In Search of Israeli-Palestinian Peace: An Urgent Call for a New Approach to Middle East Peace: 2016

The fruit of relentless peace activism and many years of philanthropic work in the Middle East Peace Network, In Search of Israeli-Palestinian Peace is Shai Har-El's unique, non-utopian, proactive approach to Middle East peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Recognizing the magnitude, complexity, and gravity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the evidenced limitations of traditional diplomacy, the author offers ideas how to enhance the Middle East peace process by adding a non-governmental peacebuilding component to the peace efforts. Such citizen diplomacy efforts, he argues, should be launched at a preliminary conflict transformation phase leading up to the final conflict resolution phase. The ultimate objective of this preliminary phase is to create-through alternative avenues, such as private diplomacy initiatives, transnational mechanisms, and backchannels-a win-win environment that is conducive to settling the conflict. This book details the concepts, measures, and techniques involved in the process with the understanding that the keystone for peace is the defiant power of the human spirit in both societies that are hungry for peace. Shai Har-El is a historian, educator, writer, poet, rabbi, philanthropist, and businessman. He spent his formative childhood and young adulthood in Israel and served in the Israeli army, both in active duty (1964-66) and army service (1969-71). He participated in the Six Day War (1967) and the Yom Kippur War (1973). In the last twenty-five years (1990-present), he has been active in building bridges of understanding and reconciliation across the Arab-Israeli and Jewish-Muslim conflict divides. He is the author of Struggle for Domination in the Middle East and Where Islam and Judaism Join Together. Part One: Creating a New Paradigm 1. A New Vision of Peace in the Middle East 2. Middle East Peace: Shifting the Mindset 3. The Prisoner Swap Teaches Us a Lesson 4. Where There Is a Vision, the People Flourish 5. Maybe the Conflict Will Go Away? 6. Traditional Diplomacy in the Middle East Has Run Its Course 7. Do Israelis and Palestinians Have the Right Leadership for Peace?Visioning Peace: The Power of Imagination 8. Failure to Communicate: The Middle East ConundrumDiagnosing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 9. Israelis and Palestinians: "Keep the Hope for Peace Alive!" Part Two: Finding Creative Solutions 10. The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Tales from the Past - Lessons for the Future 11. Straight Talk to Israelis and Palestinians 12. The Orchard: Another Story with Morals for Israelis and Palestinians 13. A Trilateral Confederation: Israel, Jordan and Palestine 14. Peacebuilding - A Key Component in the Peace Process 15. Unofficial Track Two Diplomacy: An Idea Whose Time Has Come 16. A Real Israeli-Palestinian Peace Plan 17. U.S. Secretary Kerry's One More Mideast Peace Mission 18. Reframing and Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 19. A Time for Israeli-Palestinian Reconciliation Part Three: Building Bridges of Jewish-Muslim Understanding 20. Jewish-Muslim Understanding: A Matter of Education 21. An Open Letter to My Muslim Friends 22. The Legacy of Abraham Goes Unpracticed 23. Follow the Footsteps of Abraham 24. Religion and Islamist Violence: A Different Take 25. Follow the Muslim Women of Benghazi 26. Killing: A Forgotten Scriptural Lesson 27. An Open Letter to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi 28. Jews and Muslims Can Build a Common Ground 29. Killing Children in Israeli-Palestinian Violence: The Forgotten Moral Lesson 30. How Can Jerusalem Become the City of Peace? Part Four: Becoming a Peacemaker 31. Middle East Unrest: Challenges and Opportunities 32. Stop the Insanity of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 33. When We Expand the Vocabulary of Peace We Expand the Possibilities of Peace 34. Service is the Highest Form of Patriotism 35. Become a Peace Ambassador 36. A Story of Bereaved Mother 37. What Makes a True Peace Leader? 38. A Visit to Jerusalem 39. Invitation for Action: Spread the Light of Peace Epilogue