Meet Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon. This is the story of an Israeli and a Palestinian, each of whom lost close family to this conflict, and what they chose to do with that loss.
It’s the same struggle we all know, not being pulled into reactivity, but under emotional and societal pressure far beyond anything most of us will ever face.
Aziz Abu Sarah, who lost his brother from injuries sustained through torture in an Israeli prison, reached out to Maoz Inon in the rawest days: after his parents were killed on October 7. He did so because he believed that, in the darkest moments, people who believe in peace need to find each other.
What followed was not the erasure of grief or anger. The feelings are still there. What is different is what Aziz and Maoz did with them. They went beyond the response that history and pain seemed to demand. Instead of seeking revenge, they advocate for peace and co-wrote the best-seller The Future Is Peace.
In this conversation, they discuss overcoming fear and tribal loyalty, and offer a practical framework for how shared vision and active engagement can build lasting peace.
Maoz Inon is an Israeli peace activist, social entrepreneur, and author. Having lost his parents on October 7, he transformed his personal grief into a commitment to nonviolence and reconciliation. He is the multi-award-winning founder of several tourism initiatives designed to build bridges, including Abraham Hostel & Tours and the Jesus Trail. His human rights work has been recognized globally with honors such as the Franco-German Human Rights Prize.
Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian peacebuilder, entrepreneur, author, National Geographic Explorer, and TED Fellow. Driven by the tragic loss of his older brother, Tayseer, who died from injuries sustained while imprisoned as a teenager, Aziz dedicated his life to conflict resolution and citizen diplomacy. He co-founded MEJDI Tours to pioneer transformative travel and has received honors from the United Nations and the Institute of International Education.
Together, Aziz and Maoz co-authored the book The Future Is Peace and serve as co-executive directors of InterAct International, a non-profit organization dedicated to Middle East peace that works to inspire, teach, and support communities in Palestine, Israel, and globally.
See website for the book: The Future Is Peace.
Podcast: Download (24.8MB)
