Bat Shalom

The Jerusalem Link is the coordinating body of two independent women’s centers: Bat Shalom—The Jerusalem Women’s Action Center, located in West Jerusalem, and Marcaz al-Quds la l-Nissah—The Jerusalem Center for Women, located in East Jerusalem. In 1989, a meeting was convened in Brussels between prominent Israeli and Palestinian women peace activists. The meeting initiated an on-going dialogue that in 1994 resulted in the establishment of THE JERUSALEM LINK composed of two women’s organizations—BAT SHALOM on the Israeli side, and the JERUSALEM CENTER FOR WOMEN on the Palestinian side. The two organizations share a set of political principles, which serve as the foundation for a cooperative model of co-existence between our respective peoples. Each organization is autonomous and takes its own national constituency as its primary responsibility—but together we promote a joint vision of a just peace, democracy, human rights, and women’s leadership. Mandated to advocate for peace and justice between Israel and Palestine, we believe a viable solution of the conflict between our two peoples must be based on recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent state alongside the state of Israel, Jerusalem as the capital of both states, and a final settlement of all relevant issues based on international law.