Europe took a courageous moral stand yesterday when Britain’s Foreign Minister Robin Cook strode away from the Israeli who was officially briefing him on Jabel Abu Ghneim (Har Homa) to shake the hand of Salah Tamari, a Palestinian who has led the battle against the new Israeli settlement on this land.
Bat Shalom had a contingent of 8 women who joined other Israeli peace organizations on the mountain to applaud Cook’s efforts, but our voices were drowned out by the din of Israeli right-wingers shouting “Anti-Semite”, “Jerusalem Forever” and other angry slogans against the European rebuke.
But Bat Shalom together with its partners, The Jerusalem Center for Women (JCW), were able to convey our message directly to Minister Cook thanks to a little help from friends of the JCW.
When Mr. Cook entered the school yard of the Palestinian girls college to meet with Faisal Husseini, a joint contingent of The Jerusalem Link was waiting for him. Dr. Sumaya Farhat-Naser and I stepped forward, shook his hand, and introduced ourselves as the Palestinian and Israeli joint women’s peace movement. “We welcome you to the region,” I said, and Sumaya continued, “and we encourage European involvement in advancing the peace process”. “This is the warmest welcome I’ve had today,” responded Mr. Cook with a smile, and pushed forward through the mob of media to shake the hands of several Jerusalem Link women.
We handed Mr. Cook a letter, and we’d also like to share it with you:
Dear Mr. Cook:
The Israeli government is derailing the peace process with its policies to expand settlements, maintain a closure, demolish homes, hold political detainees without trial, confiscate identity cards, bar Palestinian access to Jerusalem, and refuse safe passage between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. These policies violate human and political rights, undermine the Palestinian economic, social and cultural fabric, and effectively maintain Israeli sovereignty over another people.
We appeal to the leaders of Europe to help put the peace process back on track; and we call upon Israeli and Palestinian political leaders to shape a peace agreement that will ensure the security of both peoples and provide a framework for the development of genuinely peaceful relations between them. This cannot be achieved without two states for two peoples and the city of Jerusalem serving as two capitals for these two states.
Mr. Cook, we are aware of the efforts made by the European Commission for peace in the Middle East, and we appreciate them deeply. In parallel, we would like to make you aware of the tireless efforts that we are making on the grassroots level on behalf of peace. Without devoted commitment on both levels, and on the part of our national leaders, our peoples will continue to pay the price in blood, and peace will remain an elusive dream.
Sumaya Farhat-Naser Gila Svirsky
The Jerusalem Center for Women Bat Shalom