The last 16 months were a roller coaster of tragedy, trauma, and destruction. And while the horrors of today will soon be forgotten, the final stop is clear as crystal – a historical, lasting peace accord between Israel & Palestine, the Zionist movement & the Arab world, and Judaism & Islam.
Menachem Begin’s words at the Knesset during the historic visit of Anwar Sadat are as accurate today as they were in 1977: “War is avoidable, peace is inevitable.”
Yes, from outside the peace camp, it seems like the future will be as devastating as the present and the past. The darkness and suffering are here to stay, and we will continue to pay with our blood for incapable politicians’ cowardice, lack of political imagination, and deadly mistakes.
For me, the future is bright and promising.
A bright and promising future of peace
After losing my parents, Bilha and Yakobi, on the morning of October 7, I chose the path to peace and reconciliation to heal myself from the pain, loss, and sorrow. Slowly, I realized that my parents had prepared me for the moment of their death. Yes, I was prepared to say that no revenge would bring my parents back to life, and it would just escalate the cycle of bloodshed and hate we are trapped in.
My father, who was the best farmer in Israel, taught me that no matter how bad last year was in the fields of the Negev – if drought, floods, insects, or all three destroyed the wheat crops – next year he would sow again because next year would be better. He would learn from his mistakes, consult with other farmers and experts, get the best seeds, and do all he could to change the future for the best.
My mother, a talented artist, teacher, and mandala painter, blessed me with the mandala of dreams: All our dreams can be fulfilled if we have the courage to chase them.
But I was mostly blessed with my grandparents, Zionist pioneers. From my father’s side, they established Kibbutz Nir Am in 1943; and from my mother’s side, Kibbutz Ruhama in 1944. While they lost many family members and their entire community in Eastern Europe during the Holocaust, they weren’t traumatized or in despair. On the contrary, they made hope for the Jewish people by envisioning a better future and acting to make it into a reality. While making hope, they also made many mistakes. They and the generation after them always prepared for the next war and didn’t use all their skill, courage, and resources to prevent it – like the six founding nations of the EU.
There were only two courageous Israeli leaders who realized that the only way to achieve security and safety is through diplomacy, shared acknowledgment and recognition, and by treating the other side with dignity and as equals – former prime ministers Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin, who made peace with two of our greatest enemies – Egypt and Jordan.
Now, while our failed leaders from both sides are thriving on dehumanization, fear, and polarization, the Israeli-Palestinian peace camp is a beacon of light and hope. For the first time, we have created a coalition of more than 50 organizations. For the first time in many years, we have entered the field that, for too long, we left for the extremists to play in front of an empty goal – the field of dreams. Yes, we have a dream where both peoples live in equality, dignity, security, and safety.
For the first time in many years, we have a road map. We invite others to dream with us. We we amplify our dream, build legitimacy for peace, create a global coalition, and work together in synchrony and harmony.
We have named our coalition It’s Time. It’s time to end the war, it’s time to fully implement the deal, and it’s time for a lasting peace.
The It’s Time coalition will meet in Jerusalem on May 8 & 9 at the People’s Peace Summit – the largest and most ambitious gathering of its kind, bringing thousands of people from all walks of life together for a two-day summit to envision and advance a peaceful future while centering the voices of the diverse communities across the country who stand in support of peace.
We are here to prove once again that peace will prevail.■
The writer is a tourism entrepreneur and peace activist who is part of the It’s Time coalition.