How new restrictions block Palestinian peace activists from Israel
New Israeli permit restrictions severely limit the ability of Palestinian activists to enter Israel to conduct peace-related activities.
Six years ago, in the winter of 2010, the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum awarded me the organization’s medal, presented each year to Israelis and Palestinians active in areas related to the organization’s objectives and goals. Over the course of my career in journalism, I have declined prizes from many groups and movements, but I could not turn down this particular organization, which this month celebrates 20 years of peace activism.
At the awards ceremony, held in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, hundreds of bereaved families, Jewish and Palestinian, assembled and met each other. They talked about possible ways to bring their two peoples together and end the conflict between them.
In essence, the central concept guiding the forum is similar to that of other peace organizations: to breach the walls of demonization and show that we are all human beings. This message resonates far more powerfully, however, when it comes from the mouths of bereaved family members, those who have lost loved ones as a result of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but still choose hope instead of revenge. I don’t recall much of what I said at the award ceremony, with the exception of one sentence: “You constitute a great source of light in the terrible darkness that prevails outside.” Now it seems that Israel seeks to extinguish even this last remaining source of light.
In January at a gathering of the Peace NGO Forum, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories announced a policy change regarding permits for Palestinian peace activists from the territories to enter Israel. It affects well-known, veteran activists who have been organizing peace events for years.
