|
Trending Topics
|
Source: https://www.jns.org/for-decades-israelis-were-told-there-were-partners-for-peace-in-gaza/
For Decades, Israelis Were Told There Were "Partners for Peace" in Gaza
(JNS) Rachel Sapoznik - Vivian Silver, 74, was a lifelong peace activist who built her entire identity around Jewish-Arab coexistence. She lived on Kibbutz Be'eri, just miles from Gaza, and was a founding leader of "Women Wage Peace" that advocates dialogue, reconciliation, and a two-state future. She also volunteered with the group "The Road to Recovery," personally driving Palestinians from Gaza to Israeli hospitals for lifesaving care. On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists and ordinary Gazans set her home on fire and she was murdered. Her son, Yonatan Zeigen, was on the phone with her as the attack unfolded. They continued texting as Silver hid in a closet as terrorists moved through the house. Her final message to him was: "They're inside the house. It's time to stop joking and say goodbye." We are told that if Israelis show enough goodwill, enough restraint, enough empathy, enough "understanding," then peace will follow. Silver dedicated her life to Palestinian welfare. She believed in coexistence until her final moments. It did not save her. A viable solution requires moral reciprocity, the basic recognition that those who extend their hand in peace should not be murdered in return. Gazan society did not mourn people like Silver. In fact, her murder was celebrated there. You cannot murder your most committed allies and expect the world to keep pretending that nothing has changed. The writer is founder of the Jewish Shield Action Alliance.