The Jerusalem Link is the
coordinating body of two independent women's
centers: Bat Shalom—The Jerusalem Women's
Action Center, located in West Jerusalem,
and Marcaz al-Quds la l-Nissah—The Jerusalem
Center for Women, located in East Jerusalem.
In 1989, a meeting was convened in Brussels
between prominent Israeli and Palestinian
women peace activists. The meeting initiated
an on-going dialogue that in 1994 resulted
in the establishment of THE JERUSALEM LINK
composed of two women's organizations—BAT
SHALOM on the Israeli side, and the JERUSALEM
CENTER FOR WOMEN on the Palestinian side.
The two organizations share a set of political
principles, which serve as the foundation
for a cooperative model of co-existence
between our respective peoples.
Each organization is autonomous and takes
its own national constituency as its primary
responsibility—but together we promote a
joint vision of a just peace, democracy,
human rights, and women's leadership. Mandated
to advocate for peace and justice between
Israel and Palestine, we believe a viable
solution of the conflict between our two
peoples must be based on recognition of
the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination
and an independent state alongside the state
of Israel, Jerusalem as the capital of both
states, and a final settlement of all relevant
issues based on international law.
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