Before October 7, 2023, there were many opportunities and frameworks for peace cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians.
The town of Bet Jala, adjacent to Bethlehem and a short distance from Jerusalem, frequently hosts meetings of the IPCRI organization for Israeli-Palestinian cooperation in research and information with lectures and workshops for dialogue and cooperation.
The organizations ALLMEP and Anna Lindh The Foundation represents Israeli and Palestinian NGOs and agencies that have worked together on many programmes to build bridges of dialogue and cooperation with joint programmes for society, education, vocational training and the environment. Kibbutz Ketoura has welcomed young people from Israel, the West Bank and Jordan to research, train and participate in joint programmes on cultures, water management and sustainability. The Nobel Peace Prize-nominated MKO EcoPeace Middle East has been bringing together Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians for thirty years in joint programmes of education and action for peace. The NGO ECOWEEK has organised workshops for young architects from the Universities of Israel and Hebron and for young architects from Ramallah and East Jerusalem. Together they have developed ideas for architectural and urban interventions, such as the pilgrimage route in the city of Azaria and the renovation of the Palestinian Women’s Centre in Shorouq, carried out with the support of the Belgian Embassy. The youth organization ECO ME until recently brought young people of all religions to meetings and workshops in the desert for meditation, dialogue and peace activities.
On October 7, 2023, With the Hamas attack inside Israel, everything changed. Especially for those who had previously worked for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. In the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Beeri, award-winning peace activist Vivian Silver (1949-2023), a Canadian-Israeli and member of many Israeli and Palestinian women’s empowerment and peace organizations, was murdered. One such program was the Negev Institute for Peace and Development Strategies’ Joint Ventures for Peace program, among others, in collaboration with the Shorouq Palestinian Women’s Center in Azaria, developing professional partnerships between Israeli and Palestinian women in the creation of joint business initiatives and products. This program helped dozens of Palestinian women break out of the cycle of unemployment and showcase their potential and talents. Before the closure of the Gaza border in 2007, Silver was also involved in training programs for Gazan workers, helping them acquire skills and increase their income, improving their standard of living. On October 7, Silver’s house was burned to the ground and his body was only found five days later in another part of the kibbutz. His death was a heavy blow to those who worked – and continue to work – for peace in the region.
On July 17, 2024 in heavy weather From the war in Gaza, a ray of hope has shone across the world. The Jerusalem Youth Choir has been featured on the popular shows America’s Got Talent and TED. Founded by Yale graduate Mike Hendler, the choir brings together Israelis and Palestinians—young Jews, Muslims, and Christians—who through dialogue, song, and music learn about each other’s cultures and sing together in Hebrew, Arabic, and English, building bridges of cooperation and friendship. As my daughters have been part of the choir for a while, I have been fortunate to meet Hedler, a visionary who speaks fluent Arabic, Hebrew, and English, and to learn firsthand about the young people who participate and how important the choir program is to them: getting to know each other, learning to speak each other’s languages, and learning to live in peace side by side.
On September 6th, with the start of the school year, The sounds of protests at universities, including Harvard, have been heard again. But these sounds, whether they call for “Freedom in Palestine” – and the disappearance of the State of Israel, or “Long live the Intifada!” and ‘Intifada across the planet!’ – calling for a repeat of the waves of violence and terrorism with suicide bombings that have left thousands dead in bombings on buses and cafes in Israel – are just noise. They only prevent the voices calling for an end to the war and the return of Israeli hostages to their families from being heard, whether through official or unofficial channels.
On September 12, in stark contrast Along with the noise heard on college campuses, another message was heard, more positive and hopeful, coming from two people who share a vision of peace. Although Israel is at war with the Palestinians in Gaza, a bloody conflict that began with a Hamas attack inside Israel on October 7, 2023 and has cost both sides thousands of victims, but an Israeli and a Palestinian agree on peace.
Former Prime Minister of Israel and the Mayor of Jerusalem, Hakim Olmert, and the former Palestinian Foreign Minister, Dr. Nasser Alkindua signed a peace agreement. Although this symbolic move has absolutely no political force in today’s reality, it nevertheless lets another ray of hope shine through the darkness of today’s impasse. The Olmert-Alkindua agreement was initiated by Gerson Baskin, who brokered a deal for the return of Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit in 2011, who was held by Hamas for five years. Baskin, an author, journalist and social and political activist, is among those who see dialogue and cooperation between the parties as the only solution to peace. Founder of the ICO (Organization of International Communities) center, he helps places where peace processes have failed. Since 7 October, he has worked tirelessly, even in the adverse conditions of today’s war, to ensure that the channels of communication between the two sides remain open, to reach a ceasefire agreement and the return of the hostages, but also to plan for the next day.
As the October 7 Black Anniversary approaches – in less than a month, and with the current standoff only intensifying, and as civil protests against the war and for the return of hostages in Israel grow, it seems that decision-makers will have to consider alternatives. As Alkindua also said: “The current situation has to stop!”
*Ilias Messinas is an architect, urban planner and writer. Creator of Ecoweek. Author of the books ‘A Sinagoga’, ‘A Sinagoga’ and ‘O Bom’ (Infognomon publications, 2022, 2023, autumn 2024, respectively).