Despite divisions in wake of Trump’s plan, Israelis & Palestinians labor for peace
Israeli and Palestinian peace activists are worried over increased anti-normalization sentiments across the Palestinian Authority.
The meeting that took place Feb. 14 between former Knesset members active in the “Peace Parliament” and senior Palestinian officials was initiated by the PLO Committee for Interaction with the Israeli Society. All in all, the mood was friendly and positive. The main messages to come out of this meeting were the rejection of US President Donald Trump's peace plan and a commitment to work for genuine peace between the two parties. The meeting made headlines in the Palestinian media, but when the Palestinian participants went home, they discovered that they were the victims of serious attacks both on social networks and in traditional media.
One of the participants at this meeting was the mayor of the town of Anabta (just east of Tulkarm), Hamdallah Hamdallah. He originally posted about the encounter on social media, but was forced to remove what he had written and went so far as to announce that he was resigning from his position and leaving the Interaction Committee. Even after Hamdallah explained that he was invited to participate in the meeting by the Fatah organization, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian public was reluctant to accept his justification.
This was not the first time something like this happened, nor was it an isolated incident. It was reported that same week that a restaurant in Ramallah was attacked by a Molotov cocktail shortly after hosting Israeli journalists at the invitation of the Interaction Committee. Similarly, an organization named Sulha (Reconciliation) was forced to postpone a meeting between Israelis and Palestinians scheduled for Feb. 20, due to threats received by the Palestinian organizer.
All of this raises two major questions: Is the emerging escalating situation in the West Bank making it more difficult for Israeli peace groups working to resolve the conflict and foster continued dialogue with the Palestinians? And if so, how can they continue their struggle for peace, when someone on the other side of the divide is constantly trying to harm Palestinians, who agree to meet with Israelis?
