Peace Between Israeli and Palestinian Soldiers

120 FORMER ISRAELI, PALESTINIAN COMBATANTS START PEACE DRIVEREUTERS - After a year of meeting in secret, 120 former Israel Defense Forces combat soldiers and Palestinian militants unveiled a unique peace group on Monday, hopeful their union will spur dialogue and end bloodshed. Formation of the "Combatants for Peace" is a rare sign ofcomradeship at a time when separation increasingly characterizes relations between Israelis and Palestinians. . .In a school yard in the Palestinian town of Anata north of Jerusalem,former enemies exchanged handshakes and hugs as they inaugurated what they called the first joint group of its type. . . The former combatants have been meeting for a year in different towns around Jerusalem after founders on both sides decided to do something to tryto foster peace.But they kept the group's existence secret to first build trust at gatherings where emotions often spilled over as both sides told stories of what they had done in the conflict. . .The group aims to put pressure on both governments to talk peace, halt violence and establish a Palestinian state. They plan to visit Israeli and Palestinian schools and universities and set up joint media teams to influence public opinion. {For more go to} http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/704675.html