The great tragedy that took place in the communities near the Gaza Strip has many sides. Some of these parties have not yet been exposed and have not yet been addressed.
I would like to address one of the most unfortunate and tragic aspects of the war: elderly women, who for many years were active in human rights and peace organizations, believed in and tried to bridge between Israelis and Palestinians, and even acted quite a bit on behalf of Gaza residents.
These women became victims.
Yes, it is very difficult, and especially difficult for me to write about it as a Palestinian Arab, as an Israeli citizen, and first of all as a person who believed and still believes in the resolution of the conflict, any conflict, only through peaceful and reconciliation. Power has a limit and killing has a limit. All history has taught us that conflicts are not really resolved in war, because all there is in war is improving attitudes.
I have already heard quite a few stories of these activists, about those kibbutzniks, who organized events and initiated actions to bring hearts together, supported and lived, in fact, for the cause they believed in: peace and reconciliation. They made sure and made sure to come to every demonstration, called for lifting the siege on Gaza, bringing in Palestinian workers to work and earn a living.
Many of them recruited doctors to treat the Palestinian population, and even drove Palestinian children with cancer and terminally ill from Erez Crossing to hospitals in Israel in their cars to receive these special treatments, which were not taken for granted. All in order to help, facilitate and sometimes even save their lives.
They believed and acted for both peoples.
They didn't ask for anything in return, didn't make sure they were cherished, and didn't ask for credit. They acted from a humane place, hoping that everything they did would help bring the two conflicting peoples closer together, and that years from now they would discover how right they were.
There is no doubt that the harm caused by those activities is twofold. This is an internal Israeli and Palestinian attack.
Israeli - because it has a kind of joy for anyone who once claimed "we told you" that the other side cannot be believed or trusted, and there are quite a few of them. On the other hand, it is an injury to the Palestinian public, which supposedly proves that its haters are right in a fundamental way, and from a practical point of view, it is a fatal blow to those patients and their families who have found a listening ear, a supportive shoulder and even material assistance. Those families who were privileged to feel the concern of the Women of Peace received an Israeli family and treatment that was not available to them, and it is doubtful whether the situation will return to normal in the coming months or years.
Many of them recruited doctors to treat the Palestinian population, and even drove Palestinian children with cancer and terminally ill from Erez Crossing in their cars to hospitals in Israel to receive special treatment
However, there is also light at the end of the tunnel, and there are other people who believe that there is no other way but reconciliation between the two peoples, who have already known enough traumas and tragedies. There is no substitute for dialogue.
One of the most surprising organizations in recent weeks is the Israeli and Palestinian Bereaved Families Association, perhaps the only organization that does not want to grow and expand, because it does not want to be added to the cycle of bloodshed.
There they have not yet lost hope and are trying to make an impact.
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