Eliaz Cohen

From the age of seven, Eliaz grew up in the settlement of Elkana in western Samaria. He befriended Arab locals throughout childhood, and as a soldier developed what he regards as a “humane checkpoint conduct”, letting Palestinians pass through with more ease, sometimes to chagrin of his superiors. Eliaz is a poet, and in 2006 received the Prime Minister’s Prize in poetry. He participated in Palestinian and Israeli joint initiatives such as the Parents Circle-Families Forum and Eretz Shalom before joining Roots as an early organizer. He is a passionate supporter of the resolution model “Two States, One Homeland.” He currently lives in Kfar Etzion.