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People Choosing Peace: Chen (Israel)

By
Peace News Staff
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I was drafted into the Israeli Army in 1987, at the beginning of the First Intifada. The most difficult thing was the arrests.

One night we had to meet an agent from the security forces in order to find a wanted terrorist. My men surrounded a house and as we entered with our flashlights. People were sleeping on mattresses all over the floor. Then the agent woke someone up and dragged him to the jeep. It was a 10-year-old child. “How can this be the ‘wanted terrorist’?” I asked myself.

Then, in 2001, came the Second Intifada, when the Palestinians used arms, not stones. I knew as a reservist I would now be called to respond with tanks, not batons. The strategy was to siege and block everything. The Palestinian villages became like prisons, with one exit in and out.

On one occasion when I was stationed at a roadblock, I was asked to allow a taxi full of sick Palestinian children (who didn’t have a permit) through to the hospital in Bethlehem. At the same time, I got a phone call from my wife telling me she was having problems picking up our three-year-old daughter from kindergarten. So there I was, standing on a sand blockade talking to my wife, while sick Palestinians children were waiting in the car. I couldn’t bear it any more: on the one hand I was a kind, devoted father, and on the other hand I was being so callous with these people. Were these children nothing more than ‘potential terrorists’?

My children were human, and yet we had de-humanized the Palestinian children entirely. I began to realize that in the de-humanizing of the other, you begin to de-humanize yourself.

When I heard about reservist officers and combatant soldiers refusing to serve in the occupied territories, I signed their petition. When I decided to publish my name as a refusnik, I warned my parents first because I knew it would be a big scandal.

One day I was in Ramallah telling my story to Palestinians and a person in the audience asked me directly, “Are you asking us to forgive you?”

I said, “No, I don’t forgive myself, nor do I ask for forgiveness.”

For me, telling my story is not about asking for forgiveness, but about taking responsibility. This is not just about words and emotions – it is about action.

Chen is a theater director, facilitator, and lecturer at Tel Aviv University. He served for four years in the Israeli army and then for 11 years as an operations officer in the reserves. When he became a refusnik he served time in jail as a result.

– Courtesy of Combatants for Peace

What Causes Terrorism?

By
Peace News Staff
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With recent terror attacks in around the world, we wanted to know, from the perspective of peace-builders: What’s driving violent extremism?

Melanie Greenberg, President and CEO of Alliance for Peacebuilding, said it’s important to distinguish between extremism and extreme violence.

“…one of the arguments in the field right now, is ‘how do you know when somebody who has – what we might consider – extreme views, makes a shift to violence?’,” Ms Greenberg told Peace News.

Experts warn there are many reasons for extremist violence, but there are two common drivers that often appear.

1. Exclusion

“One driver of violent extremism is exclusion,” Ms Greenberg said.

“And especially young people who are feeling excluded from the mainstream, of politics, their own countries, or feel they are being discriminated against – shut out of economies,” she said.

2. Identity

Lena Slachmuiljder, Vice President of Programs at Search for Common Ground, said extreme groups may provide direction for people who are feeling excluded.

“So, fundamentally, we believe that whether these grievances are real or perceived, there is a sense of people adhering and aligning behind a cause and feeling drawn to something that will give them a sense of agency, around something that matters to them,” Ms Slachmuiljder told DME for Peace.

“And we’ve found that some groups like ISIS are wonderful at using media and social media to give a greater narrative to a young person’s life – to have them feel that they are fighting for a greater cause,” Ms Greenberg said.

“We’re seeing that also in the north of Pakistan – young men joining the Taliban – the incentives are ‘We can give you something bigger than just your small community’,” she said.

This also applies to recruits from Western countries.

“Three out of four people that are joining ISIS, from abroad, they do so with friends, so you’re looking at this ‘band of brothers’,” said Elizabeth Hume, Senior Director for Programs and Strategy Alliance for Peacebuilding.

So, what is working to prevent violent extremism?

In some cases, economic alternatives can help.

“For example, with Boku Haram in northern Nigeria, they are offering micro-loans to members of communities living in northern Nigeria, and so part of their appeal is economic,” Ms Greenberg said.

“And a way to counter that would be to give alternative economic programs,” she said.

Rebecca Wolfe, Director of Mercy Corps’ Peace and Conflict team, said strengthening families is also vital.

“Helping families talk about joining these groups seems to help build a resilience, so that people don’t join, or it’s families that will help bring people back,” Ms Wolfe said.

“And addressing those things: How do we build stronger communities? How do we give youth a sense of purpose? How do we help communities develop their own ideas about violent extremism? And it’s not just us from the West coming in and imposing them,” Ms Greenberg said.

Inclusion is also a key factor.

“Often times we’re so focused on trying to understand why do people join, that we forget to ask ‘why do people not join?’, to be able to really understand how can we build on the dynamics of resiliency and the positive connecting forces that perhaps can be amplified through our work,” Ms Slachmuiljder said.

