Photo by Chelsie Conger
It was a hot and honest session in that meeting of Palestinian and Israeli women in Oslo, Norway. The Palestinian women said that they supported the Israelis’ right to an independent state; the Israeli women said that they supported the Palestinians’ right to resources, political integrity and freedom to live in the land. It was a significant political moment.
Nevertheless, what happened after the conference adjourned may, in the end, prove to be even more significant.
On the last night of the assembly, one of these women went to the other and asked to continue the discussion about what had been lost and what must be gained if the two peoples are ever to live together well. They went out for coffee together. I don’t know what was said, I only know that the conversation went on until after midnight.
When it came time to leave, the Israeli woman—old enough to be the Palestinian’s mother—decided she would walk the young woman to her hotel. But then the young Palestinian realized how far the older woman would have to walk back to her own place of residence and insisted that she walk her halfway back again.
“I’ve had a wonderful night,” the Israeli woman said as they parted. “The time with you was itself worth the conference.”
The young Palestinian woman went silent for a moment. “I’m glad for you,” she said, “but I’m confused.”
The Israeli woman winced inside. “Why? What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Oh, nothing is wrong,” the younger woman said. “I’m just confused. I don’t know what to do now that my enemy has become my friend.”
The next day, in the Tel Aviv airport, the Israeli women whisked through customs and baggage claim. The Palestinian women did not. When the Israeli women realized that all the Palestinian women had been detained, they turned around, went back and refused to leave the customs hall themselves until all the Palestinians were released.
That, I learned, is what it means to proceed in the “ways of peace.” It means having the courage to make human connections with those we fear, with those we hate, with those who think differently than we do. It means refusing to leave the other behind as we go.
This article was originally published by The National Catholic Reporter and is reprinted here with the permission of the author.
