Desmond Tutu to visit Israel, Gaza Strip in August

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu will visit Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip in August as part of a pro-peace delegation.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate will be joined by a number of former world leaders such as ex-U.S. president Jimmy Carter and former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, as well as captains of industry such as Richard Branson and Jeff Skoll.

The delegation will come to Israel as part of the "Elders", a pro-peace organization based on an initiative by Richard Branson and musician Peter Gabriel. The formation of the Elders was announced by Nelson Mandela in Johannesberg on his 89th birthday in 2007.

According to a press release issued by the organization on Monday, the group has "no intention of intervening in the [peace] process. Rather, the objective of their visit is to meet a wide cross-section of Israeli and Palestinian society including grassroots organizations, young people, members of civil society, independent experts, business leaders and others. They want to offer their support to those who are working hard for peaceful coexistence while also listening to the concerns and aspirations of a broad range of individuals on both sides".