(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
As the crisis in the Middle East continues to worsen, those fed up with war and death are uniting and calling for peace.
Doctors and paramedics are putting aside their political and religious differences and working together to save lives.
Two of the key men in that effort are in Australia now, calling for calm and spreading their message.
Antoinette Lattouf has the story.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
They have seen the cruel and bloody side of war, picking up the pieces and treating those injured after an attack.
One of the men, Uri Shacham, is a paramedic.
He is also the head of Magen David Adom, Israel's branch of the Red Cross.
He says the medics do not care what role their patients played in the conflict or which side they are fighting for.
"Once they are in the ambulance, they have one thing they are concerned about, and that is the patient. There are no political minds in the ambulance. There are no arguments. There's only one thing, and that is saving the lives of the people."
Uri Shacham works with his Palestinian and Jordanian counterparts, even though the lives they are trying to save together can stem from fighting between their people.
"We support each other. We help each other in times of crisis. And I think this should set an example to our nations' leaders."
The Jordanians lend their expertise in the areas of mass shelter and dealing with large numbers of refugees.
The Israelis are better equipped to treat victims of battle.
Dr Mohammed Al Hadid is the president of the Jordanian Red Crescent, and he works closely with Uri Shacham and his team
Both men have managed to put aside religious, political and cultural differences to save lives.
"We can work together. It's better for the region itself. We have to become competitive and look at other countries that come together and cross borders without passports and so on. But we are neighbours, and we fight each other. Even Arabs fight each other."
Dr Al Hadid was instrumental in getting Israel's Magen David Adom admitted into the International Red Cross eight years ago.
Most recently, the two organisations collaborated to transport Gaza rocket victims to Turkey for medical treatment.
But as well as saving lives, Uri Shacham says, they are forming friendships.
"[You] can see Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli planning how their response will be, but getting to know each other and getting to know the beautiful part of the Middle East and the warm temper of the Middle East."
The Middle East was the birthplace of Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
Dr Al Hadid suggests violence, intolerance and conflict goes against all of their spiritual teachings.
"The teachings of our religions, the three religions, they teach us differently. Yet, we opt to choose a different path. So I hope this will change."
Dr Al Hadid says the two medical and humanitarian leaders are sharing their experiences with Arabs and Jews living in Australia.
"I'm an Arab, I'm a Muslim, but we're not all terrorists. We are not hoping to change the world to make it an evil place. On the contrary."
Uri Shacham echoes that view, saying their close alliance challenges stereotypes about the region.
"I have a different experience. Dr Al Hadid and I, we are colleagues and friends. It might change people's ideas about what things are like in the Middle East, and this is why we are in Australia."
Mohammed Al Hadid cites Albert Einstein.
"It is important to change the world and make it a better place, and I think Albert Einstein once said, 'The evil people are not only the people who do evil. Evil people are those who see evil and don't do anything about it.' So, yes, we see evil, we are not trying to bring evil. We want to bring a message of love and peace."
