Sixteen members of the organisation “Combatants for Peace” will be taking part in special events in Exeter (6 September), Totnes (7th) and London (9th) as part of the group’s ongoing work to turn people in the Israeli-Palestinian situation away from violence. 

 

Combatants for Peace, which was founded in 2005, is composed of numerous former combatants from both sides who now tour Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and other parts of the world to tell their personal stories of turning their backs on violence.

 

The organisation, which includes former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and former members of Palestinian armed groups, stages special events using dialogue and innovative reconciliation methods, including “forum theatre” designed to find new solutions to entrenched situations of conflict and oppression.

 

Two members of Combatants for Peace on the visit are Nour Shehadeh, 41, a former leader of his local Fatah military wing who was arrested and detained by the Israeli authorities several times, and Itamar Feigenbaum, 40, a former IDF soldier in the paratroopers brigade who served in Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the 1990s. Both are available for interview.

 

The short tour is arranged by Combatants for Peace’s UK Representative Ben Yeger, in association with Amnesty International UK, The Forgiveness Project and The Schumacher College.

 

For interviews with members of Combatants for Peace, or Amnesty, please contact the Amnesty International UK media unit.

Events will be taking place at the following venues:

 

Tuesday 6 September, 7.30pm: The Mint Methodist Church, Fore Street, Exeter EX4 3AT

Wednesday 7 September, 7.30pm: Totnes Civic Hall, Market Square, Totnes TQ9 5SF

Friday 9 September, 7pm: Amnesty International UK, Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA (booking information at: www.amnesty.org.uk/events_details.asp?ID=1923 )

 

For further information: www.encounters-arts.org.uk br />