Israel's embassy in Amman and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem received an unusual requested this week: A Jordanian artist expressed his interest in visiting Sderot and building a statue of peace in the southern city along with local children.
The artist, Ahmed Khalifa, is a sculptor and painter known for his enthusiastic support for peace with Israel, despite the treaty's unpopularity in Jordan. Khalifa does not shy away from openly maintaining contacts with the Israeli embassy, and in the past built statues for the Peres Center for Peace.
Recently, Khalifa turned to the Jerusalem city hall and asked to place a statue in the capital in order to promote peace. Several days ago, he presented his work at a Jerusalem fair.
"It is important for me to convey a message against violence and the firing of Qassams through the statue," Khalifa said. "It hurts me to hear about every rocket that lands in the city. I want to come in order to bear a message of peace and support from Jordan. We must show that in the Arab world too there are voices that oppose the Qassams."
The Jordanian artist said he does not fear an attack because of his initiative. "When you do something good, you shouldn't fear anyone," he said.
Sderot's Mayor Eli Moyal pledged to assist Khalifa in realizing his mission.
"I laud such initiatives and I'm happy that some people in the Arab world think differently," he said. "We'll be glad to cooperate with any peace initiative."
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