Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah
Authors of ‘The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land’
By Craig Nash
Craig Nash
If any two people on the planet should be cynical about the hope for true and lasting peace in the Middle East, it is Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah. Both men have been on the receiving end of the violence that has plagued Israelis and Palestinians for more than 80 years. Aziz’s brother died at the age of 19 after sustaining injuries while being held in an Israeli prison that has long been accused of human rights abuses. Maoz’s parents were killed in the Hamas attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. And yet, Aziz and Maoz are on a mission to convince the world that peace isn’t just possible; it’s possible in the very near future.
The two were acquainted before October 7 but became more deeply connected when Aziz, a Palestinian Muslim, wrote a letter to Maoz, an Israeli Jew, expressing grief over the killing of Maoz’s parents. It wasn’t the first such letter he had sent to someone in such pain. Aziz had made it a practice for several years after embracing a message of peace. Maoz, who was among a small group of victims of October 7 who called for restraint from the Israeli government, received the letter warmly and reached out to Aziz to form a friendship. “On October 7, I lost my parents,” Maoz recently told an audience in Dallas. “But I gained a brother in Aziz.”
After reconnecting, the two men went on a weeklong journey through Israel/Palestine, sharing stories of the places that have shaped them. The resulting book, The Future Is Peace, is a testament to peace achieved only through the challenging work of grace-filled conversations and forgiveness.
At the Dallas event promoting their book, an audience member asked the two about areas where they disagreed. Boyish grins spread across the faces of both middle-aged men. Aziz took a jab at Maoz for not liking country music, then spoke in generalities about how they may frame certain topics differently.
As a cynical observer, I initially interpreted the response as a skilled dodge. But on further reflection, I’ve come to see it more as the response of someone who has practiced peace the way well-trained athletes spend hours behind the scenes in batting practice or shooting free throws. It takes a lot of work to make it look easy.
Maoz and Aziz practiced peace long before October 7, which positions them to lead the Middle East into a hopeful future, one that isn’t just the absence of conflict but the pervasive presence of shalom, salām, paz, pace, peace.
Craig Nash is Senior Editor at Good Faith Media.
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