Speakers Ali Abu Awwad and Robi Damelin

Duration: 8 minutes and 6 seconds

Country: United States

Language: English

License: dotSUB Commercial

Genre: None

Posted by: pangea on May 14, 2008

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[Applause]
Ali Abu Awwad, Robi Demelin.
Parents' Circle - Family Forum
[Applause continues]
I would like to read extract from the letter
which I wrote to the family of the sniper
who killed David, my son.
This, for me, is one of the most difficult letters I will ever have to write.
My name is Robi Damelin, and I am the mother of David
who was killed by your son.
I know he did not kill David because he was David
if he had known him, he could never have done such a thing.
David was twenty-eight years old
He was a student at Tel-Aviv university doing his masters
in the philosophy of education.
David was part of the peace movement
and did not want to serve in the occupied territories.
He had a compassion for all people
and understood the suffering of the Palestinians.
He treated all around him with dignity.
David was part of the movement of the officers
who did not want to serve in the occupied territories
but nevertheless, for many reasons
he went to serve when he was called to the reserves.
All my life I have spent working for causes of coexistence
both in South Africa and here.
After David was killed, I started to look for a way to prevent
other families, both Israeli and Palestinian
from suffering this dreadful loss.
I was looking for a way to stop the cycle of violence.
Nothing for me is more sacred than human life
No revenge or hatred can ever bring my child back.
After a year I closed my office and joined the Parents' Circle - Families Forum.
We are a group of Israeli and Palestinian families
who have all lost an immediate family member in the conflict.
We are looking for ways to create a dialogue
with the long-term vision of reconciliation.
After your son was captured, I spent many sleepless nights
thinking about what to do.
Should I ignore the whole thing or will I be true
to my integrity and to the work that I am doing
and try to find a way for closure and reconciliation.
This is not easy for anyone
and I am just an ordinary person, not a saint.
I have come to the conclusion
that I would like to try to find a way to reconcile.
Maybe this is difficult for you to understand or believe
but I know in my heart it is the only path that I can choose
for if what I say is what I mean, it is the only way.
I understand that your son is considered a hero
by many of the Palestinian people.
He is considered to be a freedom fighter
fighting for justice and for an independent, viable Palestinian state
but I also feel that if he understood
that taking the life of another is not the way
and that if he understood the consequences of his act
he could see that a non-violent solution is the only way
for both nations to live together in peace.
[Applause]
Our lives, as two nations, are so intertwined.
Each of us will have to give up on our dreams
for the future of our children, who are our responsibility.
I do not know what your reaction will be, it is a risk for me.
But I believe that you will understand
as it comes from the most honest part of me
I hope that you will show the letter to your son
and that maybe in the future that we can meet.
Let us put an end to the killing and look for a way
through mutual understanding and empathy
to live a normal life, free of violence
[Applause]
Now you can recognize that there are heros in the Middle-East
and peace is possible.
I want -- You know, I'm not going to tell you all of my life story.
I've been to prison for four years, my mother was in a prison for five years
for resisting the Israeli occupation.
and I grew up in a refugee family.
I lost my land, I lost my home, I lost many of my dreams
and in 2000 I lost my brother, and I was wounded by a settler.
So, I believe that the case of revenge inside me doesn't exist
because the killing of my brother was not a case of a personal case
it's a political case.
My brother has been killed because he was a Palestinian.
But I believe that I lost my brother but I didn't lose my mind.
It's so hard --
[Applause]
It's so hard to deal with all of this
but I believe on the other hand that people
cannot reconcile not because they don't want peace
but because they cannot live with the daily suffering
and they don't know where to put the anger
so I believe that causing a nation of suffering
if you bind a nation by building walls and barriers
we'll not secure another nation.
Maybe this
[Applause]
Maybe this could bring a Psychologists' solution
but it will not bring a human being solution that people can live
either together or side by side.
I believe that it's easy to judge people
it's easy to close people down.
My message, especially to the Jewish people wherever they are
that you are not my enemy, your fear is my enemy.
I am attacking today your fear.
So please don't throw your problems to the sea
because those problems learn how to swim.
You cannot ignore the whole reality by being
taking a side or being right.
It's very easy to be right because it's so hard to be honest.
You can go and you can find the truth.
The truth is millions of people.
It's not their destiny to keep dying by this way.
I'm not begging for peace, peace will come
and I remember that Gandhi once said
that there is no way for peace, peace is the way.
You first do peace without any conditions
then everybody will identify the word.
[Applause]
I believe [repeated]
I believe that material can easily damage material
Air Force can easily attack houses
but material will never succeed to damaging human beings.
Thank you.
[Applause]

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Speakers Ali Abu Awwad and Robi Damelin

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