For more than a dozen reasons, my passion for the Palestine/Israel issue comes naturally:

• I was born in Beirut to a Lebanese mother and a Palestinian father. In April 1948, while my mother was pregnant with me, they had been driven from their home in Jerusalem. My father’s family roots in Gaza go back to the 14^th century.

• I have studied this issue most of my adult life. I have a master’s degree in history with a concentration in the Middle East and a thesis on Zionism.

• Since 9-11-01, I have been deeply involved with activist groups locally, nationally and internationally. Our church, Ravensworth Baptist Church in Annandale, Va., has had a Holy Land Peacemaking Group for seven years. My wife and I have led three groups to Israel and Palestine. Last year, our pastor, Steve Hyde, spent two months of his sabbatical studying and traveling in Israel and Palestine. His wife, my wife and I joined him in Ramallah during the second month.

• After my retirement, I accepted a position as executive director of United Palestinian Appeal, a 32-year-old humanitarian charity that provides support for Palestinians still living in Gaza, the West Bank and refugee camps.

• As an American I have been deeply affected by the myths about this conflict. We have heard these myths so often that we don’t question their truthfulness. Such things as “Palestine is a land without people for a people without a land” and “Israel is the only democracy in the region” and “Palestinians are terrorists” and “Israel has no partner in the peace process” etc., etc. Americans have to work very hard to find complete and textured stories about the situation. U.S. media often does not cover the story adequately or evenhandedly. There is a strong pro-Israeli bias, with a crippling lack of open discussion that doesn’t include all the narratives.

• As a Christian, I am passionate about following Jesus. Jesus was passionate about healing the world. Jesus’ ministry during his life reflects the Jewish prophets’ call to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” During my trips to Palestine, I have seen firsthand the blatant and intentional injustices that exist there. I have witnessed the inhumane effects of the harsh 43-year-old Israeli military occupation, which is reminiscent of the Roman occupation of Palestine during Jesus’ lifetime. I cannot stand by and do nothing.

The staff of the Love Thy Neighbor Ramallah office is developing an ambitious schedule of activities to hone the peacemaking skills of this year’s participants and build a broader base of young Palestinian leaders who use nonviolent principals and strategies. Leading up to the October 2010 training, LTN will conduct four nonviolence Kingian workshops that utilize nonviolence conflict reconciliation education and training resources based on the philosophy espoused by Martin Luther King Jr. Two extended field trips also are planned to areas of the West Bank where — despite being heavily impacted by the Israeli occupation and settler violence — the affected Palestinians have chosen to use active nonviolent responses to the injustices they are experiencing. Because the occupation severely limits Palestinians’ ability to move within their own territories, these field trips provide prospective leaders with an important opportunity to learn what other like-minded people are doing, network with each other, and provide encouragement and support to efforts designed to nonviolently resist the occupation.

The 2^nd annual Nonviolence Leadership Training, scheduled for the early part of October 2010, will be either in Ramallah or Bethlehem. In addition to the usual basic training, plans are being made for evening events that will include guest speakers, films and live performances. Day trips to see nonviolent efforts and speak with Palestinian leaders are also being organized.