It was utopian, a dream of righteousness, forgiveness and reconciliation, so far from where humanity seems to be this last year, too beautiful to risk hoping for. Eighty-eight people from all over the world met online to form a government representing the West Bank, Gaza and Israel.
Iziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian, along with Maoz Inon, an Israeli, led a mock simulation, proposing a constitution, choosing laws based on equality, religious freedom and peace.
When Iziz was ten years old, during the first intifada (1987), he said, “They beat my brother and tortured him to death in an Israeli prison for suspicion of throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers.”
Maoz Inon said, “My parents, Bilha and Yacovi Inon, were peace loving, supportive parents to us five siblings. They were caring and involved grandparents in the lives of their eleven grandchildren. They were killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7.”
Both men said they are devoted to getting free from the “slavery” of placing blame. They said the pain cannot be measured, should not be quantified.
A participant in the simulation said to the assembled: “Like children we still want to discern. Who are the good guys and who are the bad? Who started it? Who cheated? Who didn’t play by the rules of war? Who did more damage? But that inquiry perpetuates the death and destruction, keeps us enemies, which then prevents any change for lasting peace.”
Most of us started on October 7, 2023 with taking a strong position, choosing sides. With each new development, as the casualties, the horror, the humanitarian cost became mind-bending, as the conflict widened, positivity wobbled with each moment by moment change occurring in the area.
Although using metrics to measure which side is causing the most destruction of life, as shocking as those inequities are, Iziz and Maoz said that determination will not bring an end to the war.
How did these two men, with so much personal loss beyond our imaginings, put their differences aside and come together?
The answer is in their own words.
Iziz
“You choose the right side so you think, because it’s you and your strongly held beliefs. By doing that you insure the war, the bloodshed will continue. If you want to end the conflict, choose only the side of humanity, choose the peacemakers.
Moaz
“We argue that this is the holy land. Muslims, Christians and Jews all agree this sacred land is the Holy Land. But those who truly believe this land is holy would act towards it differently. No one who believes this is the holy land would ever uproot a tree, would water this land with blood if they believed this is a holy land. We must get people out of despair into the hope of a possibility for peace.”
Iziz
“The loudest voices are always those coming from both extremes. The Bible says, from the Book of Proverbs, ‘People without a vision will perish.’ The extremes on both sides have no vision for peace. There have always been Israelis and Palestinians who have worked together to visualize peace. Sadly, many others have resigned themselves, believing we will live in this mindset of death and killing forever. Israelis have asked me, “Where is the Palestine Peace Movement? I am here today to tell you it exists. I know tons and tons of people in Palestine who want peace.”
Toward the end of the simulation, questions and comments were solicited from the attendees. One participant, a filmmaker, spoke eloquently of the objections she encountered from both Israelis and Palestinians to a documentary film she made promoting peace between Palestinian and Israeli women.
“Back in 1994, I made a documentary film about peacemakers. It focused on one group among the many serving the cause of peace. This group (she says the name in Hebrew) has been devoted to building peace for over 50 years. For 600 years, people in Hebron, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druses got along so well the women in Hebron used to nurse each other’s babies. People need to be aware this is not a hopeless situation where for thousands of years there was never a peaceful time. The ascendancy of people who are vicious, rabid idea-logs, hateful and despotic must go.
This, today, is just a passing transient tyranny. As Ghandi said, ‘Love always wins in the end.’ There may be tyrants. In the end they always fall. When my film was released, the comments from both sides were so negative. But we must put our work out there whether it be through art, writing, organizing, or merely reaching across the divide to put aside blame, and begin the process of reconciliation, demonstrate for peace. There is no other way.”
I wrote a column about the history of Women in Black in New Paltz. My aim was to decrease animosity towards the group, to show their dedication to many issues over the years, causes in the past when I would have stood with them on Saturdays on Main Street in front of the Elting Library. I received unfavorable responses from both sides.
If Iziz, whose teenage brother was killed for throwing rocks, who was tortured and died in an Israeli prison and if Moaz, who lost his parents (peace activists) who were slaughtered on October 7, have come together in friendship to work for peace, then why can’t we, with no personal tragedy like theirs, rise even momentarily above polarity? Let’s reserve one Saturday a month to reach across the road to demonstrate for peace. The following Saturday people can return to their corner of the street, maybe with more compassion towards each other. Do you think that is possible. I believe it is.
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