Our chaver and blog contributor, Hillel Schenker, co-editor of the Palestine-Israel Journal, has been honored in London, along with his Palestinian colleague, Ziad AbuZayyad. We add our hearty congratulatory mazal tov to the many accolades for both of them. The following is the PIJ’s press release and a video of the ceremony:
Hillel Schenker On May 5th, Palestine-Israel Journal co-editors Ziad AbuZayyad and Hillel Schenker were awarded THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AWARDS Outstanding Contribution to Peace Award by the International Media Council of the Next Century Foundation based in London.
They were presented with this accolade at a packed gala ceremony at the Oxford & Cambridge Club in London, hosted by Lord Stone, with the presence of a very distinguished audience representing the elite media society in the UK, prominent public figures, leaders of the Jewish and Arab communities in London and diplomats including ambassadors of Palestine, Jordan and several other countries.
William Morris, the Secretary General of the Next Century Foundation, told reporters that AbuZayyad and Schenker were presented with the award in recognition of their “determination to shed light on the complex issues dividing Palestine and Israel…[their] work encourages peace and promotes rapprochement in this most difficult of arenas”. The award was given “in recognition of their continuing efforts to counter the dissembling that would otherwise increase levels of misunderstanding in today’s world, and to encourage freedom and tolerance,…and in acknowledgment of the way in which high standards of editing are a means towards reaching a more harmonious and concordant world without its present plagues of fear and violence…”In his opening remarks, AbuZayyad noted that this event is taking place while at this very moment thousands of Palestinians prisoners are on hunger strike for several weeks. Some of them are facing serious threat to their lives, and he expressed his demand to put an end to their inhuman life conditions before it is too late. He said that he holds the Israeli government responsible for any tragic development that may occur. “In spite of all difficulties, I do believe in the importance of public opinion, and in continuing relentless efforts to change public opinion for the sake of peace. Neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis will make the other disappear, and the only option is making peace. The Palestinians are open for either a one state or two states, but the occupation must come to an end” he concluded.
Schenker noted that the PIJ is a unique Israeli-Palestinian joint venture. “Even during the darkest periods of Israeli-Palestinian relations, filled with conflict and fighting, the co-editors, staff and editorial board have remained committed to continuing to work together to produce quarterly issues which deal in an innovative manner with all of the central issues on the joint Israeli-Palestinian agenda. We are determined to continue to provide tools for our target audience of students, academics, researchers, NGO activists, opinion and decisions-makers, in the Middle East and throughout the world.”
Here’s the YouTube video of the award ceremony:
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