If you are unfamiliar with The Palestinian Parents Circle - Families Forum please take a moment to visit their heartwarming website.

(my bold)

"Peace is possible when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable (...) the members of the Parents Circle have experienced this truth In the depths of their Suffering and loss. They have found that there Is more that unites us than Divides us, that we are All members of one family, the human family (...)" Desmond M. Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus

Letter to The Parents Circle – Families Forum, April 2004 It is, as far as we know, a world precedent that bereaved families, victims from both sides, embark on a joint reconciliation mission while the conflict is still active.

Consisting of several hundreds of bereaved families, half Palestinian and half Israeli, The Families Forum has played a crucial role since its inception in 1995, in spearheading a reconciliation process between Israelis and Palestinians. The Forum members have all lost immediate family members due to the violence in the region.

I cannot recall when I first heard about The Palestinian Parents Circle, it may have been here. I think all of these people are saints. To loose a loved one and find a way to cross that bridge to find peace and reconciliation out of so much shared sorrow is the height of selflessness and forgiveness. So it was with deep regret when I recieved this email and read about the tragic incident that took place just hours ago to the family of Khaled Abu Awwad which included the arrest of his son, another local non violent peace activist, and if this email is to be believed, a young Palestinian leader who promotes democracy, non violence and peace..

(via email)

This morning at 03:20 AM the Israeli Army came into the home of Khaled Abu Awwad the General Manager of the Palestinian Parents Circle - Families Forum, they woke up all family members by throwing a bomb at their door screaming that if they won't go out of the house in one minute they will bomb their home and car. Khaled's wife Jalila and their children were in the house, the three oldest boy's Mohannad, Moayad and Shadi were taken to an Army Jeep and his oldest son Mohannad blind folded and chained. In the meanwhile his wife, his older daughters Worood and Sana and the three small children had to stand outside the house in the freezing cold of the Hebron mountains. The soldiers were screaming entering the house alone with a dog, leaving the house after 30 minutes and taking with them Mohannad. When the family were allowed to enter their home they found everything upside done(sic), dirty with mud and dogs urine.

The person who sent the email claims to have worked with Mohannad for the last 2 years.

I know Mohannad already for 7 years and in the past 2 years we were working very close in Al-Tariq, he is a powerful leader who promotes democracy, non violence and peace. The soldiers who took him try to stop him in his mission to end the circle of violence in peaceful ways. He has chosen this very hard path although two of his uncle's were murdered and his twin brother Moayad injured massively by the Israeli Army. We pray to God that he won't be beaten or humiliated even more by the soldiers and that he will return safe to us.

We do not know where the Army has taken Mohannad to, please help us to release him today and not spent another day in prison

The author is Lotty Camerman

Here is Ma'an News Agency's brief coverage of the arrest, all I could find thus far.

23/01/2010 19:01

Hebron – Ma’an – Three Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces from Beit Ummer, north of Hebron, on Saturday, according to the head of the Prisoners' Society in Hebron, Amjad An-Najjar. "The total number of those arrested from the town within the last two months amounts to 17," An-Najjar said. Additionally, spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Project Mohammad Awad identified those detained as Hussein Ibrahim, 17, Issa Mohammad Issa Awad, 21, and Muhanad Khaled Abu Awad, 20. Awad said that Israeli forces threatened to detonate the detainees' cars if they did not open the door of their home. Separately, Thiab Hassen Al-Alami, 42, was ordered to remove his clothes before forces broke into his home, and occupied the roof of the building, the spokesman added.

Any suggestions how we might help please leave them in the comments.

Update: Here is a link to Al-Tariq's Leadership Program, the organization Lotty Camerman works with Mohannad.