Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Arun Gandhi has followed in his grandfather's footsteps by teaching the principles of nonviolence. In 1991, he and his wife, Sunanda, founded The M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, based in Memphis, Tennessee. The institute's mission is "to promote and apply the principles of nonviolence locally, nationally, and globally, to prevent violence and resolve personal and public conflicts through research, education, and programming."
Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Arun Gandhi, is to kick off an unarmed Palestinian movement against Israeli occupation which is being launched by a group of social and political activists in Ramallah.
Gandhi, head of the MK Gandhi Institute for non-violence in the US, will be the star attraction at three mass rallies planned in Ramallah, Abu Dis and Bethlehem on August 26.
The campaign is being organised by a group of Palestinian social and political activists in Ramallah, who have joined hands with anti-fence activists, NGOs, and Fatah activists headed by minister without portfolio and Fatah member Kadura Fares in the wake of the International Court of Justice's ruling condemning the construction of the West Bank barrier by Israel.
Gandhi told daily Ha'aretz from the US that he intends "to promote the philosophy of nonviolence, the approach that nonviolence is the only venue that can solve our problems."
"I am coming both to learn and to teach his (Mahatma Gandhi) philosophy. I understand that many bad things happened 55 years ago, but the attempt to get justice by revenge accomplishes nothing," he is quoted to have said the daily.
He said he learned that from his grandfather when he was just a boy in South Africa and thought of revenge in retaliation to the apartheid and humiliation there.
"I've dedicated my life to explain to people how damaging prejudices can be, and how to form better relations. That is the basis of non-violence. Relations must be based on love, understanding and honour, not on negative foundations," Gandhi said. (MORE)
He also told the daily that he will convey to the Palestinians that the essence of violence is that each side justifies it by saying the other side started.
"The question is who is more intelligent (to stop using violence) and who has more power to change. I think the Palestinians have a chance to be more intelligent and not act like the Israelis."
The Ramallah group is said to have established ties with Palestinians for Peace and Democracy in the US, headed by Mohammed Al Atar in order to launch a "creative way of resistance".
Terry Boulata, principal of a private school in Abu Dis and a major anti-fence activist, is said to be the link between Al Atar and the Ramallah group.
The fence is said to separate Boulata's home from her place of work and from her husband's family.
"The struggle is our right, but we must be creative," she told Ha'aretz.
The organisers intend to bring thousands to the rallies and record the talks with Gandhi. "We want to organise a Palestinian peace camp to explain to Israel and the world that our freedom is the key to peace," Boulata said.