Vatican City: In an emotional and history-laden meeting at the Vatican, two men from opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon sat shoulder to shoulder, not as adversaries, but as allies in a shared journey toward peace. Just after their audience with Pope Leo XIV, the duo joined Vatican Radio for an exclusive interview that captured their vision of hope born from heartbreak.
Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian-American from Jerusalem, recounted how his life was upended at just ten years old, when his brother was arrested, tortured, and later died. Fueled by rage and a desire for revenge in his early years, Aziz eventually made the life-altering decision to forgive not to excuse the injustice, but to reclaim control over his future. He described revenge as a form of slavery, a force that had bound him to his brother’s oppressors. It took nearly a decade, but he chose to break that chain and commit to peace.
On the other side of the wall, Israeli peace activist Maoz Inon shared his own devastating loss his parents were killed during the brutal October 7th attacks near the Gaza border. Yet even through his grief, he envisioned a world where healing could begin with shared sorrow. He described a vivid moment in which his tears, and those of humanity, washed away centuries of bloodshed, allowing him to glimpse a path to reconciliation. It was that vision that led him to Aziz.
The two men, both professionals in the field of tourism and co-founders of the peace organization InterAct, now work closely together not only as colleagues, but as brothers. In their interview, they emphasized that true unity is possible when people focus on common values like justice, empathy, and equality. Their friendship is not symbolic it’s an active, daily commitment to transforming tragedy into purpose.
They recalled their meeting with Pope Francis the year before and reflected on how Pope Leo XIV’s support marks a new chapter for their work. The Vatican has become more than a spiritual backdrop; it is now a platform from which their movement for peace can gain global visibility and momentum.
During the discussion, Father Ibrahim Faltas, a longtime advocate for peace in the Holy Land, joined them in the studio. His decades of service across Israeli and Palestinian communities added weight to the conversation, underscoring the moral urgency of their mission. Aziz and Maoz spoke with clarity and conviction about their goal: achieving a sustainable peace by the year 2030. They described how their experiences with loss and reconciliation led to a structured vision to transform despair into action.
Their campaign is already underway. Earlier this month, they helped organize the People’s Peace Summit in Jerusalem, where over 8,000 people Israelis and Palestinians alike gathered to grieve, to speak, and to envision a shared future. It was a rare and powerful moment of unity in a city so often defined by division.
Looking ahead, their next milestone is set for September 21st, the UN’s International Day of Peace. On that day, Aziz and Maoz will lead a March for Peace through the heart of Jerusalem bringing together thousands from East and West, believers from all faiths, and people from across the world who are willing to walk in solidarity. This, they said, is not just a demonstration, but a declaration: that peace is not a dream, but a decision.
In the shadow of suffering, these two men have chosen light. Where many see only enemies, they see the potential for partnership. And from the very place where prophets and pontiffs have prayed for peace, Aziz and Maoz are now calling the world to act to feel each other's pain, to reject the politics of hate, and to build something new from the rubble of the past.