Ibtisam Mahameed's Page

Profile Information

Favorite website: http://ibtisammahameed.wordpress.com/

When it comes to peace, how would you describe yourself?: I am a 'born again' activist

What do you believe are the 'burning issues' today?: War, Poverty, Education, Violence

What must we overcome to achieve peace?: Hatred

More: I want everyone to live in peace, every religion next to the other, because it is not the purpose of the religion to ask people to kill eachother. As I say, we are different, different in the religion, in the culture, but it does not mean that we have to be at war all the time. We can manage. We can get to know each other.

Can we change the world?: Definitely

More about me: My name is Ibtisam Mahammed, and I am an Israeli Palestinian. I live in Fureidis, in the North, but my family is originally from Tantura, a village which was completely destroyed in the 1948 war.
I am married and I have three children, and I have been working as a peace activist for about ten years. I focus my work on creating bounds between Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land, in order to achieve peace. I also work to promote the rights of Arab women, who are often discriminated in a society dominated my men.

I started working as a peacemaker after an incident that happened in the bus in Israel. At the time, I used to dress like the modern Israelis. I got in the bus, and as soon as I started talking in Arabic on the phone, the driver asked me to get off the bus, without any reasons. When I refused, arguing that she was Israeli and had every right to be there, the bus driver called the police, who also asked her to get off the bus. After this story, I decided to go back to the religion and to wear traditional clothes, since being dressed as an Israeli was not helping me to integrate.

I lead or contribute to many projects with different peace organizations, like the Women's Empowerment project, which aims at organizing courses for the Arab women of Fureidis. I work with Emun-Trust, the organization of my dear friend Elana Rozenman to empower women's rights. My main project lately has been the building of my own peace center in Fureidis, where I live, the Hagar and Sarah Peace Center. I also work with Anwar, we organize every month a Women's Parliament to talk about a lot of issues, and I work with the Women's Interfaith Encounter, to organize meetings between people from different religions, to talk about religion. I am also part of the Women's Partnership for Peace in the Middle East, and I also contribute to projects with Shatil.

Promise to respect others and refrain from spamming?: Yes

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Ibtisam Mahameed's Blog

Women peace gathering

Posted on March 24, 2009 at 1:30pm 0 Comments 0 Likes

Today, Ibtisam went to her friend’s, Elana Rozenmann, where a peace women gathering took place. Ibtisam and Elana have been working together for years now, and as Ibtisam said, “we are like sisters now”. Elana is the director of Trust-Emun, an organization founded in 2006 which promotes non-violence and dialogue between different communities. She works with Israeli Jews, Muslims, Druze, Christians and Palestinians in order to achieve reconciliation and peace, through events, gatherings,… Continue

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At 2:44pm on June 25, 2009, Chetana said…: On your birthday I wish you much pleasure and joy;
I hope all of your wishes come true.
May each hour and minute be filled with delight,
And your birthday be perfect for you!

At 5:30am on June 25, 2009, Motorcycle Hippy Al said…: Ibtisam,

At 11:01am on June 24, 2009, s <3 said…

At 7:46pm on May 17, 2009, esoldier said…: Hi
i'm jash from india
i am a film student

i have made a video on world peace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly4bDl0ulf4

Plz watch it and comment and rate it!!! ON YOUTUBE

Plz show it to your friends and loved ones

please add this video to your blog/website/myspace/facebook account

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