Summary of our September 26 forum with American Friends of Combatants for Peace

Thanks to all who were able to be with us on September 26 for our webinar forum with Ahmed Helou and Iris Gur, representing American Friends of Combatants for Peace who both movingly shared their journeys toward peace. We sincerely apologize that because of a glitch the forum was not recorded. Below is a summary of their presentation. 

Ahmed recounted his story as a Palestinian refugee. With roots in Gaza, he grew up in the West Bank, ultimately in Jericho. He now lives in Spain as a refugee. He has spent his entire life as a refugee. He shared that at least 170 of his relatives living in Gaza have been killed during the genocide, many of them highly educated. His sister is still there and no effort to get her out has worked. She is ill and in need of medical help, of which none is available. Ahmed fears the worst for her.

Ahmed’s two children are living in Jericho; they are unable to see each other, which gives Ahmed much sorrow. One of his daughters is studying at Birzeit University, which was recently attacked, and that he was extremely worried about her.

Like Ahmed, Iris, who is Jewish, has left Israel (though on her own accord) and is living in the Netherlands. She is a retired teacher originally from Netanya, 16 kilometers from the line between Israel and Palestine. In spite of living that close, she had virtually no knowledge of anything having to do with Palestine, other than her family’s Zionist ideology. As an educator, she began to question her lack of knowledge, and through reading books, she realized the huge gap in her understanding of the plight of Palestinians. Iris was awakened to a different line of thought when her daughter refused to enter military service and had to spend 4 months in jail/prison, even though she was willing to do community service.
 
Iris emphasized that the only way forward is for everyone, Jews and Palestinians, to be equal and free and live together. She assailed the international community for its facilitating both the occupation and Israel’s activities of ethnic cleansing. The United States is also committing crimes in Gaza.  All of us—including the international community—are guilty. Iris invited all of us to join those who are demanding peace.  Demand that Israel stop. Help both the Palestinian and the Jewish people by “turning off the spigot” of money that the US and Europe send to Israel.  Iris pointed out that there are 7 million Palestinians and 7 million Jewish people living in Israel, and there is therefore no other option than to learn to live together. Iris declared that Israel is not a democracy; it is a fascist, far right government. The actual format of a future country that includes Palestinians and Jews who are equal is not important. All that is important now is the commitment to make it happen; the rest can be worked out. Iris put a new twist on an old slogan: “From the river to the sea, EVERYONE must be free.” Apartheid in South Africa ended because of pressure from the international community. That must happen now in relation to Israel/Palestine.
 
After living lives of hatred and promoting violence, both Ahmed and Iris realized that there was another, more compassionate way to live. They became a part of American Friends of Combatants for Peace. Iris showed two short video clips to illustrate the history and activities of American Friends of Combatants for Peace. The AFCP demonstrates on behalf of Palestinians in the West Bank and attempts to protect them when they are harassed and violated by the settlers.

Iris showed short video clips to illustrate the history of AFCP, as well as the work they are doing to assist Palestinians in the West Bank harassed and violated by Israeli settlers with the aid of the Israeli government. Iris pressed hard on her opinion that there HAS to be peace, that it is the only future, that it doesn’t matter what the plan is (2-state, confederation, 1 state), just that it happens. Here are links to three video clips, two of which Iris shared: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHVv4S5AYo   Combatants for Peace standing in solidarity with Beit Sahour landowners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE9wtQ3xFZg&t=1s  Combatants for Peace: “There is Another Way”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgXciIpVEKw&t=1s   Combatants for Peace: 20 years of nonviolence joint resistance

Conclusion: Ahmed and Iris greatly deepened our understanding by relaying intensely personal stories that lie behind the familiar narratives of occupation, war, and injustice in Palestine/Israel. We must not forget their anguished faces and their tears as we communicate with our lawmakers, pressure our religious institutions, and support BDS initiatives in fighting for the freedom of all people in Palestine and Israel.