Delegation of Christians, Jews and Muslims visit the Triangle: 'To bring people together'
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- As fears grow that the increasing strikes and counter-strikes between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah will escalate into all-out war, a special delegation of young people visited the Triangle on Monday, working to shape what they call a "new Middle East."
The non-governmental organization (NGO), Sharaka, is traveling the world aiming to forge understanding and cooperation among citizens of Middle Eastern countries in the wake of the Abraham Accords, the peace agreement signed in 2020 between Israel, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
Sharaka is an Arabic word for partnership. The NGO comprises small groups of Christians, Jews, and Muslims from Middle Eastern countries. The delegation stopped by the ABC11 studios in Raleigh, on Monday morning en route to a discussion at the Rotary Club of Durham.
The group included Ashley Waxman. Her 20-year-old cousin, Agam Berger, was kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack and is still being held captive.
"My victory over terrorism is to not let them win and to be here with my Muslim and Christian Arab friends and say we're not going to let hate win," Waxman told ABC 11.
Fatema Al Harbi is another member of the delegation. The Bahrain-born author and self-described peace ambassador described the mission as a means "To bring people together, to have people-to-people relations between Israelis and Abraham Accords countries. We try to bring people together -- Christians, Muslims from all these countries and also beyond."
The Sharaka delegates were accompanied by Anat Sultan-Dadon, the Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States.
ABC11 asked the consul general about the prospect of peace as the world nears the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.
"Peace is a choice to be made," Sultan-Dadon told ABC 11. "There is always hope. What we need to see is courageous leadership that is choosing a better future for their people rather than choosing destruction; rather than choosing hate
