In a Middle East marred by seemingly endless conflict and disparate ideologies, there exists an undercurrent of hope—a movement toward connection, collaboration, and shared prosperity. Amid the current political turmoil, organizations like Tech2Peace, MEET (Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow), and 50:50 Startups are demonstrating that even in the most divided regions, bridges can be built through education, technology, and entrepreneurship. These initiatives bring Israelis and Palestinians together to encourage understanding, trust, and mutual growth, offering a glimpse of what is possible when individuals dare to work across divides.
At the helm of these efforts are leaders: Yaniv Sagee, CEO of MEET (Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow), Hela Lahar, CEO of Tech2Peace; Adnan Jaber, Board member at Tech2Peace, founder of PeaceTech Affinity Group; and impact instructor at UCLA; Marwan Meqbil, co-leader and Director of 50:50 Startups, and Shai Friedman, CEO of 50:50 Startups. Collectively, they demonstrate that even in the face of enduring challenges, fostering dialogue and empowering individuals can lay the groundwork for a more equitable and peaceful future.
Yaniv Sagee is Israeli, and the CEO of MEET (Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow) who has worked over 30 years in education and public leadership and has dedicated the last 15 years exclusively to fostering connections among Jews, Arabs, Israelis, and Palestinians. Sagee views this mission as vital for the sustainability of Israel, its democracy, and its ability to thrive in the Middle East. His journey includes an eight-year tenure as the head of Givat Haviva, Israel’s largest center for promoting a shared society between Jews and Arabs. After completing two terms at Givat Haviva, Sagee joined MEET where he has served as CEO for the past three years.
Hela Lahar is Israeli and is the CEO of Tech2Peace, which advocates strongly for Israeli Palestinian coexistence. Lahar began her journey in the field a decade ago as the founder and director of the Center for Israel Education at Columbia University. Initially tasked with presenting diverse aspects of Israeli society, her work quickly narrowed as she reflects, “I was very quickly reduced to the Palestinian Israeli conflict and siloed to that only.” Seeking to deepen her impact, Lahar left Columbia after three years and eventually relocated from New York to Israel and joined Tech2Peace to pioneer innovative approaches to fostering collaboration and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.
Adnan Jaber is Palestinian and the founder of PeaceTech Affinity Group, and a board member at Tech2Peace. He was raised in East Jerusalem and now resides in Los Angeles, where he teaches entrepreneurship for peace and impact at UCLA.
Marwan Meqbil is Palestinian and the Director of 50:50 Startups. Originally from the West Bank and raised in a refugee camp, he has dedicated his career to promoting entrepreneurship and collaboration between Palestinians and Israelis. At 50:50 Startups, Meqbil aims to create equal opportunities for entrepreneurs on both sides of the divide.
Shai Friedman is Israeli and the CEO of 50:50 Startups. His has a background in fundraising, venture capital, philanthropy, and public service to his role. Having joined the organization just a few months ago, Friedman describes his journey as “closing a circle” that combines his experience in fostering impactful ventures with his passion for creating meaningful connections.
Origins: Building Foundations For Change
Each organization emerged from a recognition that traditional approaches to peacebuilding needed to change.
MEET’s journey began 20 years ago during the Second Intifada, when three young Israelis who had studied at MIT and Harvard saw an opportunity to leverage technology education for connection. “During that time, the whole ‘peace industry’ just wasn’t able to work,” explains Sagee, MEET’s CEO. The founders adapted an MIT global program that combined computer science and entrepreneurship, creating an alternative framework for bringing Israeli and Palestinian youth together. MEET began as a program between East and West Jerusalem Heights with 30 students–15 from each side–and focused purely on computer science and entrepreneurship. As Sagee explains, “It wasn’t about dialogue. It wasn’t about peace. It was, ‘let’s learn together and create partnerships.’”
The program quickly evolved in two significant ways. First, they recognized the need for a “third pillar of deeper understanding” through a unique dialogue approach developed within the organization. Second, the MIT brand association made the program highly attractive to teenagers, leading to expansion into the West Bank and the area between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The program grew to include 60 participants from each side, then expanded to include Arab and Jewish students in northern Israel. Currently, MEET recruits 120 ninth-grade students annually for a three-year program comprising about 600 hours of education. The structure includes “three very intensive weeks of living and learning together,” an accelerator program where students develop technology-based solutions to address societal challenges.
Tech2Peace launched with what Lahar describes as “a bold vision to challenge the entrenched cycles of conflict and division in our region by leveraging the disproportionate power of technology.” The initiative began with two Israeli Jews, and a Palestinian, and one East Jerusalemite who brought together young Israelis and Palestinians to learn cutting-edge tech skills while engaging in brave, open dialogue.
