Growing up in East Jerusalem during the Second Intifada, Mai Shahin’s childhood wasn’t easy. She was stopped and held by soldiers on her way to school. She saw home raids and increased separation. Even after she joined peace protests during those early years, she saw violent clashes with the military in the streets, and support for violent resistance was growing. But a job working as a translator showed Mai a challenging world, the world of Combatants for Peace. Founded by former armed combatants, Combatants for Peace calls for a different approach. Learn more in our latest interview with Mai Shahin.

This episode was produced and edited by Yoshi Fields. Groundwork is produced by Elisheva Goldberg, Nick Acosta, Yoshi Fields, Julie Subrin, and Dina Kraft. Theme music by System Ali. This show is a joint production between the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) and New Israel Fund. You can learn more about them on their websites www.allmep.org and www.nif.org. On this podcast, hosts and guests express their views. These do not necessarily reflect the official views or stances of the organizations.