Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all
members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world...
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations, ...
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with
reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

From: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1, December 10, 1948

The Foundation is named after Matti Peled, the late IDF General, whose life personified
the shift from war to peace, a scholar of Arabic Literature, who went on to become a member
of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, fighting vigorously for his vision of a Palestinian State
alongside an independant Israel within secure and peaceful 1967 borders.

All the objectives and principles of human freedom and dignity to which the MPF is committed
can be found in Israel’s Declaration of Independence and in The Universal Declaration of
Human Rights of 1948. However, none of the lofty goals described in these historic
documents have been implemented in the State of Israel or in any other state in the region.
The MPF wishes to help translate these ethical principles into the guiding criteria
for the interaction between the State and its citizens, as well as among the citizens
themselves, irrespective of their particular religious, ethnic or national affiliation
or identity, and to make them the guiding criteria of a future body politic.

Keenly aware of the fact, that no reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis is
possible, as long as Israel occupies the Palestinian territories and as long as both
Israelis and Palestinians continiue to demonize each other, the MPF supports
grass-roots organizations and non-political projects which underline the cause of peace
between equals.

Firmly rejecting terrorism and occupation alike, the Foundation supports initiatives that offer
alternatives to state-sponsored oppression and to fundamentalist violence.

To help clear the path to long lasting peace between the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, the
Matti Peled Foundation supplies both monetary and organizational assistance to joint
Jewish and Arab activities aimed at invoking dialogue and tolerance, mutual respect and
understanding between Israeli and Palestinians, as well as between Arabs and Jews in
the State of Israel.

Concerned with future generations, the MPF focuses its support on Israeli-Palestinian
initiatives, which involve youth and children, including:

• Education projects aiming at uprooting xenophobia, fundamentalism and
  violence of any nature.
• Projects promoting tolerance and mutual respect, through the acceptance of the
  principles underlying democracy and the basic human rights.
• Projects involving young Jews/Israelis and Arab/Palestinians
  on both sides of the Green Line.
• Projects involving Israelis and Palestinians, who share a common professional,
  social or economic interest.
• Projects, which struggle against the abuse of religion for political and nationalistic
  purposes, against religious fanaticism and secular chauvinism.

The Mati Peled Foundation, founded in 2002 by Marek and Avi Glezerman, is a nonprofit
association, dedicated to advancing the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians,
Arab and Jews.