. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .
Radio Podcast by Anne-Cécile Mailfert for Radio France (translation by CPNN)
The day before yesterday, Israel celebrated “Jerusalem Day,” which commemorates the conquest of the city after the Six-Day War. For several years, this day has been marked by violent demonstrations by settlers who seek confrontation with the Palestinians in the old city, during what they call the “march of the flags”.
This is a senseless provocation as Palestinian civilians continue to die under bombs and Israeli hostages are still being held. After the Rafah tragedy, they have chosen endless war.
Faced with this deadly dynamic, peace activists, often women, exist, offer alternative stories and take courageous actions, of which we hear too little.
Frame from video of podcast with Anne-Cécile Mailfert
For example ?
Nava Hefetz, a female rabbi and activist for peace and human rights, and Ghadir Hani, a Palestinian Israeli, were both in Jerusalem to organize “humanitarian guards” throughout the city and protect Palestinians from settlers.
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(Click here for the original French version of this article.)
Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?
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Since October 7, their movement, Standing Together, the largest bringing together Palestinians and Israelis for peace, justice and equality, has been organizing demonstrations across the country to call for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Their “humanitarian guards” also ensure the passage of aid trucks into Gaza, often attacked by settlers. They oppose the occupation and work so that both peoples can live in security, freedom and self-determination.
Are these voices that we rarely hear?
Yes, and women we rarely see. The few times we talk about women is when they are victims of war rape (and again), bombings (and again), or bereaved by the loss of their children (and again, too little) . But we never see them when we talk seriously about negotiating war or peace. But women are not only objects of concern, they also have subjects, have interesting things to say and are undoubtedly more fruitful than many virile and bellicose speeches.
Reem Alhajajra, co-founder of Women of the Sun, a Palestinian association campaigns alongside Women Wage Peace on the Israeli side for justice and peace, and warns of the need to hear and make room for those who work for peace .
Works can also represent hope, without denying anything about history. Like Lina Soualem, in “Bye Bye Tiberias”, a magnificent documentary released in 2023, which pays tribute to the 4 generations of women in her family, and highlights the daily struggles of Palestinian women, who for years have had to overcome the impossible to realize their dream.
We cannot imagine the future without women. Peace cannot be won with weapons. Each in their own way, these women’s voices simply dare, and we know how difficult it is, to even imagine another present and a future other than that of war.
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