Optimism survives on 25th anniversary of Seeds of Peace

July 22, 2017 Updated Sat., July 22, 2017 at 10:36 p.m.

By David Sharp Associated Press

OTISFIELD, Maine – Peace is no closer today than it was a quarter century ago when Seeds of Peace brought the first Israeli and Palestinian teens together in the woods of Maine.

But the latest group to spend time together sees reason for optimism.

Husam Zarour, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem, said Israeli and Palestinian youth have inherited an untenable situation but that it’s their job to fix it. He said there’s reason for optimism, and that the now is not the time to give up.

The 181 teens have spent three weeks together at the lakeside camp, that’s celebrating its 25th anniversary.

It was created when the late foreign news correspondent John Wallach brought a group of Israeli and Arab teens in 1993 amid clashes over territory and Palestinians’ desire for an independent state.

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Optimism survives on 25th anniversary of Seeds of Peace

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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