The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

in time of crisis, to war. Women, identified with the private sphere, the
family, are expected to furnish maximum support to their men, and occasionally
even sacrifice their dearest in time of war. The shadow of war
makes the family an important factor.” (Report, p. 189) Molly Malekar
questions the ability of Israeli society to make peace in such a highly mil itarized
society
“The biggest attempt of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians
was made in the so-called people-to-people processes and encounters
after the Oslo Accords. The rationale behind this programme was to enable
the individual and the collective to get to know the other, to encour -
age a process of re-humanization, and to create a greater sense of
empathy, cooperation, and understanding among Israelis and Palestinians.
It was assumed that this process would ultimately lead to reconciliation,
which is one of the most meaningful conditions for a true and
stable peace.” (Report, p. 191). This approach did not meet with success,
and was rather hampered by the political leadership on both
sides.
Especially women took the possibilities of cooperation seriously. Bat
Shalom, the organization of which Molly Malekar is the director, organ -
ized many meetings and projects together with Palestinian women. Look -
ing back, she says: “There is a romantic perception that women from
both sides of the national conflict will be able to transcend national boundaries.
But nationalism tends to use the privilege of women’s institutions
to force women to demonstrate their ultimate loyalty to their own
national collective.” (Report, p. 193). The relationships between Palestinian
and Israeli women remained asymmetrical. “Palestinian women
hoped that Israeli women would mobilize support against the occupation
within Israel, and would acknowledge the asymmetry of power defining
their relationship.” (Report, p. 194). However: “Israeli women, especially
the core group of activists, who came to the meeting as individuals, are
already positioned in their own society as ‘non-conformists’, and as critical
towards their own government and society...” (Report, p. 195).
Molly Malekar concludes her report with the assessment: “Yet, long
years of dialogue between the two sides have produced many person
al relationships and trust. Joint meet ings have been resourceful. It
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