‘Building peace for the day after’
They shared their belief that momentum for peace amongst Israelis and Palestinians is growing.
Israeli and Palestinian peace activists were recently in Melbourne and Sydney, speaking about “Building peace for the day after” to share their vision for non-violent conflict resolution.
Riman Barakat is a Palestinian Muslim from East Jerusalem, and co-director of FeelBeit, an Israeli-Palestinian cultural centre on Jerusalem’s East-West boundary that embraces the arts to bridge divides and foster dialogue.
Peta Jones Pellach was born in Australia and moved to Israel in 2010 and is a senior member of Women Wage Peace and director of Educational Activities for the Elijah Interfaith Institute.
Women Wage Peace campaigns for governments to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325, ensuring women are at the centre of peace negotiations. Both women are inspired by the legacy of Women Wage Peace co-founder Vivien Silver who was murdered on October 7, 2023.
At their event in Melbourne on August 31, they shared their belief that momentum for peace amongst Israelis and Palestinians is growing.
“We represent some of the 160-plus peace movements in Israel and Palestine … You need to share the word that to support Palestinians does not mean to hate Israelis, and to support Israelis does not mean to hate Palestinians … If you really support Israelis or Palestinians, you support Israelis and Palestinians because you support peace, peace is the only thing that’s going to give both communities a future,” Jones Pellach said.
Discussing strategies for dialogue, Barakat shared, “Be courageous to recognise the other’s pain … That’s the first step to moving forward. I know from experience that has made all the difference for us as a community of peace builders.”
Both Barakat and Jones Pellach do not advocate for a particular political solution.
Barakat said, “What matters is that both peoples feel safe and secure … not only that they won’t be killing each other, but can build something together.”
Both agreed you need a partner for peace to engage in dialogue. Jones Pellach said “weaponised” language such as “settler colonialism” and “From the river to sea, Palestine will be free” was intended to hurt. She advised, “When somebody throws it at you … they’re intending to hurt you, and you need to call them out: ‘That is hurtful. That’s your intention. We can’t go further.'”
The event was hosted by Women Wage Peace, FeelBeit, the Uniting Church in Australia, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Victorian Council of Churches, Pax Christi and The Wesley Centre.