Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution 36/37, the General Assembly has declared September 21 as a day devoted to “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.”

Despite numerous attempts by different US administrations, the United Nations and the international community to promote peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, for over seven decades all these attempts have failed.

The UN General Assembly Res. 181 in 1947, the U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 in 1967, the Camp David Accords in 1973, the Madrid Conference in 1991, the Oslo Accords in 1993, the Camp David Summit in 2000 and most recently the Bahrain Conference in 2019 tried different tactics to bring about peace. From land for peace, two states, economic development to the deal of the century, the one missing ingredient from all these recipes was Justice for the Palestinians.

Quoting a Palestinian woman describing peace in a way that most leaders, mediators and negotiators failed to do, she says:

“Peace is a state of well-being.

Peace is the presence of social justice and the respect for human rights.

Peace is the absence of war, poverty and hunger.

Peace is the freedom from sickness and disease.

Peace is having employment and hope for our future …

Peace is having no fear to assemble, to worship, to publish and to say the truth …

Peace is being accepted, without barriers based on age, class, gender, race, religion or nationality.

Peace is harmony that carries with it the experience of struggle, the endurance of suffering and the strength of love.”

Today at 12:00 noon, join us and billions of your fellow humans around the world in a moment of silence in celebration of International Day of Peace.