The organization’s philosophy as Lahar points out is one of authenticity, “We ask no one to check their identity at the door. In fact, we ask you to bring your full self and amplify your voice.” The program began in 2017 as “a 12-day residential seminar with 15 Palestinians from Israel or 48 East Jerusalemites and West Bankers, alongside 15 Israeli Jews.” By 2023, it had transformed significantly. As Lahar explains, they’ve “flipped the model on its head and the seminars became the entry point into our community.” The focus shifted to building “a thriving and very vibrant alumni community of 620 strong.”
50:50 Startups emerged from the belief that the Israeli Palestinian status quo cannot be sustained, and that peace must begin with individual connections through venture creation and technological innovation. “We provide professional coverage to help benefit our participants to excel,” explains Friedman, CEO who joined the organization in 2023 despite the heightened tensions, and saw an opportunity to create meaningful change.
Meqbil, Director of 50:50 Startups, believes in the transformative power of bringing people together through practical collaboration. He points out, when people work together on startups and shared projects, “our normal life as a human being will become more engaged and more together.” The aim is to launch startups and ideas that transcend conflict by enabling both sides to benefit from each other’s expertise.
Personal Journeys: From Skepticism To Leadership
For Meqbil, he reflects on the transformative power of his experiences. His journey began in information technology, where he aspired to build a career in high-tech and programming. He grew up in a refugee camp with an ingrained resistance to engaging with Israelis. His perspective shifted after joining an organization that brought Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals together. He recounts, “I found myself, for the first time, sitting across an Israeli citizen.” This encounter led him to question his preconceptions: “Why am I supposed to hate someone that I never met without even understanding who he is?” Overtime, Meqbil developed a more nuanced understanding. As he puts it: “Both have perspectives from different angles, and I can respect that.”
This led him to shift his career focus towards creating better opportunities for Palestinians through NGOs, admitting “I realized I was better qualified to work with NGOs and create a better environment for Palestinian youth, especially those my age.” He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in entrepreneurship and startup development to, “build bridges and promote equality through innovation.”
Jaber’s journey into peace-building was deeply personal. “For 22 years, I lived in East Jerusalem without a single Jewish friend,” he recalls. As a technology enthusiast looking for work, he struggled with interviews in Israel’s tech hubs, citing “language barriers, fears, and mistrust” as obstacles. “I needed connections, I needed to understand my neighbors, and I needed a job,” he explains.
His breakthrough came when he joined Tech2Peace. “I was interested in the ‘tech’ but afraid of ‘peace,’ he admits. Yet, it was at Tech2Peace that he experienced his first-ever dialogue. “I realized it’s not just dark or white. There are good people on both sides, and afraid, angry people on both sides. That’s where I made my first Jewish friends.” This ignited Jaber’s confidence and inspired him to engage more deeply with Israeli society.
Success Through Collaboration
The impact of these programs manifests in both tangible and intangible ways. Today, MEET serves 300 students annually, with approximately 200 alumni participating in various leadership and professional development programs. The organization has seen 16 of its alumni go on to study at MIT, while others have launched startups addressing local challenges. One recent project developed navigation solutions for the West Bank, while another focused on connecting trauma survivors with healing resources.
For Tech2Peace, they conducted six intensive seminars alongside 78 alumni programs that span as Lahar reveals, “community building programs to professional development, tech and entrepreneurship opportunities, dialogue, certification programs.” They finished 2023 with a 69% engagement rate among its 545 alumni, with success stories including Dana Global, a desert tech solutions accelerator founded by alumni that now operates in the UAE.
50:50 Startups recent pivot to hosting their program in Cyprus, turned a logistical obstacle into an opportunity for deeper connection. Friedman describes his first in-person meeting with co-leader Meqbil in Nicosia, Cyprus as transformative and reflected on a pivotal moment for the organization when hosting their cohort in Nicosia. “We’ve been working together for two months, but the first time Marwan and I met in person was just three days ago, on neutral ground,” he shared.
The decision to hold the cohort in Nicosia was driven by necessity, as current restrictions prevent Palestinian participants from entering Israel. “Palestinians are not allowed into the country—they don’t get permits. The situation doesn’t allow it,” Friedman explained. “This is what made us adapt… It’s something I think will become a cornerstone for our organization moving forward,” he said. Hosting the cohort in Cyprus created a unique environment that drew out the unexpected. Friedman continues, “Being in a different country put us both in positions as foreigners. We were in a place experiencing our own, albeit lighter, conflict. We drew people out of their comfort zones, and it allowed us to connect in ways we didn’t expect and gave everyone a fresh perspective.”
Addressing Skepticism In Times Of Conflict
These organizations face criticism from multiple directions, at a time where divisiveness extends geopolitically. Tech2Peace’s Lahar mentions that even in her own kibbutz, people question their work’s relevance in the current climate. She responds emphasizing their work focuses on practical impact rather than abstract peacebuilding.
Reflecting on the broader conflict, Lahar contends, “In 1948, there was an opportunity to figure out what the relationship on the ground would be, and a choice was made. We see where it went… At Tech2Peace, in collaboration with organizations like MEET, we’re trailblazing another path–one that shows coexistence can lead to prosperity, safety, and self-determination for all.”
