How can we talk about peace in a country that is sinking into war? The speech of the Israelis in favor of a negotiated peace with the Palestinians is almost inaudible. Meeting with a couple of Israeli peace activists. She is Jewish, he is Arab.
:quality(50)/2023/07/07/64a7df4c5fe71_placeholder-36b69ec8.png)
Published
Reading time: 2 mins
:quality(50)/2024/10/14/orna-et-fouad-couple-israeliens-juif-arabe-militant-pacifiste-670ca8cc630ab631487164.jpg)
“Shalom”this word which means “peace” in Hebrew is more difficult to pronounce now for Orna and Fouad. She is Jewish, he is Arab. Both Israelis, they have been campaigning for peace for 40 years. But since the October 7 attacks a year ago, which left more than 1,200 dead, they have muted their speech. “If you talk about peace or the children of Gaza, you are a terroristexplains Fouad. You are with Hamas, you are against the State of Israel. So we keep quiet.”
Orna and Fouad met at a pacifist workshop at the start of the first Intifada, in 1987. Married in the year of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Arafat-Rabin-Perez trio, the theater woman and the doctor of biology express their nostalgia for this period. “We had a lot of hope, remembers Fouad. And they succeeded with the assassination of Rabin in 1995.”
“It was not Rabin who was assassinated. It was the peace process that was assassinated.”
Fouad, an Israeli Arab, peace activistat franceinfo
Fouad also fears ruptures within Israeli society. His breaks at the Ministry of Health are now silent. According to him, the word peace is being ousted from political discourse, including on the left, and young people are increasingly turning towards the extreme right. This month, two attacks were carried out by Israeli Arabs. And if he continues to demonstrate for peace, it is without illusion. “I’m desperate”he admits.
Even in the cultural world, it’s complicated to say that you have to talk to your enemies, adds Orna, who is an author. “The enemy here is Hamas. We also need to talk with Hezbollah. Let’s try to negotiate, she invites. Let’s not waste all these lives, including those of the soldiers.” Orna still campaigns through her plays and by going abroad. “Maybe external pressure will bring change to Israelshe hopes. We must also change the current atmosphere, where any pro-Palestinian is considered anti-Semitic. We show that we can be pro-Palestinian, pro-Israeli, against the war and not anti-Semitic.”
But in the medium term, Orna and Fouad no longer see a glimmer of hope. They encouraged their daughter to leave Israel, its sirens and its attacks. She has been living in Germany for a month.