Page 35 - October 7 - Teresa Pirola

young Palestinian graduates with Israeli-sponsored start-up assistance and networking opportunities in the hi-tech sector. And the list goes on: individuals, NGOs, grassroots initiatives embodying the very peace to which the world aspires.
Nor is it all about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In Tel Aviv we visit Bialik Rogozin School, which educates 1500 non- Jewish children from 51 countries. Culturally diverse, Israel both succeeds and struggles in its efforts to integrate waves of immigrants and refugees. At a nearby women’s collective called Kuchinate, we meet asylum seekers from Eritrea and Nigeria slowly rebuilding their lives. The unassuming little nun who greets us has received public recognition for her part in uncovering human trafficking networks in the Sinai Peninsula.
The complexity of Israeli and Palestinian societies demands respect. Israel is not the evil empire and Palestinians are not all terrorists or eternal victims. By and large, Israelis and Palestinians resemble people everywhere: saintly and sinful, hopeful and fearful, challenged and talented. They both carry deep ancestral memories, past traumas, and legitimate connections to the land. Shared aspirations for peace are often betrayed by questionable political forces, self-seeking media agendas and the violent actions of extremists.
As Australians living 14,000 km away we are in no position to solve this conflict; but we can help by taking great care in how we communicate about it. Whatever our political leanings, we can steer clear of causes that demonise the other, that eschew nuance and treat ethnic or religious groups as one- dimensional categories. Rather than import the conflict ‘here’, we can support Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding initiatives ‘over there’. In the words of a bereaved father from the Parents Circle, ‘Don’t be too pro-Palestinian. Don’t be too pro-Israeli. Desire peace for both’.
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