THE SALEM INITIATIVE
A transnational campaign to defend and empower civil peacemakers in Arab lands.
Legislative & Political Action
On both sides of the Atlantic, the Salem Initiative fosters legislative and political action to protect citizens of Arab countries who pay a price for advocating Arab-Israeli peace.
Advocacy
When Arab civil peacemakers face retribution, the Salem Initiative brings local, regional, and international solidarity and support to bear in defending them.
Empowerment
The Salem Initiative serves as a hub of support for development programs waged by the same civic actors across historical barriers of conflict.
Protecting Civil Peacemakers From Retribution
Ali Salem meets with a representative of the Israeli NGO Mothers and Women for Peace, Cairo, 1998.
The August 2020 accord between the UAE and Israel brings new hope for a peace between peoples: it calls for civil engagement between the two societies and further diplomatic breakthroughs across the region. Despite this promise, daunting challenges await citizens of most Arab countries who wish to meet or partner with their Israeli neighbors. These include draconian laws prescribing prison or death for human contact with Israelis, as well as extra-judicial retribution for the same purported “crime” — meted out by numerous Arab governments, Tehran, and their respective proxies.
The Salem Initiative, a partnership with the Arab Council for Regional Integration, supports a transnational effort to clear a path for civil peace by breaking down these barriers. It is named in memory of Ali Salem (1936-2015), an Egyptian playwright who braved decades of blacklisting and incitement for building bridges between his people and their Israeli neighbors.
Legislative & Political Action
Despite the promise of new peace accords, numerous Arab states maintain draconian laws prescribing prison or death for human contact with Israeli citizens, while extremists mete out extra-judicial retribution for the same “offense.” The Salem Initiative supports Arab and international efforts to end such laws and practices and enact protections for those who run afoul of them.
Advocacy
Arab civil peacemakers view reconciliation and development as intrinsically linked: peace brings the promise of solving old problems with new partners. Historically denied the tools to connect and coordinate across borders, they need formidable assistance and support. The Salem Initiative provides a home and a hub for their aspirations.
Empowerment
