Abdul Rahman Abbad is an Arab
Palestinian Muslim who lost his home and became a refugee as a
result of the war in 1948. He then lived 30 years in a refugee
camp near Bethlehem (ten years of which he lived in a tent with
his entire family). He is now a professor of Arabic literature
at the University of Ramallah, and an executive of the High Council
of the Ulema (Muslim religious leaders) of Jerusalem and Palestine.
These days we don't hear much about Jews and Palestinians coming
together for anything more than fighting, arguing, and often killing
one another. In a divided country gripped in a fight-to-the-death
for territory and religious supremacy, these two men have overcome
the odds of ever envisioning life together on a land belonging
not to men, but to God, the owner and creator of all.
When asked how he could possibly entertain the idea of interacting
with any Jew in light of what he and his family have suffered,
Rahman simply said the thought kept circling in his head that
the only way to solve this problem was to make friends. With this
thought in mind, his goal became that of seeking out a Jew with
whom to become close. The opportunity finally arrived at a conference
where he and Jeremy met 18 years ago.
Together Jeremy and Rahman have carved out a model path together
toward peace, participating in numerous initiatives for dialogue,
peacemaking, and cooperation. Willing to risk all for their joint
commitment, Jeremy voluntarily went to jail with his soulmate
when only Rahman was arrested for taking part in an initiative
for peace where Palestinians were forbidden. |
