Stories that give hope #8 - “Reasons for Optimism

Date: December 15, 2004 at 18:24:15
From: Voices for Peace, [ool-18b96f92.dyn.optonline.net]
Subject: Stories that give hope #8 - “Reasons for Optimism - Pal, Israeli Kids

“Reasons for Optimism - Palestinian, Israeli children 'imagine' peace” Omar Attum

I love children. They have no agenda, just raw emotion — happiness, love
and hope. I was reminded of this when I spent ten days with Israeli and
Palestinian children from the Shani Choir of Jezreel Valley Music School
and the National Palestine Centre for Music in Nablus as they visited
Louisville, Kentucky, in mid-November.

The enthusiasm of the 23 teens, 13 Israeli singers and 10 Palestinian
instrumentalists, for beautiful music as they “peacefully” held concerts
together in churches, schools and a synagogue. Their performance of John
Lennon's “Imagine” in Arabic, English and Hebrew always brought audiences
to tears and standing ovations.

Why was music so successful in overcoming barriers?

According to Harry Pickens, a composer who conducted a music workshop for
the children, “singing and performing together in itself creates a sense of
community. Solving problems is easier if everyone sees themselves as
belonging to the same community.”

This sense of community was missing from the children's lives. Despite
living less than two hours away from one another, it was not possible for
them to meet until they left the region. This would be the first time for
them to know someone from “the other side.” As a 13-year-old Palestinian
boy said in astonishment after meeting for the first time Israelis who are
not soldiers, “They are actually nice.” Israelis lost their fear, as they
realised “we are not that different” from Palestinians.

Honest and emotional group discussions revealed that these children are not
naive nor an eccentric group. Diana Salah, a 23-year-old chaperone from
Nablus, has paid the ultimate price. She watched her civilian brother and
father be killed as the Israeli army sprayed bullets into her home,
mistakenly thinking militants lived there. A rocket would later destroy
what was left of the house. Diana has a right to hate the world. Amazingly,
her revenge is not to shed Israeli blood but to bring an end to violence
and have peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Diana, who wears a
pendant with pictures of her father and brother, doesn't want civilians to
become a statistic, classified as “collateral damage” or hear the empty and
cold apology: “We regret the loss of innocent life.”

The children tearfully spoke of their dreams for a peaceful homeland and
the pain of not having it. Palestinians recognised that using violence to
resist the occupation has killed innocent Israelis, who suffer the same
grief as Diana. Israelis are afraid of being blown up while riding the bus,
just as Palestinians are afraid of being killed by the tanks that roam
their streets. Israelis recognised that the Palestinians are suffering
under the occupation and want the same security as Israelis. These children
are victims caught in a cycle of violence, as Israeli
children will likely be conscripted by the army and the Palestinian youths
will be pressured to join the resistance when
they get older.

Both sides wanted an end to the violence that has failed to make the
Israelis safer or end the occupation. They spoke of the need to establish a
peaceful future instead of focusing on the past.
Watching these brave children tearfully say good-bye to their new friends
at the airport was heartbreaking. As a US citizen, it is easier for me to
visit either group than it is for them to see one another when they return
home. An Israeli girl cried: “I won't be able to sing `Imagine' with my
Palestinian friends when I go home.” An Israeli-Arab girl wept in my arms:
“This is the first time I have been accepted” by both Jews and
Palestinians. The Palestinian boys dreaded going back to the checkpoints
and living in an area considered by the United States State Department as
too dangerous to visit.

Despite the psychological trauma, peace is possible. Just as these children
practised to become great musicians, they have practised making peace
during their ten days together.

Bashar Masri, a Palestinian-American who has not forgotten he grew up in
Nablus, and Mark Isaacs, who is Jewish and loves Israel, have been
practising peace together through dialogue for the last three years through
the organisation they co-founded: Together for 2 States
(www.togetherfor2states.org). They brought and financed the children's
visit, with the support of the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, to practise
peace and perform the “Making Harmony Tour.”
The Jezreel Valley Music School is currently trying to make arrangements to
hold a “Making Harmony” concert in Israel, and Isaacs and Masri are working
on getting the children back to the US for a multi-city tour.

No one should wait for their leaders to bring peace. Anyone can be a
peace-maker if they practise.

###
The writer is a freelance photographer and author. He contributed this
article to The Jordan Times.

Source: The Jordan Times, December 9, 2004

Visit The Jordan Times website at http://www.jordantimes.com

Distributed by the Common Ground News Service.

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