The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

The search for a strong leader who can lead the people out of their
distress: Abuse of power is tolerated and justified; society has lost
its immunity to resist abuse of power;
There is a collective addiction to violence, a call for revenge and
retaliation.
Escapism and passive acceptance of the “situation” prevail.
Alienation and a lack of solidarity are widespread; each person only
worries about his or her own fate.
Internalized violence: The legitimation of the use of violence
against the enemy has been internalized. Opponents are perceived
as the enemy, even within one’s own society.
The military and militarization in the service of the ongoing war
The military and militarization as both ideology and institution dominate
the Israeli collective sphere. The military as ideology accepts organized
violence as a legitimate solution to conflict, and believes that the military
response to political conflict is sensible; militarism as a social process
involves the mobilization of a huge budget as well as the spiritual and
cultural resources for war.
Gender inequality in Israel is manifested at all levels of life, e.g.: “The
best (men) for the Air Force; and the best (women) for pilots”. In spite
of non-discriminatory legislation, women are not able to translate their
options into practice. The concept of separation between the private and
the public spheres is maintained, due to the socio-political reality of a
militarized society.
The importance of the family in Jewish society is magnified in the context
of the political conflict. The family is used as the connecting link between
the collective and the individual recruited to military service, and in time
of crisis, to war. Women, identified with the private sphere, the family,
are expected to furnish maximum support for their men, and occasionally
even sacrifice their dearest in time if war. The shadow of war makes the
family an important factor. As their children are to join military service,
women prolong their role as mothers by two or three additional years.
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