Sadaka Education Resource

‘Palestine & Israel – How will there be a Just Peace?'

Sadaka Education Pack ‘Palestine & Israel –
How will there be a Just Peace?'

Produced as a joint initiative between Sadaka and the Curriculum Development Unit 'Education for Reconciliation Project'.

This resource is intended to support young people in critically exploring conflict and peace building within a framework of Human Rights and International Law. Looking specifically at the Palestinian/ Israeli situation, the resource provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge and understanding, develop their skills of critical analysis, and share the experiences of those working towards a peaceful outcome. Using a variety of active learning methodologies, the resource enables students to:

Understand the origins of the situation and the current barriers to peace
Learn about the role of international law and the United Nations in protecting human rights
Experience the work of peace activists, both Palestinian and Israeli
Develop their own peace proposals

The current situation between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples is one of the critical international conflicts of our time. It is central to political developments and divisions in the Middle East, influences politics in the United States, features strongly in EU foreign policy, and is a key consideration in Iran’s relationship to the West. Understanding this situation is therefore key to understanding many of the factors which influence global political developments. Analysing the on-going peace process provides a greater understanding of the nature of peace building and of how conflicts can be resolved with justice.

This resource is an important development in helping post-primary students throughout the island of Ireland to explore the Palestinian Israeli situation within the context of Human Rights and International Law. The resource addresses key issues underlying the origins of the conflict and current obstacles to bringing about a just peace.

'Palestine & Israel – How will there be a Just Peace?' was produced as a joint initiative between Sadaka and the CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit ‘Education for Reconciliation’ Initiative. It is available for use as an education resource through Ireland - through Citizenship Education in Transition Year (South) and Key Stage 4 (Northern Ireland).

'Palestine & Israel – How will there be a Just Peace?' was launched by Roger Waters (founding member of Pink Floyd) together with the authors, Sadaka board members and members of the CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit, at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin on 17th September 2013.

‘I believe when young people see the suffering of others, they have a natural instinct to help, but often don’t know what to do. This valuable resource will give them the knowledge, which brings confidence and courage, to seek solutions based on nonviolence and human rights. It is a necessary tool of education for young people living in an age fast moving from the false belief that violence and war works, to one based on the law of love, dialogue and International Law’.

Mairéad Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate, co-founder Peace People, Ireland.