‘We All Want Peace’ by Angy Shavit, Israel
Stop acting like I’m not on your side, because I’m on everyone’s side. That’s because- we are all on the same side. We all want peace. We all want our children to grow up in a country where they feel safe. Where we know they will go to school in the morning and come back in the afternoon. We all want perfect leaders. We all want justice. We all want peace…
I’m a Zionist- I believe in Israel just like anyone else. But when something happens, any form of terror occurs in this country, all my friends don’t see me as one of them. I suddenly become the person to attack, the person to ridicule, the ‘naive’ human who believes in peace.
“This is peace?” “This is a peaceful way to end the conflict?” “Did they enter the synagogue to speak about the conflict peacefully?” As if I am not one of them. As if I did not serve the IDF. As if I am not a Jew…
I recognize another side. I recognize someone else’s pain, no matter who it is. Because there is no other side- we are all one side. We all want peace.
Because I want peace, I’m treated differently? Because I want my children to grow up peacefully one day in this country, I’m treated differently? Why? Because I voted for a different political party than you? Because I don’t believe violence is the answer? Because I believe the only way to peace is through communication? Because I want peace?
When did wanting peace become such a terrible thing? When did wanting peace become a reason for me not to be considered ‘patriotic’ or ‘Zionist.’
I’m a Zionist- I believe in Israel just like anyone else. But when something happens, any form of terror occurs in this country, all my friends don’t see me as one of them. I suddenly become the person to attack, the person to ridicule, the ‘naive’ human who believes in peace.
“This is peace?” “This is a peaceful way to end the conflict?” “Did they enter the synagogue to speak about the conflict peacefully?” As if I am not one of them. As if I did not serve the IDF. As if I am not a Jew…
I recognize another side. I recognize someone else’s pain, no matter who it is. Because there is no other side- we are all one side. We all want peace.
Because I want peace, I’m treated differently? Because I want my children to grow up peacefully one day in this country, I’m treated differently? Why? Because I voted for a different political party than you? Because I don’t believe violence is the answer? Because I believe the only way to peace is through communication? Because I want peace?
When did wanting peace become such a terrible thing? When did wanting peace become a reason for me not to be considered ‘patriotic’ or ‘Zionist.’
My Palestinian friend, Zeynep, wrote to me this morning the moment she heard the terrible news… apologizing…
“I’m a Palestinian and I don’t stand against zionism. I know that Jewish people deserve a land to feel safe after the bloody history they had for hundreds of years. I’m a Palestinian who feels deeply sad about the people who had to flee from their homes or got stuck in Gaza side. I’m so sad to see the sides ignoring each other’s pain and causing extra pains!”
And then she said “imagine that I announce this in public!”
That’s exactly how I feel… I can’t make a single Facebook post that says ‘peace’ because it’ll come with 50 new Facebook messages and 100 new comments which i’ll have to answer one by one. If I can recognize her pain, and she can recognize mine, why can’t we all recognize each others pain? After all, we all want the same thing, we all want peace. Angy YaLa young Leaders
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