"The heart of the solution can be found at the heart of the problem."
– Rabbi Menachem Froman ZT”L
WHO ARE WE?
POHAP is a grassroots organization of Palestinians and Israelis — dedicated to building coexistence through interdependent economy while fostering personal interaction and friendship between people and communities.
VISION
POHAP envisions a land in which Israelis and Palestinians have built the trust necessary to live together with dignity, peace, and security. We build partnerships between local communities sharing common infrastructures, environments, economies, and resources. We strive for enhanced tourism, ecology, science, technology, and cultural interaction.
MISSION
POHAP promotes personal interaction between Palestinians and Israelis. We advance joint economic and social projects that create strong ties between different groups in the land.
Promoting Coexistence Between Neighboring Communities
The Husan, Beitar Illit & Tzur Hadassah Model
Communication and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians, developing regional coexistence and mutually beneficial prosperity.
Dialogue between community and leaders from both sides.
Engaging religious leaders to support the process and spread messages of peace.
Strengthening Israeli-Palestinian trade relations – local produce, industry, building materials, and more.
Coordination with the Israeli Civil Administration.
Promoting Israeli tourism in Palestinian towns, and enabling Palestinians to visit Israel.
Standing together against violence, for a strong and secure neighborhood.
Sharing photos and videos on social media, to spread the word and attract support.
Additional important guidelines:
- Non-involvement of political entities with impure interests in the process.
- Peace is built from the ground up through direct friendly acquaintance between residents of both sides.
- Internalization and dissemination of the importance of peace and cooperation between the residents of the Palestinian and Israeli villages.
Expanding and implementing the model in new areas
- Identifying new potential areas that might be a good fit for the model.
- Searching local opinion leaders (also through social networks and tour guides).
- Guiding and mentoring through the process till the implementation.
You Can Help Lots Of People By Donating Little. See Our Projects
Coexistence Tourism
Coexistence Tourism We promote authentic guided tours in Palestinian towns and villages and also coordinate and connect between the local Palestinian guides who independently organize and held them and people who are interested in visiting. These tours are attended by groups and individuals from various backgrounds, including nature-loving Israelis, businessmen, tourists, peace-seekers, agricultural enthusiasts, foreign...
Social Tours – Israeli and Palestinian Women
Connecting between Palestinian and Israeli women. Women tours and meetings that aim to strengthen the bonds and connections between different groups. It provides a platform for learning about other cultures through meeting one another and traveling together. We believe that such experience enriches and expands the participants' views. Furthermore, it makes it possible to understand...
Israeli-Palestinian Entrepreneurship
Assistance in building business plans for local small businesses
Prize Winners
2021 IIE Goldberg Prize Winners: Ziad Sabateen and Phil Saunders Coexistent Communities Project
A Palestinian and an Israeli who have succeeded in bringing the communities of Tzur Hadassah (secular and national-religious Israeli Jews) and Beitar Illit (ultra-Orthodox Israeli Jews) together with the town of Husan (Palestinian Muslims) in a remarkable cultural transformation which has reversed decades of animosity, to instead establish strong bonds of friendship and mutually beneficial economic relations.
