On Tuesday, November 18, the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship (CPGC) hosted its third event with Combatants for Peace (CFP), a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization that works to foster dialogue and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. The previous two events involved a screening of There is Another Way, a documentary about CFP’s activism following the events of October 7th, the war in Gaza, and rising violence in the West Bank. During the second event in March 2025, Jonathan Evans ’77 and Swarthmore Professor Sa’ed Atshan also gave a presentation about Quaker peace-building organizations in the Middle East. This most recent event was co-sponsored by the Departments of Religion and Peace, Justice, and Human Rights (PJHR), Quaker Affairs, the Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Division, and the newly-formed Kim Institute for Ethical Inquiry and Leadership.
The discussion was moderated by CPGC student associate Anika Venezia ’27 and Lori Ackerman BMC’27, a co-founder of Bi-Co Atidna. Bi-Co Atidna is a chapter of Atidna International, a student-led grassroots dialogue and action group that promotes awareness about Palestine and Israel.
The CFP speakers were Noa Harrel, the Israeli General Coordinator, and Nimala Karoufeh, the Palestinian Freedom School Manager.
Harrel described CFP as a joint movement founded in 2006 by former Israeli and Palestinian combatants with the goal of strengthening relations between Israeli and Palestinian communities to promote peaceful coexistence. Originally founded by men, the organization is now majority women. CFP’s philosophy is grounded in “co-resistance,” which Harrel defined as a nonviolent response to the Israeli occupation. Its programs include educational initiatives, public tours in the West Bank, and supporting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest by assisting them with olive picking, an act of solidarity during a period of heightened violence and destruction against people and property in the olive fields.
Harrel also discussed two annual events that members of CFP participate in. One is the Joint Memorial Day ceremony, which has sparked debate in Israel as it coincides with Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. The second ceremony is the Joint Nakbah Remembrance ceremony, which commemorates the displacement of Palestinians that began in 1948. These ceremonies represent one of the many ways CFP advocates for a joint approach to peace and acknowledgement of trauma.
Both speakers discussed their personal journeys into peace activism. Harrel stated that she grew up in “a family of peace activists,” yet she did not encounter many Palestinians in her youth. “We shared the stereotypes [against each other] because we had never met in person,” she said. Although she served in the Israeli Navy as a sailing conductor, she did not participate in direct combat. Her engagement in organized peace work began in 2016 after watching Disturbing the Peace, a documentary about CFP, with her aunt. For her, this was a “life-changing experience” that led her to join the movement as a general coordinator.
Harrel also spoke about the challenges CFP and similar organizations have faced since October 7th. While many peace organizations dissolved due to internal conflict, CFP was able to continue its work by prioritizing openness and nonjudgment, and resumed its joint programs by December of that year. She added that Israeli media frequently obscures the extent of violence in Gaza, contributing to false narratives that can cause disagreement within organizations.
Karoufeh shared her perspective as a Christian Palestinian from Beit Jala, a predominantly Christian town in the West Bank. Her family has been “politically separated” since she was sixteen years old: her father and siblings live in Beit Jala, while she and her mother live in Jerusalem. She recalled meeting Israeli customers at her grandmother’s shop but not fully understanding the ongoing conflict until the Second Intifada began in 2000.
By this point, violence in the West Bank had become far more overt. She explains that her growing awareness of the conflict caused her to participate in demonstrations against the Israeli occupation. In 2005, she underwent nonviolent resistance training, which she described as a “transformative moment” that led her to her current work. As the manager of the Palestinian Freedom School, she works with young adults aged 18-26, helping them strengthen conflict-resolution skills and leading workshops focused on identity and understanding different narratives. Harrell also briefly highlighted the complementary CFP Israeli Freedom School. Karoufeh concluded the formal discussion by emphasizing her faith in younger generations: “I believe in the youth, they are half of the present, but they have the full future.”
During the Q&A session, Ackerman and Venezia asked, “When you encounter members of your own community who disagree with your work, how do you respond and what is your message?”
Karoufeh replied that CFP’s efforts are best directed toward collective liberation rather than attempting to persuade those who do not believe in their cause. Harrel expressed a similar sentiment and recounted being called a “traitor” by Israelis outside CFP. She noted her response is often: “I work in the interests of my country as much as I do for the joint well-being of our countries.” She emphasized that non-violent strategies are necessary to ensure peaceful relations across Israel and Palestine.
When asked how students living outside of Israel and Palestine can support their work, Karoufeh urged supporters to see both Israelis and Palestinians as “human beings” rather than opposing sides. Harrel cautioned against communities positioning Israelis and Palestinians as “binary” categories; she encouraged global youth not to be “pro-Israel or pro-Palestine,” but to be “pro-peace.” Karoufeh reiterated that the conflict is “not about them or us; it’s about all,” while Harrel encouraged people to “look at the suffering and needs of both sides.”
Ackerman and Venezia then opened the Q&A to the full audience. Assistant Professor of Economics Shannon Mudd asked how CFP supports those coping with trauma. Both Karoufeh and Harrel explained that the organization creates safe spaces for women and youth to process their trauma during crisis workshops. Karoufeh also described her personal spiritual journey and how she uses spirituality as a foundation for nonviolence, helping others reclaim their sense of agency.
Karoufeh and Harrel also answered questions about similar global conflicts and President Trump’s Gaza peace plan, recently endorsed by the United Nations Security Council. While emphasizing that no conflict is truly comparable, they noted that lessons can be learned from other ethno-nationalist conflicts and human rights abuses, including the Troubles in Northern Ireland, apartheid in South Africa, and the Yugoslav wars. Harrel added that identifying these parallels can help inform approaches to the situation in Israel and Palestine. She also critiqued the shortcomings of Trump’s current plan but acknowledged that it is currently the only official proposal. Her ideal peace plan, she said, would include clear communication with affected communities to identify their needs.
Asked about CFP’s successes, Harrel said the organization has succeeded in “bringing people together and showing the world that it is possible to work together.” Karoufeh added that “being together is a big threat to the extreme right-wing Israelis,” suggesting that collaboration itself is a form of progress.
In their closing remarks, Harrel and Karoufeh reflected on CFP’s evolution from a predominantly male organization to one that is now women-led. Harrel said that “mothers give life and take care of life,” making them more inclined to prioritize food, health, education, and the environment over military strategy. Karoufeh ended the event with her hope for a Middle East without war, envisioning a region where everyone can live safely and travel freely.
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