Hosted by Kosha Joubert. Produced by J'aime Rothbard

Combatants for Peace was founded in 2006 by Israelis and Palestinians committed to following a path of non-violence to push their leaders to stop perpetuating war, occupation, and the cycle of violence.

In this episode, Kosha Joubert speaks with Rana Salman and Eszter Korányi, the organisation's respective Palestinian and Israeli co-directors, about what it's been like to continue jointly advocating for peace since the horrendous Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 and subsequent mass killing of civilians caused by Israel's subsequent bombardment of Gaza.

In a dialogue recorded several weeks after a U.N. commission found that Israel's actions in Gaza amounted to genocide, and days after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took hold, Rana and Eszter spoke about the courage it takes to follow the principles of non-violent resistance in the face of enormous pressures on both sides.

Rana and Eszter also discussed the significance of the annual Joint Memorial Ceremony and the Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony their organisation stages each year, and their hopes of drawing more attention to the dedicated work of Israelis and Palestinians working together to change their current reality.

This conversation offers a moving insight into both the monumental challenges of peacebuilding work, and the stubborn sense of the possible that sustains two of its most dedicated practitioners – even in the most desperate of conditions.

This conversation was first published as part of the Collective Trauma Summit 2025.

Further Resources:

Combatants for Peace

Palestinian Trauma Relief (Pocket Project)

Jewish Trauma Relief (Pocket Project)

About Rana Salman:

Rana Salman is the Palestinian Co-CEO of Combatants for Peace, a role she has held since 2020. Born in Jerusalem and raised under Israeli military occupation in Bethlehem, her experiences drive her commitment to building a just and lasting peace through dialogue, nonviolent resistance, and fostering mutual respect between Palestinians and Israelis.

About Eszter Korányi:

Eszter Korányi is a passionate nonprofit leader with extensive experience in youth education and community development. Her journey working with NGOs has taken her across Italy, the Netherlands, and Israel, where she now co-directs Combatants for Peace alongside Rana Salman.

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