{"id":1467,"date":"2014-03-16T09:00:56","date_gmt":"2014-03-16T09:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/indogomagazine.com\/indogo\/?p=1467"},"modified":"2014-03-21T18:55:04","modified_gmt":"2014-03-21T18:55:04","slug":"although-peace-proves-elusive-young-israelis-palestinians-find-harmony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/indogomagazine.com\/indogo\/although-peace-proves-elusive-young-israelis-palestinians-find-harmony\/","title":{"rendered":"Although Peace Proves Elusive, Young Israelis, Palestinians Find Harmony"},"content":{"rendered":"

As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tries to bring Israeli and Palestinian leaders together on a framework peace agreement, a group of young Israelis and Palestinians is already working in harmony. They are the musicians of Heartbeat, a social movement using the power of music to transform conflict.<\/p>\n

The young musicians performed at a Congressional office building in Washington to raise awareness of their vision of a better future for the Middle East.<\/p>\n

\"Music<\/a>

As Peace Proves Elusive, Young Israelis, Palestinians Find Harmony<\/p><\/div>\n

Since 2007, Heartbeat has brought Palestinian and Israeli high school students and young adults together to talk, listen and make music. The songs they write weave traditional and modern Eastern and Western styles.<\/p>\n

The lyrics, in Arabic, Hebrew and English, reflect dialogue that takes place among group members and the often tense society they live in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have this song which asks, \u2018What\u2019s the Wall good for?'” said Israeli Guy Gefen, 22, who has been with Heartbeat from the start. \u201cI think when people are afraid, they put those walls. They put those physical and psychological walls and it makes it that much easier to be afraid; it makes it that much easier to hate. And I say there\u2019s no need for that. You don\u2019t need to be afraid, you don\u2019t need to hate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moody Kablawi, a Palestinian hip-hop artist from Haifa, joined Heartbeat in 2011.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I go back home and tell the guys \u2018I\u2019m working for peace, man, I\u2019m a peace-maker,\u2019 they would probably tell me, \u2018Bukra Fil Mishmish,\u201d which is similar to the English expression, \u2018When pigs fly,\u2019” he said.<\/p>\n

But his friendship with the other Heartbeat musicians inspired Kablawi to change that expression to something more hopeful, in one of the group\u2019s most popular songs.<\/p>\n