One thing peace-builders all seem to agree on is the more we know about drivers of extreme violence, the better we can prevent it.

People Choosing Peace: Sulaiman al-Khatib (Palestine)

By
Peace News Staff
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My name is Sulaiman Khatib. I was born and raised in the village of Hizme, northeast of Jerusalem; I now live in Ramallah, Palestine.

Growing up, my family was badly impacted by the ongoing conflict; there was so much suffering all around me. I was determined to make a difference, but there was no peaceful way to do this; the only option was to join the violent struggle – so I did.

In 1986, when I was just 14 years old, I informally joined the “Fatah” movement. I threw stones at soldiers, wrote graffiti on public buildings, prepared Molotov Cocktails and more. At the age of 14, a friend and I decided to steal weapons from Israeli soldiers. In our attempt to grab their guns, we stabbed the soldiers. I was lost in anger and revenge; and I didn’t see the soldiers as human beings. The soldiers were wounded, but thankfully, no one was killed. We were arrested and sentenced to 18 and 15 years in jail, respectively. During this time two of my brothers were also arrested and imprisoned; my mother’s heart broke.

In prison I participated in learning groups; I began to have new thoughts about the conflict and the means for resolving it. In an attempt to learn about the “enemy,” I studied the history of the Jewish people and taught myself both Hebrew and English. It was then that I realized there are multiple narratives to the conflict – for both our peoples.

One day I had the opportunity to watch Schindler’s List. I was deeply moved, and it changed my life forever. I realized that these “enemies” were actually human beings who were suffering profoundly. I reconstructed my worldview.

I realized for the first time that I had mistaken the enemy. I had thought it was the Israeli people, but I was wrong. Instead, we had a common enemy: hatred and fear. I knew that if we could somehow unite against these common foes, then together we could end this conflict.

In 1997, after 10 years and 5 months in jail, I was freed on account of good behavior. I joined with some friends, and we established the Abu Sukar Centre for Peace (later Alquds Centre for Democracy and Dialogue). A few years later, I helped to found Combatants for Peace. It is the combatants who fought in this war who must take responsibility for our part in perpetuating the violence. We are the ones with the power to end it. The change starts within us. There is no hero who will save us; it is ordinary people, it is you and me – together – who will end this war.

Together, we can bring peace, freedom and secure human rights for all.

– Text and Image Courtesy of Combatants for Peace

Kites Raise Hope in Baghdad

By
Mustafa Nader
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Baghdad has been ranked the worst capital city in the world to live in, but the founders of a kite festival have challenged the title.

The kite-flying festival, called Orshina (أورشينا ), was held in the Abu Nuas Gardens in May, in reaction to the global listing.

Muhammed, a Baghdad citizen, said the festival aims to show a different side of Iraq and the Iraqi people.

“All the world mentions [is] that Iraq is the country of the war, and it is represented as ISIS and bad things – but actually, no – Iraq is represented by life, love, and [all] good things,” Muhammed said.

“…Can you see how people love their life, and how they are brave, and how they always choose the best things?” he said.

“My best wishes for my country, and for the whole world.”

Over 1000 people attended the festival, and musicians and entertainers performed while organizers launched 365 kites.

People Choosing Peace: Nadia (South Sudan)

By
Peace News Staff
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My name is Nadia. I am 28 years old, and I have experienced, and can testify, that South Sudanese people are friendly in nature. I’m aware people all over the world may hardly believe me, especially when they hear about the conflict ravaging my country.

I care a lot about the well-being of others, especially my fellow Juba residents. It breaks my heart when I see and hear reports of citizens leaving in such huge numbers to neighboring countries, due to the insecurity that has blanketed our country.

I told myself in the past that despite the fact that the economic situation in the country continued to hurt, I would always stay – that I would do whatever I can to preserve the social cohesiveness that defines us, beginning in my neighborhood. I hoped someday peace will come.

But my efforts continue to be undermined by the violent conflict that broke out again in 2013. It has engulfed, and spread uncontrollably to, almost all the rest of the country. Sometimes my hopes are devastated by the current situation!

The devastation created by the conflict, and by famine, is real in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, as well as other areas. Most people in my neighborhood cannot afford to have enough to eat. I feel so awful seeing people die from hunger.

Every day brings new struggles. Until two weeks ago, I had a job, which guaranteed me a monthly income – and with that little salary I received I was able to buy some food for my family and myself. Most of my neighbors have not been as lucky as me – they have hardly had any source of regular income. They cannot afford to put food on their table. On several occasions I have given a helping hand. But unfortunately, I am just one person and cannot do much. Now that am out of work the situation is worse, as I can hardly help anymore.

This helplessness makes me wish to leave this country altogether, to struggle with hunger. I feel I am caught between two situations that are beyond my control.

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