The Peace Process according to Ordinary Israelis and Palestinians

I have been wanting to write a post about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for a long time. But what to write? It seems so improbable, after more than 60 years of conflict, to say something useful about it, especially for me as a foreigner to the conflict. I only know that the Palestinian and Israeli people deserve to live in peace. Then Rachel today send me this link to a radio broadcast about a group called the Bereaved Families for Peace (check out their webpage). This group of people, Israelis and Palestinians who have lost family members in the conflict, has decided that revenge is not the solution but reconciliation is.

You can listen to this interview (which takes 53 minutes) of one Palestinian man who lost his oldest brother and one Israeli woman who lost her son. They became members of the organization and friends and are now educating people (adults and children) in both Israel en Palestine about why reconciliation is the way to go and how to go about it. While the interview is long, it is such a good expression of why it is all about "being human" instead of about "being right". Listen to it, if you can find the time (there is a podcast too).

The group also worked on a documentary back in 2006, Encounter Point (a 7-minute preview is below)

They compare their process to the reconciliation process in South-Africa. Of all the things I could say about how to solve this conflict, Palestinians and Israelis are, in the end, best positioned to do so: These people do exactly that. And not only do they talk about peace in the Middle-East, they ask you to look around and work on social justice in your own city and country.

Be inspired and have a good week.

Rose