In 2014, one of us, Yael Admi, co-founded Women Wage Peace to center Israeli women in the movement for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. In 2021, the other, Reem Hajajreh, founded Women of the Sun to encourage the political engagement of Palestinian women. Our organizations were born separately, but our urgent desire to end the cycle of violence and conflict, and our shared belief in the powerful role women have to play in leading our region to peace, brought us together.
Two years ago, we shared the Mothers’ Call, our organizations’ joint declaration and petition for peace. We were already working together for a brighter future when everything changed. On Oct. 7, 2023 and throughout the subsequent war, the unthinkable happened—years of unresolved conflict brought us to the point of explosion, and our world collapsed. Members of both Women of the Sun and Women Wage Peace were among those killed in the horrific outbreak of violence, their cries forever etched in our hearts. We wept together for the lives cut short and the families shattered. Yet, in our grief, we found strength in one another. We believe that even amid this terrible tragedy, an understanding can emerge.
We, women and mothers, are bringing to the negotiations table our empathy, our creativity, our determination, and our ability to build deep trust between the sides. These qualities are vital for reaching sustainable solutions, taking into consideration the complexity of life and the many narratives involved. We do not need to win, because we know that there are no winners in wars. We know that you do not need to be pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli—you only need to be pro-peace.
