Dear Friends,
In Israel, we are busy preparing for the High Holidays. Deciding where to have our festive dinner, remembering whose turn it is to host, dipping our apples in honey and pausing to reflect on the year that was. We have to admit, we started the year more enthusiastically than we are ending it. The Hebrew year 5782 brought with it a new ‘Government of Change’ - one that would restore democracy, that promised better times ahead, and that would make ending the occupation a priority and a reality. It wasn’t an easy task and we relied on a small number of minority parties to make a dent in the wall of right wing nationalistic rhetoric. It didn’t work.
Once again, the occupation was put on the political and social back burner, settlements expanded and the Palestinian 2022 death toll in the West Bank is the highest it has been for seven years. The Israeli coalition government crumbled as violence took hold, and politicians were reminded once again that the occupation cannot be ignored, and that restoring democracy inherently begins with ending the military rule of one people over another. Israelis go back to the polls again in November and our hope is to elect strong leaders who have the courage to make ending the occupation a national priority and who will break the ugly status-quo.
As Yair Lapid said on the UN stage yesterday “Peace is not a compromise”. We couldn’t agree more! But neither is human rights, access to water, and freedom of movement. We were cautiously optimistic to hear the words ‘Peace’ and ‘Palestinians’ in the same sentence, but now we need action, and to take positive steps to end settler violence, evacuate illegal outposts, and get back around the table for direct peace talks.
One thing we do know, is that regardless of who is in power, we have to be the change we want to see. We will continue to unite Israelis and Palestinians and create friendships, coalitions and partnerships that many people think are impossible. We are a model of togetherness that we are repeatedly told can’t happen - yet here we are!
On that note, we finally got to spend quality time together, in person! We held our annual bi-national movement meeting, and for anyone who thinks Palestinians and Israelis are only destined to be enemies, see the photos below. We are forever each other's partners for peace.
In Peace & Solidarity from Israel/Palestine,
