Naim Ateek is Director and President of the Sabeel Center in Jerusalem. The Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (sabeel.org ) is an ecumenical grassroots movement that believes that both Palestinians and Israelis need and deserve a lasting peace and security, based on principles of morality and international law and achieved through non-violent means. Founded in 1992, Sabeel has been a leader in promoting a negotiated and just resolution to the conflict, one that establishes two sovereign states side-by-side, and a shared Jerusalem.

Sabeel has experienced a heightened profile recently due to the accusation by journalists in the Jewish press and representatives of mainstream American Jewish organizations that it is promoting an anti-semitic theology, as well as economic strategies for justice.

Rev Ateek is author and editor of numerous books, including Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation. He lectures widely in Israel and Palestine as well as internationally.

Rev. Ateek's appearance is part of “Building a Just Peace: Important Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” a year-long community education and dialog series. The 2005-2006 series brings a number of speakers to Chicago-area audiences including Rev. Naim Ateek, Yigal Bronner, Michael Tarazi, Joel Beinin, Lisa Hajjar, Kathleen and Bill Christison, and Nadia Hijab. For information on Oak Park appearances, go to cjpip.org .