A Letter to the Leaders Before I Join the “Skeptics” Club By Rania Fadel, Israel

Dear Leaders,

We call on you to achieve a peace agreement.

We need it. We can’t continue living in such a situation where our present, our future and our resources are stolen from us by endless conflict that brings all of us only damage and suffering. This is the time.

This is your chance to be the real leaders whom history will remember as those who could solve this conflict. This is our chance to live in a different, better reality.

We are fed up of hearing the traditional excuses each time, on why a peace agreement doesn’t come through; such as the usual points that the two sides don’t agree upon:  borders, Jerusalem, refugees, the security of Israel. OK, OK, OK, these are real issues, important ones indeed, but what if we could trust each other? And not only us– the citizens–  because we could trust and some of us do. It’s only a matter of letting us know each other then we can exchange our thoughts, fears and dilemmas, and we can create solutions. But my question to you dear leaders, what if you could trust each other? It starts from there. No trust, no agreement. It is very easy, and we know that then results will be very hard for the two nations.

We are fed up with this political game that each time we welcome a peace process, we always see each side divide itself into two camps. One is taking part in the peace negotiations and the other is blaming it by explaining the list of reasons why we can’t trust the other side– aren’t you tired of this boring game? Maybe we should agree upon one opinion before we decide to represent our nations? And why should we always wait for a negotiator such as Mr. Kerry who thankfully invested time and energy into trying to solve our conflict? Why is it always the case that other leaders care about us more than you, our leaders!

We don’t want to hear again about another circle of peace negotiations, another “cute” peace initiative, another set of theoretical and unrealistic requirements. We want to hear real and strong opinions and we want to live the day where we, the people, will not be scared to meet each other, even if we don’t agree with each other.

We ask you first to change your terminology; the terminology that you speak to your citizens with is full of hatred towards the other side of the conflict, and lack of trust (while sometimes you prove that your behavior doesn’t always fit your terminology). This terminology leads us to an unknown future; but one which will certainly bring war and destruction. While other nations are  empowering and advancing their citizens, we are busy with our conflict. We ask you to listen to our voices, more than two hundred fifty thousand young people from Israel and the Arab world, agreed on a Peace Initiative in Berlin last year, based mainly on the Arab (Saudi) Initiative and on Obama’s initiative; with additions and changes that fit our reality and hopes. We ask you dear leaders to read it, to hear our voice, we have concrete requirements that are clearly laid out. Please don’t say again that the nations don’t want peace, we do want peace and now! We just don’t want to hear more excuses, We want YOU our dear leaders, to really want peace, to be able to trust each other, to think about us, we want you to take these negotiations seriously. No More excuses, support a peace agreement now!

Peaceful regards

Rania Fadel,

YaLa Young Leaders