09/10/2023
To all our dear friends around the world,
We awoke, yesterday morning, to a very grim day – one filled with fear, shock, and uncertainty. We discovered we were entering into a complicated, tension-filled period in which our camp was under attack from all sides. Despite this, we remain steadfast in our belief that the way we have chosen— the interfaith way, is the only way to sanity and peace.
Hundreds of victims, most of them innocent civilians have already paid a terrible price, and the bloodshed continues. We mourn the dead on both sides of the border and feel for the families who have lost their loved ones. We worry for those taken hostage and hope for their safe return. We hear falling rockets that shake our floors and children alike. Social media videos calling for acts of revenge on Arab citizens or for Arab citizens to join the battle for Gaza raise our already high anxiety levels and we fear…
To cope with this new, unexpected, and unhinged reality, young people in the village have formed readiness groups, shelters opened, and emergency personnel prepared in hopes they will not be needed. School staff are receiving support from the Ministry of Education (schools are closed for now), and institutions are receiving support from the local authorities to deal with any possible events.
Once again, an unfathomable reality in our regions brings us to the same conclusion; there is no real solution without real peace.
There are no shortcuts! We can’t live in tranquility and safety without recognizing the full rights of every human being—Palestinian, Israeli, Jewish, Arab, living between the river and the sea. We all need to live with security, freedom, and complete democracy.
Dear friends, when the storm around us is gathering strength and we are all in a state of emotional alarm, especially now, it is time for us and everyone who believes in a shared society, to continue being a compass point, to light our torches in the darkness around us, and to be a model of peace, equality, and justice.
We feel blessed to know that we have so many friends around the world who support our cause and stand with us, no matter the situation.
We will keep you updated!
Truly,
GNRC Member Israel
