From PeaceSigns-The Peace and Justice Support Network E-zine:
"A Palestinian and an Israeli, paired as part of the Families Forum, speak to our CPT delegation. The Families Forum comprises more than 500 Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost a family member due to the ongoing conflict, and seeks a solution to that conflict by means of dialogue and mutual understanding.
One of the pair is an Israeli father whose 14-year old daughter was killed by a suicide bomber. His Palestinian partner's 48-year old sister, with multiple graduate degrees in public health, was killed on the streets of Jerusalem. The woman says, "When you lose a loved one, your whole being changes. Even if peace is accomplished, I will never be a whole person."
Speaking on hope:
He describes the night of his first meeting with Bereaved Families as, together, Palestinians and Israelis lit candles to honor their beloved dead. "I'm not a great believer. But that night, I knew it is not our destiny to keep dying. We can change the cycle."
The woman adds, "What keeps me from getting angry? You have to reach a point where you realize that you cannot do [this certain thing] and things will change. It's not going to go back. You have to work. It's much more difficult to work for peace than for war. It's much more difficult. It's easy to go and kill and get killed-that's what I think. But to make peace is the hardest thing."
She repeats: "To make peace is the hardest thing. You do it little by little, step by step, 10 people, 15 people, 20 people, until the number is large enough to make an influence and to make a change."
"A Palestinian and an Israeli, paired as part of the Families Forum, speak to our CPT delegation. The Families Forum comprises more than 500 Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost a family member due to the ongoing conflict, and seeks a solution to that conflict by means of dialogue and mutual understanding.
One of the pair is an Israeli father whose 14-year old daughter was killed by a suicide bomber. His Palestinian partner's 48-year old sister, with multiple graduate degrees in public health, was killed on the streets of Jerusalem. The woman says, "When you lose a loved one, your whole being changes. Even if peace is accomplished, I will never be a whole person."
Speaking on hope:
He describes the night of his first meeting with Bereaved Families as, together, Palestinians and Israelis lit candles to honor their beloved dead. "I'm not a great believer. But that night, I knew it is not our destiny to keep dying. We can change the cycle."
The woman adds, "What keeps me from getting angry? You have to reach a point where you realize that you cannot do [this certain thing] and things will change. It's not going to go back. You have to work. It's much more difficult to work for peace than for war. It's much more difficult. It's easy to go and kill and get killed-that's what I think. But to make peace is the hardest thing."
She repeats: "To make peace is the hardest thing. You do it little by little, step by step, 10 people, 15 people, 20 people, until the number is large enough to make an influence and to make a change."
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