Israeli, Palestinian women weave peace through fashion

“So many things motivated me to look for ways to bring people closer together, but I never thought I’d be an entrepreneur in a women’s fashion project,” Whit Jones, a clinical psychologist from Idaho, tells Al-Monitor with a smile. Throughout his professional career and along with volunteer work in the United States, Jones has been striving to bring together people in conflict zones. His aspiration gave birth to a fashion label called "Two Neighbors" that brings together Israeli and Palestinian women who jointly design unique dresses.

“I’ve always been involved in charity work and wanted to know what goes on in bloody conflict zones,” says Jones. “I remember as an American kid growing up, the anxiety and horror of China. Today I can say that my grandson no longer sees the Chinese as a threat, but as business partners. That’s where I got the idea, that by getting involved in productive business ventures, people can overcome everything, including psychological obstacles.”