“Education is a right,” argues Jaber, addressing concerns about normalization. “Judge me by my actions, not by what I learn.” He emphasizes that understanding and dialogue don’t equate to accepting human rights abuses or occupation.
Sagee frames MEET’s work through three lenses: inspiring hope by demonstrating successful collaboration, creating “islands of success” that prove partnership is possible, and developing future leaders with the empathy and skills to think differently about conflict resolution.
Meqbil describes how the ongoing conflict has intensified challenges for 50:50 Startups, particularly in maintaining connections with alumni. He explains: “Within the last year, it’s become even worse… we find it more difficult and struggle to hold this kind of connection that we have been creating for the last five to six years.”
Despite these obstacles, the organization maintains its mission of creating dialogue spaces. Meqbil emphasizes: “Both sides lose. There are no winners in wars.” The program provides participants opportunities to express their emotions and fears, working with professional organizations to facilitate deep sessions that help members process these feelings. 50:50 Startups’ goal remains focused on channeling these experiences constructively: “We give our members the space to express their anger and feelings… to try to understand where they stand and how we can help them.”
Friedman, CEO of 50:50 Startups, considers leadership during challenging times, as he states: “When things like this happen in your realm and your ecosystem, it’s the responsibility of the person running the show to facilitate in a way that are not harmful for others.” He sees difficult periods as opportunities to demonstrate leadership and identify true partners. In his words: “The partners we have today are the ones that stayed not because of the situation–but in spite of it. And these are true partners and people who we want to move forward with.”
Despite the challenges making operations more difficult than routine times, Friedman views the disruption as ultimately beneficial: “It made us much more agile, and it compelled us to come with new solutions. I think that this is unintentionally the shake up that this organization needed.”
Culture And Impact During Crisis
The war in Gaza has intensified challenges but also demonstrated these organizations’ resilience. Tech2Peace resumed community activities just two days after October 7th, 2023, proving the strength of their connections. MEET has seen its participants develop increased empathy and understanding, even as they navigate personal connections to the conflict.
The organizations have observed a remarkable ability among participants to maintain relationships despite external pressures.
Lahar describes a remarkable resilience in how people adapt to crisis conditions. She shares a telling example from the Iranian attack on April 13th: “We were scheduled to have an entrepreneurship workshop the day after… I wrote to the entire team. We need to cancel it… And they wrote back. ‘Why? It’s over, we’re good, like nothing happened.'”
She observes a pattern of quick recovery: “People here just pick themselves up, they dust themselves off and they’re on to the next thing.” While the early days of the war saw tensions rise between groups with questions like “Do you support Hamas?” and “Do you recognize genocide in Gaza?” – the organization’s foundation of dialogue helped them move forward.
Lahar expresses: “Once we are able to really lean on muscle memory and our ability to communicate with each other and have open dialogue… everything else remained in the background. This is our new normal. Yes, there was something in the news. Yes, I experienced something life threatening yesterday. Today, I’m in the office and all is well.”
Sagee describes 2023 as the most challenging year in MEET’s 20-year history, marked by unprecedented levels of dehumanization and anti-normalization between communities. He explains the core tension from the Israelis’ point of view: “If you are an Israeli and you’re working with Palestinians and the Palestinians do not condemn Hamas, you are supporting what Israelis see as Holocaust. And if you are working as a Palestinian with Israelis that go to the army, doing genocide in Gaza, you’re supporting the genocide to our people.”
To navigate this, MEET created what Yaniv calls a “traffic light” system for acceptable speech, noting that “in Israel, freedom of speech has gotten out of hand… minor things that you would consider an opinion could not be said, could not be heard.”
Despite these challenges, their programs evolved from creating what Sagee terms “brave spaces” where participants “understand it’s not just being safe, it’s being able to grow out of it and be empathetic.” Their student-led startups became more socially conscious, developing solutions like “WEST,” an app for West Bank navigation addressing roadblocks and checkpoints that standard apps don’t show. He also points to projects supporting amputees and trauma survivors.
As Sagee reveals, these innovations emerged because “young people were exposed to really horrific situations in their lives and they started to think out-of-the-box to create really solutions.”
The Groundwork For Eventual Peace
These leaders see their work as creating the foundations for eventual peace, even if the path isn’t clear. “There’s no day after without the support of civil society,” Lahar remarks, referring to post-conflict scenarios. “Who’s going to support the day after? …It’s us.”
Sagee remains optimistic despite current challenges, seeing their work as developing a new generation of leaders with “an injection against racism” and the ability to work collaboratively. The organizations view their role not as creating immediate peace but as building the infrastructure and relationships necessary for any future resolution.
Through technology and entrepreneurship, these organizations are demonstrating that collaboration is possible even in in the midst of war. As Jaber notes, “Peace is only possible by popular demand… This work is about creating connections and building trust, step by step, to change lives and communities.”
