February 6, 2007
By Bradley Burston

It took the Palestinians 40 years to become disillusioned with Fatah.

It has taken them one year to become disaffected from Hamas.

It took Israelis a matter of days to lose their belief in Ehud Olmert and Amir Peretz.

Our leaders are, to a one, last in war, last in peace and last in the hearts of their countrymen.

If peace is ever to be brought back from the dead, therefore, we must look elsewhere for the rescuers.

The intent of this piece is to afford a measure of visibility to individuals and groups who are actively - and non-violently - working for peace between Jews and Arabs, between Israelis and their neighbors the Palestinians, the Syrians, the Lebanese and others.

Please use the talkback feature to discuss projects and individuals whom they believe are making a positive contribution to the possibility of a future peace.

Readers' contributions will be added to the following list, which is a sample of peace efforts currently underway.

This is not intended as an endorsement of the work of these groups and individuals. It does not pretend to be in any respect, reprepresentative or complete.

It is an opportunity for recognition, and for wider awareness of their work:

• Ameinu
• Ariga
• Bat Shalom
• Brit Tzedek v'Shalom
• B'Tselem
• Combatants for Peace
• Geneva Initiative
• Gush Shalom
• Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
• Israeli Palestinian Bereaved Families for Peace
• Just Vision
• MidEastWeb
• One Voice
• Peace Now
• Rabbis for Human Rights
• Ta'ayush
• Tikkun
• The Jewish Peace Lobby
• The People's Voice
• Women in Black
• Zaytoun

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Recent blogs:

• Zionists out
• When Jihad says 'Kiss, make up, and kill the Jews'
• The silence when Arabs kill other Arabs
• Occupation: It's horrid, but it's not apartheid

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The guiding principles of the talkback forum for this article will be mutual respect and openness to dialogue. Participants, even if they rule out, dismiss or oppose coexistence, must, within the confines of this forum, practice it.

Censorship will be unapologetic.

Political orientation will have absolutely no bearing on whether a comment is posted or rejected.

The following will be grounds for deletion:

1. Racist remarks, as well as slurs on the basis of religion, ethnicity and gender.
2. Use of the terms Nazi, Hitler, to describe the actions and policies of Israelis, Palestinians or other parties to the Israel-Arab conflict.
3. Disparaging remarks, personal attacks, vulgarities and profanities directed at other participants in the forum.
4. Advocacy of violence against individuals or religious, ethnic or racial groups, including statements which may be construed as urging attacks on leaders, officials, security forces or civilians.