting political solution. Following the interest of many of our members, groups have been established to develop practical approaches to build contacts with Palestinian-Muslim women’s groups. Jana, one of our supporter group members, spoke about the work of WWP/WOS at a vigil for Gaza in Darmstadt in mid-June.

WWP USA now holds monthly Zoom meetings with our US leaders; some of whom met in-person during the Peace Summit “It’s Time” in Jerusalem. We are heartened by Denise presenting the Mothers’ Call at various occasions in the Southwest and by Sister Martha’s Zoom with church members in San Antonio.

The Hague Support Group in the Netherlands live-screened the 'It's Time' event at the Niewspoort Parliamentary Press Center for approximately sixty people interested in options for peace. The meeting was financially supported by the Anna Lindt Foundation. Later that day, Prime Minister Dick Schoof held his weekly press conference and they were able to talk to him for several minutes together with our Palestinian partner Josef Attawil.