Gadir Hani is an Israeli Arab activist, member of Women Wage Peace and Standing Together.
“Acre wasn’t like this when I was a child. There is a lot of tension and fear on both sides. Trust has been broken since the May 2021 riots (between Arabs and Jews). You can sense the fear when you talk to people and walk down the streets.
October 7 took everyone by surprise. To bring about peace, it’s imperative to strengthen our connections with the Palestinian Authority. If we don’t, the conflict will only intensify and become more painful. The pursuit of peace is now more crucial than ever. As a Palestinian-Israeli, it’s difficult to acknowledge that some within the Israeli population view us as adversaries, especially in the aftermath of Palestinian attacks and military operations. Many attribute this to the choice of Hamas by some, but I believe this is an oversimplification. The children who are suffering and dying didn’t choose Hamas
I lived for 22 years in Negev (in southern Israel) and I belonged to a group called Other Voice. I immediately contacted my friends and unfortunately two of my Jewish friends were attacked. One escaped and was hiding in a shelter, but the other was probably kidnapped. It’s very painful.
I didn’t want to look at the photos and videos but I’m trying to help find the missing people. I haven’t seen the worst ones, but I’ve had to talk about them. I wrote a message on social media to call for peaceful coexistence and another when I came to realise the horror (of the Hamas attack). I called on leaders to condemn these atrocities strongly.
I’m uncertain about the feasibility of a two-state solution. There’s an alternative notion of a single country where both communities have their respective governments, operating independently while allowing freedom of movement. At this moment, I’m in a state of uncertainty regarding my preference
This highlights the need for bold leaders to step forward and address these issues. It’s crucial to embrace the perspectives of both sides. The involvement of women in negotiations is of great significance, exemplified by the pin I wear bearing the number 1325. This corresponds to a UN resolution from 2000, emphasizing the importance of increasing women’s participation in peace talks. Women’s contributions in peace agreements in regions such as Ireland and South Africa have played a vital role in sustaining those accords.
I also want to be part of the discussions because I am Palestinian and an Israeli citizen. I have an important role to play in bridging the gap between the two cultures
Oren Helman is a former head of the Government Press Office under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We have always talked about peace and security; you cannot have one without the other. We are a peaceful people. In Israel, we greet people with the word ‘shalom’, meaning peace. But we cannot make peace with savages, with barbarians who kill children and Holocaust survivors, and who kidnap women, children and the disabled.
We have to kill all members of Hamas. In fact, we should have done it a long time ago. We thought we could judge them by Western standards. We thought we were dealing with human beings. Part of the world still regards them as freedom fighters, but they don’t fight for peace, nor for the freedom of Palestinians. If we want peace, and if the countries around us also want peace, then we have to destroy them just like the world destroyed al Qaeda, ISIS (the Islamic State group) and all the crazy people who try to kill those who don’t think like them. We will speak to them with our guns and canons. https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231025-the-trauma-will-take-years-to-overcome-hamas-attack-rattles-israeli-support-for-peace
