Activist brings peace billboard back from Israel

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"A colorful new billboard urging peace in the Middle East had already made a a lasting impression for the cause long before it was posted recently on Interstate 95 in Stratford.

The 48-foot-long billboard depicts an Israeli and a Palestinian soldier, tossing their guns aside and moving toward a handshake, with the words: "Make Peace, end the occupation." There are children on both sides.

The billboard, drawn by local artist Russell Rainbolt at the direction of Bruce Barrett, co-owner of Barrett Outdoor Communications Inc., was flown to Bethlehem last month and painted by Iraeli and Palestinian children, most of whom had never met anyone of the other persuasion because of the years of bitter fighting. Also painting were adult members of Combatants for Peace, a group of former Israeli soldiers and Palestinian armed resistors who believe nonviolence is the only effective route to peace.

Barrett, founder of the group, "I Wage Peace," oversaw the painting of the billboard and brought a documentary film crew along to film the event and interview people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank territory.

"We connected with people, we brought people together and we got a dialogue going in the U.S.," Barrett said. "We need to listen to the pain and fear of both sides, not just the Israelis, but the fear of the Palestinians... You can’t be a broker for peace if you don’t acknowledge both sides."

http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18511575&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517514&rfi=6

[Tom Joad]

1. The website where you can see the billboard is ....

http://www.iwagepeace.org/

They have an anti-torture campaign too, it seems. so i think these people would be considered "far left" in the vocabulary of some who post in these parts.