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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nations <strong>and</strong> clashes between the Israeli army <strong>and</strong> armed Palestinian militias.”<br />
(Report, p. 181)<br />
After 9/11 <strong>and</strong> more suicide bombings, President Arafat was demonized<br />
as a Palestinian Bin Laden, <strong>and</strong> his residence in Ramallah, as well as the<br />
streets <strong>and</strong> homes <strong>of</strong> the civilian population, were destroyed. <strong>The</strong> atmosphere<br />
in Israel changed. “<strong>Peace</strong> became unpopular. <strong>The</strong> general atmosphere<br />
on the streets, in buses, cafés, banks etc. was <strong>of</strong> fear <strong>and</strong> panic.<br />
People were afraid <strong>to</strong> gather in public.” Violence <strong>and</strong> retaliation dictated<br />
the relationship between the two societies. (Report, p. 179)<br />
<strong>The</strong> main issue in the Labour Party election campaign <strong>of</strong> 2003 was the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> a separation wall between Israel <strong>and</strong> the West Bank.<br />
After the vic<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>of</strong> the Likud Party <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> Sharon, that project was implemented,<br />
but in such a way that it pushed forward in<strong>to</strong> Palestinian terri<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
<strong>and</strong> encompassed the major settlement areas in the West Bank,<br />
so that Palestinian l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> villages could only be accessed as exclaves.<br />
In 2005, Israeli government, headed by Ariel Sharon, decided <strong>to</strong> evacuate<br />
twenty-one settlements in the Gaza Strip <strong>and</strong> four in the West<br />
Bank. <strong>The</strong>se settlements, built in thickly settled Palestinian areas, became<br />
costly <strong>to</strong> safeguard. <strong>The</strong> protests <strong>of</strong> the settlers were directed not<br />
only against the Israeli police <strong>and</strong> government, but also against the Pal -<br />
estinians. <strong>The</strong> settlers warned <strong>of</strong> a civil war in Israel if their settlements<br />
should be dismantled. <strong>The</strong> aggressiveness <strong>of</strong> the settlers prior <strong>to</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
during their evacuation made it clear <strong>to</strong> normal citizens in Israel what dimensions<br />
the struggle might assume. Yet, the majority <strong>of</strong> Israeli society<br />
supported the government, <strong>and</strong> resenting the settlers’ aggressive actions<br />
<strong>to</strong>wards the police <strong>and</strong> military forces assigned <strong>to</strong> dismantle the<br />
settlements.<br />
In 2006, Hamas won the elections in the Palestinian terri<strong>to</strong>ries. In 2007,<br />
militant Hamas fighters in Gaza shot members <strong>of</strong> the Fatah, causing<br />
Fatah fighters <strong>to</strong> flee <strong>to</strong> Egypt <strong>and</strong> Israel.<br />
In 2006, the Second Lebanon War <strong>to</strong>ok place, so that Israel found itself<br />
fighting both on that northern front <strong>and</strong> on the southern front in Gaza.<br />
At the end <strong>of</strong> 2006, Israel launched a new diplomatic initiative with the<br />
goal <strong>of</strong> negotiating on the basis <strong>of</strong> a peace plan drafted by the Arab Lea-<br />
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