There's been some pretty amazing things brewing on the web lately.  People suffering the effects of violence and war are speaking out from all sides... and most importantly, to each other.  I think we may be on the verge of a new era, an era in which dialogue between people of different backgrounds takes on greater power than the "diplomacy" of their political leaders.

Please check out these blogs and websites:

From Israel:
Between a Rocket and a Hard Place - Israeli women speak out
Israel North - Victims and refugees of Hezbollah rocket attacks
Breaking the Silence - Israeli soldiers share stories from the occupied territories

From Lebanon:
Beirut Spring - Trying to understand post-Syrian Lebanese politics and society.
Hopeful Beirut - 23 year old Lebanese woman shares her story from a war zone
Ramzi - A Lebanese doctor

Joint Israeli/Lebanese blogs:
Arab-Israeli Peace Blog - Lilu, Israeli - and Bash, Lebanese, speaking truth to power together
Joint Voices - Another blog by Lilu and Bash

From Palestine:
The Land of Sad Oranges - Palestinian sets up a blog with the encouragement of an Israeli friend
Raising Yousuf - A Palestinian mother describes raising a child under occupation
Musings of a Palestinian Princess - A Palestinian college student shares her thoughts

As always, everyone should be reading Baghdad Burning, a 24 year old Iraqi woman's blog.


These blogs, by the way, WILL make you cry.