By David Crary and Luis Andres Henao
The escalation of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is dismaying American Muslims and Jews who’ve been working to build bridges between their communities and are now struggling to quell fear and anger in their own circles.
“We’re heartbroken,” said Muslim attorney Atiya Aftab, the New Jersey-based co-founder of a major interfaith group, the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom. She added that the situation threatens to derail the group’s work.
The organization, which seeks to build trust and friendships between Muslim and Jewish women and teenage girls, issued a statement regretting the “violent response” by Hamas, the Islamic militant group ruling Gaza, but was more expansive and forceful in condemning actions by Israeli security forces.
“The Israeli government has a responsibility to stop settlers and extremists from taking over the land and allow those who live in East Jerusalem to rightfully live there in peace,” the group said. “As Muslim and Jewish women of faith … we have a responsibility to rise up and respond to injustice and prejudice.”
Read the rest of David Crary and Luis Andres Henao report at The Associated Press ››