Peace Group HWPL Urges Dialogue Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
The Seoul-based group has a global network spanning 170 countries working to build cooperation through education, advocacy and dialogue initiatives.
SEOUL, South Korea— The Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated peace organization, has called for dialogue and decisive international action to defuse escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, writes Winston Mwale.
In a statement issued Friday, HWPL expressed concerns over recent violence between the two nations despite not sharing borders.
It highlighted the toll on innocent civilians caught in conflicts.
"How could those lost lives ever be brought back? What could compensate for the outcry of children and the anguish of the youth in devastated dwellings?" the statement said.
HWPL urged the international community to establish comprehensive laws to safeguard peace, advocating for civilian-led initiatives to foster reconciliation.
The appeal comes after Iran and its militant partners launched a large-scale missile and drone attack against Israel on April 13, an unprecedented direct assault that raised fears of all-out war.
The strike was seen as retaliation for an airstrike on Iran's embassy in Syria on April 1 that killed military advisers.
On April 18, diplomats from 48 countries including the United States, Germany and South Korea condemned Iran's attack on Israel in a joint U.N. statement.
"HWPL remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering dialogue and reconciliation, offering hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israel and Iran," an HWPL official told The Associated Press.
The Seoul-based group has a global network spanning 170 countries working to build cooperation through education, advocacy and dialogue initiatives.