I believe in peace despite the dark reality we live in. It’s a belief that drives me, even as I watch rockets rain down on our cities and hear news of yet another attack. I’m Israeli, and I want peace with our neighbors. But there’s a big “but” in the way: the constant threat of terrorism.
Israel has done a lot to try and make peace happen. In 1978, we gave Egypt the Sinai Peninsula—a huge piece of land—in exchange for peace. This was a significant move, considering the peninsula is three times the size of Israel. Then, in 1994, we made peace with Jordan. We even left Gaza in 2005, moving thousands of Israelis out of their homes in hopes of fostering goodwill. I was one among the families who were evacuated from land given to the Palestinian in Samaria; a place called Kadim near Jenin. And what did we get in return? Rocket fire and terror tunnels aimed at killing and kidnapping our citizens.
Israelis Want Peace
We Israelis truly want peace.
But peace needs both sides to agree. It’s tough to make peace with people who want to destroy you. We cannot make peace with those who do not see us as humans.
The October 7 massacre carrying out by Hamas, changed the Israeli perspective on the possibility of a lasting peace. The number of Israelis who believed in a lasting peace dropped in more than half - from 29% to 13%, according to Gallop poll, while a record-high 74% do not expect a permanent peace between the two sides. These numbers didn't appear out of nowhere. It's a result of the continuous terrorism that Israelis are dealing with.
What is the situation on the other side - the Palestinians? Pretty grim.
According to a poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR), only seven percent of Gazans blamed Hamas for their suffering. Seventy-one percent of all Palestinians supported Hamas’s decision to attack Israel on October 7. Fifty-nine percent of all Palestinians believed Hamas should rule Gaza, and 70 percent were satisfied with Hamas’s role during the war.
The Right to Live Safely
Living safely is a basic right - for both Israelis and Palestinians. It really doesn't matter what "title" you carry, what is your nationality - all humans deserve to live safely. When terrorists attack our kids, families, and towns, we have to fight back - wouldn't you fight back? Think about it: if someone was firing rockets into your neighborhood, you’d want your government to protect you, right? It’s the same for us.
Golda Meir, one of our past Prime Ministers, said it best: "We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us." This is still true today. Our enemies often teach their kids to hate us and use them in their fights against us.
Terrorism is not just a word for us; it’s a daily threat. Groups like Hamas and Hezbollah don’t want peace. They want to wipe us out. We can’t ignore this. To achieve peace, we must get rid of terrorism and the radical ideas that support it.
Incitement is like a disease with how fast it spreads, poisoning minds of children and adults. The key to achieving peace starts in education. We need to support voices of peace, promote tolerance, and take strong action against terrorists. The world also needs to help by punishing those who support or finance terrorists - that would be the Palestinian Authority that, as you are reading these very words, still has a program called 'Pay For Slay' that pays terrorists based on how many Jews they have killed.
Personal Experiences
Growing up in Samaria, I experienced a different reality. When I was young, we used to go shopping in Jenin, a Palestinian city. I had Palestinian friends there, I actually loved going there. We played together, and our lives were intertwined. But today, if I dared to go there, I would be lynched to death. Jews are not allowed in Jenin, nor in Gaza. The places I once visited are now no-go zones for people like me.
My parents moved from Samaria to the Galilee in 2005, during the Gaza disengagement plan. In 2006, during the Second Lebanon War, we were under Hezbollah rocket fire. I remember the sirens going off, the rush to our bomb shelter at home. As a child, I couldn’t understand why they wanted to kill us. Why would anyone want to harm innocent people just trying to live their lives? This is not a life anyone should have to endure, yet it was reality for many of us back then - and it is the reality for the residents of northern Israel today.
The Way Forward
Peace isn’t just about signing agreements. It’s about changing minds. Our neighbors need to accept that Israel has the right to exist. They need to stop the violence. Only then can we dream of a future where our kids can play without fear, and we can live peacefully side by side.
As an Israeli, my heart aches for peace. But I’m not naive. I know we need to stay strong and watchful as long as there are people who want to destroy us. The road to peace is tough, but we must keep going—for us and for future generations of Israelis and Arabs who deserve a world without hate and violence.
Where Is The International Community In All This?
The international community often criticizes Israel for its military actions, but what would any other country do in our situation? Imagine if the United States had rockets fired at it. Wouldn't Americans demand action to protect their families? It's no different for us. We have the right to defend ourselves.
Moreover, the international community needs to play a bigger role in combating terrorism. It's not just Israel's problem. Radicalism and terrorism are global issues that require a global response. Sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and support for moderate voices in the Middle East are crucial steps towards ending the cycle of violence.
In the end, peace is more than just the absence of war. It’s about justice, security, and mutual respect. We Israelis are ready for peace. We are reaching out, but we won't stand by if we’re attacked. Our quest for peace is unwavering, but so is our commitment to defending our home and our lives.
Remember what the prophet Isaiah 2:4 said: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” Peace is our dream and our destiny, and we will continue to pursue it. But remember, you make peace with the strong, you make peace in exchange for peace, not in exchange for land. Peace for peace is how peace works.
It's not just about wanting peace; it's about making sure we can live safely while working towards it. We will fight for our right to exist, and we will never give up on the dream of peace.
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Three thousand years of living in the land give the Jews the right to call it home for much of this time Arabs lived in the country around Israel they were nomads and have taken a corrupt religion that is part Jewish Christian and pagan they like to blame their failings on the Jews and christians
An article full of lies...