Tea-party-diplomati. Kvinnors strävan att motverka våld i Palestina 1920-1948.

The chapter focuses on European women who visited Jerusalem during the British Mandate period trying to prevent violence and build peace in civil society in times of violent conflict. Some of them were connected to the Anglican missionary schools, others were occasional visitors sent out by international peace organisations. Especially the informal role of women for peace building is emphasised. In this way the traditional picture of women in war as one of passive victims is problemized. Women have also been excluded from official peace negotiations, but nevertheless been active informally as non-violent advocates and builders of networks. For example these women in Jerusalem created meeting places where women from different local groups could meet. In some occasions these meetings were arranged as tea-parties. Drinking tea may be interpretated as a form of British cultural imperialism. However, on the other hand the meeting places may also be interpretated as "free spaces" where personal contacts and exchange of ideas informally might become a basis for peace and respect for the other.