The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
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<strong>The</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> trust in the international community is also growing. An<br />
example is the reaction <strong>of</strong> the international community <strong>to</strong> the Palestinian<br />
election <strong>of</strong> 2006. Hamas won the elections, with 41% <strong>of</strong> the vote. This<br />
was mainly due <strong>to</strong> the collapse <strong>of</strong> the peace process <strong>and</strong> the failure <strong>of</strong><br />
Israel <strong>and</strong> the international community <strong>to</strong> deliver freedom <strong>and</strong> dignity <strong>to</strong><br />
the Palestinians. In Israel, the same thing happened, but for different<br />
reasons, as the elections also brought <strong>to</strong> the fore the most extreme representatives<br />
in an aggressive government that seeks <strong>to</strong> spoil any efforts<br />
for peace.<br />
<strong>Reconciliation</strong> work<br />
In addition <strong>to</strong> the peace processes, there have been efforts made for<br />
reconciliation between the two peoples, most <strong>of</strong> which are carried out<br />
by civil society organizations. But the results <strong>of</strong> these modest efforts<br />
are less than is needed <strong>to</strong> achieve true reconciliation for a very long conflict.<br />
<strong>The</strong> persistent failure <strong>of</strong> the peace processes is reflected in this<br />
area, <strong>to</strong>o. It is more difficult <strong>to</strong> achieve reconciliation if the main issues<br />
remain unresolved. Without addressing the asymmetry between the<br />
two parties, without recognizing that one party is living under daily humiliation,<br />
while the other is trying <strong>to</strong> defend the state that is imposing<br />
this humiliation on its counterpart, <strong>and</strong> without admitting that the representatives<br />
<strong>of</strong> the occupying country are calling <strong>to</strong> fight against the oppressed,<br />
rather than being in solidarity with them, the conflict will not<br />
be resolved. This means that the Israelis have <strong>to</strong> pay a high price not<br />
only as individuals, but also collectively as a people, since they have dem -<br />
ocratically elected the leadership <strong>of</strong> their country. Most <strong>of</strong> the Palestinian<br />
<strong>and</strong> Israeli groups which tried <strong>to</strong> work <strong>to</strong>gether could not mobilize<br />
a large constituency on both sides, <strong>and</strong> could not continue when they<br />
were faced by the facts on the ground, <strong>and</strong> when the Israelis are asked<br />
<strong>to</strong> be held accountable for their actions as individuals <strong>and</strong> a collective.<br />
In principal, there is no sustainable political resolution <strong>to</strong> the conflict, unless<br />
the asymmetry between the occupied <strong>and</strong> the occupier is ad dressed.<br />
As long as decision-makers in Israel refuse <strong>to</strong> abide by inter national law,<br />
as long as the international community is not willing <strong>to</strong> impose effective<br />
pressure on the Israelis, <strong>and</strong> as long as Israel’s leaders, supported by<br />
the majority <strong>of</strong> their population, insist upon keeping their country supe-<br />
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