A Call for Peace: Statement from Peaceful Tomorrows

Those of us who will never see our loved ones again due to their being killed during the attacks of September 11th, 2001 in the United States, can well imagine the pain of those who are suffering the loss of their beloved family members in Gaza and Israel. Losing those we love to extreme violence is a tragic wound shared by families around the world, some of whom have reached out and made our acquaintance. We hope that recent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine will bring true comfort to families across the region as many are reunited. We share profound sadness for the lives continuing to be lost and deep wounds that will not heal. 

This remains a time of crisis for Israelis and Palestinians. There is both opportunity and danger as there was for this country after 9/11. At that time, the whole world reached out to us with compassion. Against the will of many of our 9/11 family members, the United States tragically chose the path of revenge and retaliation which led the country into twenty years of  war, compounding the loss of lives by the hundreds of thousands in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Let us hope there were lessons learned from our appalling mistakes. Despite the mounting blood shed, there is a path forward that is already being walked, not by governments but by the people themselves. Let us look to the leadership of those who have lost loved ones during the conflict who have joined hands across all that divides them by forming the Parents Circle Family Forum, whose mission is to end the cycle of loss of life by creating dialogue, reconciliation and peace. Further leadership is offered by Combatants for Peace. Founded jointly by former Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters who turned away from conflict and, having joined with multitudes of residents across the region, have committed to "rejecting narratives that dehumanize the other and [who] stand together in solidarity with the shared belief that no one should be exposed to violence, oppression, or injustice."

The people of Palestine and Israel have not given up the hope of true and lasting peace. They recognize that peace is tied to justice and that beyond government agreements, trusted relationships must be built through a long journey that connects people to people in joint humanity. They call upon the International community to stand by them in demanding accountability, upholding human rights, and reinforcing the voices of Israelis and Palestinians demanding justice and dignity. In their words "True peace will only take root when it is built by those who live here, with the world as an ally in ensuring that freedom, safety, and equality are no longer negotiable."