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,
Rana Salman
Palestinian Director
Yonatan Gher
Israeli Director
Israeli - Palestinian All Movement Meeting
We met last week in Beit Sahour, on the outskirts of Bethlehem, for our annual bi-national members and staff meeting. Dozens of Israelis and Palestinians filled our conference suite, to come together for the first time since Covid kept us apart. We hugged and caught up on our lives, our frustrations, and our hopes for the future.
Throughout the two days that we were together, we listened, we shared, we argued and we debated the issues that matter to us most. We talked about the urgent need to encourage young people to join us, and how women must be at the center of peace making. We looked for ways to spread our message of non-violence, and ultimately, how we can end the occupation once and for all.
We heard from our Palestinian colleagues and friends about their lives in the Jordan Valley, Jericho, Hebron and Nablus. How they live without access to water or electricity, stuck between checkpoints and humiliated by permits. We can't sit back while this continues.
We have a plan, and we intend to do whatever it takes to change the system, to bring about peace, and to deliver equality, justice and freedom for all.
The Art of facilitation workshop
Combatants for Peace volunteers took part in a creative, unique event hosted in Lublin, Poland. The workshop was designed to strengthen and promote leadership skills for activists through the medium of art, theatre and performance.
Participants included Ukrainian refugees and female Armenian educators amongst others, and together the group heard personal stories, and designed protest actions as a team. Liat, a CfP member and one of the event organisers shared this reflection following the workshop;
"There are two significant sentences that stayed with me from the workshop that I would like to share: the first was Ayman's sentence - who concluded the workshop by saying that his heart was opened to the story and situation of other countries at war, and that his head was opened to the desire to learn and know more. The second sentence was said by one of the Ukrainian participants "I used to have no problem cooperating with Russians, today I can't imagine how we will bridge the gaps. I am glad that there is a living example of Israelis and Palestinians here and I would love to hear about your path."
Our ongoing work depends on people like you, who share our vision of peace, reconciliation and justice.
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