Help Ibrahim! Founder of the Jerusalem Peace House

Ibrahim Abu El Hawa is a man who defies all expectations.

He opened his property into a hostel for muslims, jews, christians, palestinians, israelis, rich men, poor men, travelers, the needy, and anyone who wanted to enjoy his gracious hospitality. You pay what you can: anything or nothing at all. For many years, it was called the jerusalem peace house. Unfortunately, as is too often, for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, he was denied a building permits for decades to add to his home. After many years of this permit regime that allows massive development for the jewish parts of jerusalem but wishes to shrink palestinian parts, he built anyway to accommodate his growing family.

The State of Israel demolished part of his family home and then sent him the bill. When he was unable to pay the 300,000 shekels (nearly 85 thousand dollars) for the demolishment of his own home, the State of Israel indicted him and began charges to arrest him. He’s spent the last 10 years fighting this injustice and has to pay all the money he has to the Israeli government before keeping the lights on and food on the table. Otherwise, they will dispossess him of his property.

He was born on the mount of olives during the british period and since then, while he hasn’t left, the mount’s sovereignty has gone from british to jordanian to israeli control. he’s lived as a stateless Palestinian for most of his life until he received a american citizenship through family.

As the Covid state of emergency was over, began trying to throw him in jail all over again — he had a massive heart attack, and when I visited him in the hospital in the muslim hospital in Jerusalem recently, everyone thought he was going to pass away. In a true miracle, he has recovered and he continues to watch the sunset overlooking the old city every single night meeting and greeting travelers, settlers, israelis, palestinians, christians, muslims, and jews and all who come his way with the same spirit he’s always had. He’s again going to the Al-Aqsa mosque every week. I met him last summer watching the sunset where we talked for over an hour, found out that he actually knew my American cousin very well, and he’s since become like family to me — I think of him as an honorary grandfather. When many Israelis turned me away recently for disagreeing on Israeli policy, and I had little money, Ibrahim took me in which made me all the more committed to my beliefs.

Ibrahim has dedicated his life to peace with his neighbours befriending not only left wing peaceniks but radical west bank settlers (whom i strongly disagree with) but with whom he found common ground through prayer and faith in the almighty. He is a staunch believer in interfaith connection and abrahamic unity. He deplores violence of all forms. He was one of the only people to visit the late settler Rabbi Menachem Froman on his bedside beyond family.

He desperately needs our help to keep the lights on, food on the table, and continue running the peace house.