Conflict and Connectedness in the Middle East

Inspired by the words of the late Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin, who said, “Peace requires a world of new concepts, new definitions,” we are pleased to share with you Kim Samuel’s newest article in the Huffington Post, “Conflict and Connectedness in the Middle East.”

At a time when hope for peace between Israelis and Palestinians appears to be dwindling, Kim reflects in this piece on the importance and need for compassion, for the pursuit of common ground, and for finally overcoming the cycle of isolation that Israelis and Palestinians have experienced for decades. With that in mind, she explores how grassroots reconciliation programming led by community organizations there is helping to bring people together and build social connectedness. Kim encourages us to think about the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish’s words of moving toward a society where we not only “think of others”, we embrace them. The enduring truth of humanity is that we have more in common with those around us than we do not, and it is more important than ever to foster a greater sense of connectedness within and between communities.

For more articles by Kim Samuel, please visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/kim-samuel