Reasons for Optimism - Palestinian, Israeli children 'imagine' peace

by Omar Attum

I love children. They have no agenda, just raw emotion - happiness, love

and hope. I was reminded of this when I spent ten days with Israeli and

Palestinian children from the Shani Choir of Jezreel Valley Music School

and the National Palestine Centre for Music in Nablus as they visited

Louisville, Kentucky, in mid-November.

The enthusiasm of the 23 teens, 13 Israeli singers and 10 Palestinian

instrumentalists, for beautiful music as they "peacefully" held concerts

together in churches, schools and a synagogue. Their performance of John

Lennon's "Imagine" in Arabic, English and Hebrew always brought audiences

to tears and standing ovations.

Why was music so successful in overcoming barriers?

According to Harry Pickens, a composer who conducted a music workshop for

the children, "singing and performing together in itself creates a sense of

community. Solving problems is easier if everyone sees themselves as

belonging to the same community."

This sense of community was missing from the children's lives. Despite

living less than two hours away from one another, it was not possible for

them to meet until they left the region. This would be the first time for

them to know someone from "the other side." As a 13-year-old Palestinian

boy said in astonishment after meeting for the first time Israelis who are

not soldiers, "They are actually nice." Israelis lost their fear, as they

realised "we are not that different" from Palestinians.Honest and emotional group discussions revealed that these children are not

naive nor an eccentric group. Diana Salah, a 23-year-old chaperone from

Nablus, has paid the ultimate price. She watched her civilian brother and

father be killed as the Israeli army sprayed bullets into her home,

mistakenly thinking militants lived there. A rocket would later destroy

what was left of the house. Diana has a right to hate the world. Amazingly,

her revenge is not to shed Israeli blood but to bring an end to violence

and have peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Diana, who wears a

pendant with pictures of her father and brother, doesn't want civilians to

become a statistic, classified as "collateral damage" or hear the empty and

cold apology: "We regret the loss of innocent life."

The children tearfully spoke of their dreams for a peaceful homeland and

the pain of not having it. Palestinians recognised that using violence to

resist the occupation has killed innocent Israelis, who suffer the same

grief as Diana. Israelis are afraid of being blown up while riding the bus,

just as Palestinians are afraid of being killed by the tanks that roam

their streets. Israelis recognised that the Palestinians are suffering

under the occupation and want the same security as Israelis.

These children are victims caught in a cycle of violence, as Israeli

children will likely be conscripted by the army and the Palestinian youths

will be pressured to join the resistance when

they get older.

Both sides wanted an end to the violence that has failed to make the

Israelis safer or end the occupation. They spoke of the need to establish a

peaceful future instead of focusing on the past.

Watching these brave children tearfully say good-bye to their new friends

at the airport was heartbreaking. As a US citizen, it is easier for me to

visit either group than it is for them to see one another when they return

home. An Israeli girl cried: "I won't be able to sing `Imagine' with my

Palestinian friends when I go home." An Israeli-Arab girl wept in my arms:

"This is the first time I have been accepted" by both Jews and

Palestinians. The Palestinian boys dreaded going back to the checkpoints

and living in an area considered by the United States State Department as

too dangerous to visit.

Despite the psychological trauma, peace is possible. Just as these children

practised to become great musicians, they have practised making peace

during their ten days together.

Bashar Masri, a Palestinian-American who has not forgotten he grew up in

Nablus, and Mark Isaacs, who is Jewish and loves Israel, have been

practising peace together through dialogue for the last three years through

the organisation they co-founded: Together for 2 States

(www.togetherfor2states.org). They brought and financed the children's

visit, with the support of the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, to practise

peace and perform the "Making Harmony Tour."

The Jezreel Valley Music School is currently trying to make arrangements to

hold a "Making Harmony" concert in Israel, and Isaacs and Masri are working

on getting the children back to the US for a multi-city tour.

No one should wait for their leaders to bring peace. Anyone can be a

peace-maker if they practise.

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The writer is a freelance photographer and author. He contributed this

article to The Jordan Times.

Source: The Jordan Times, December 9, 2004

Visit The Jordan Times website at http://www.jordantimes.com

Distributed by the Common Ground News Service.

Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.