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Bereaved Families' Forum
Current Activities and Background

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Current  Activities and Background

Yitshak Frankenthal

These are hectic days in Israel, but one must not lose hope.

As I see it, the present day's problems in Israel are as follows:

1. A problem with the relationship within the Israeli society, i.e., between Israeli- Jews and Israeli-Arabs. In my opinion this is the greatest problem of all.

2. A problem between Israelis and Palestinians.

 

The Problem Within the Israeli Society

Beginning from l948, the State of Israel has treated Israeli-Arabs in an abominable manner. Today Israeli-Arabs find themselves between the hammer and the anvil, between their loyalty to the State and loyalty to their Palestinian brothers. There is no doubt that in general, Israeli-Arabs wish to maintain their Israeli citizenship and have no wish to become citizens of the Palestinian State. The response of the Israeli Police towards the demonstrations of Israeli-Arabs was light-handedness on the trigger. The fact that 13 Israeli-Arabs, citizens of Israel were killed by the State of Israel points toward a serious problem and a lack of understanding that Israeli-Arabs are citizens with equal rights and duties as the Jews in Israel. There were in the past, demonstrations by Jews in Israel who blockaded roads, thrown stones on policemen, but never before have firearms been used against citizens of Israel. Never before has a Jewish demonstrator been killed by Israeli police. What has happened in recent events that Arab-Israelis were killed? What has happened to neighbors who lived side by side in Tel-Aviv-Jaffa and have begun fighting each another? In my opinion there are several serious phenomena:

1. On the Arab side:

a. Amongst the Arab demonstrators were Palestinians who worked in Israel as collaborators against Palestinians. They received arms from Israel for self defense and took part in the Israeli Arabs' demonstration and in order to assert their loyalty to the Palestinians began shooting at Israelis.

b. The deep frustration of Israeli-Arabs is expressed by resistance and opposing anything Israeli, including traffic lights, roads, main highways, and Israeli shops.

c. The encouragement expressed by the Palestinian leadership heated-up matters even further.

d. The sight of the dead Palestinians and the feelings of David vs Goliath, reinforced their deep feeling of discrimination, and caused them to express hatred and animosity against the Israeli Goliath. The escalation was expressed particularly after the terrible and tragic death of the 12-year-old boy in Gaza.

2. On the Jewish side:

a. The Israelis who, since 1948, are ambivalent towards the Israeli-Arabs. On the one side, that as Arabs their loyalty to the State is in doubt as Israel is fighting for its existence since 1948 against the Arabs, and on the other hand, the recognition that they are Israeli citizens and must be treated in the same manner as all other citizens.

b. The feeling of "The whole world is against us" and "The people shall dwell alone". The fear of another holocaust has driven the leadership and the police to act with particular violence towards Arab-Israelis, a treatment reserved for Palestinians not Israeli citizens.

The problem between Israel and the Palestinians:

1. On the Israeli side:

a. There is a severe feeling that Prime Minister Barak has done more than any other predecessor to advance peace, and if Arafat chooses to reject these efforts there is no chance to reach any form of peace with the Palestinians - we have no partners for peace.

b. The public was split in the middle prior to Camp David, whereas today a considerable part of the Israeli peace camp, especially in view of the deplorable murder in Ramallah when two Israeli soldiers were lynched, has reached the conclusion that there is no partner for peace.

c. It is very unpopular during battle or as acts of terror take place against Israel, to come out and cry "there is a partner for peace" and "there is no choice, one must make peace with the enemy"

d. The Israeli public has not been readied to pay a heavy price for peace. The Israeli public does not understand that compromise must be made even over the Old City in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Without this compromise there will not be any peace. In other words, the public in Israel must be conditioned to be prepared to pay a heavy, painful and almost impossible price in order to establish peace. Let us suppose that we have campaigned, let us assume that we have convinced the public that painful compromises are necessary, the public asks itself: with whom shall we make peace? The unreliable Arafat? The Arafat who fought us as the peace talks were in progress? The Arafat who distributes schoolbooks to students that instill hatred against Israelis?

2. On the Palestinian side:

a. A deep feeling of frustration, rage at the death of over 120 people, over 4000 casualties, a murder of a 12-year-old in full view of TV cameras, the feeling that there is no real will on the Israeli side to make peace.

b. A feeling that Israel is trying to dictate to Arafat how to make peace, a feeling of nothing to lose but something to gain if more and more violent events take place.

c. A ferocious incitement by the political and religious leadership.

d. This is their war of independence and in wars of independence there is a heroic price to pay by losing more and more children. There is nothing to be done and it is part of the price in a war for independence.

What needs to be done?

1. To build trust and a common ethos between Israeli-Arabs and Israeli-Jews. To do that, one must write an Israeli Jewish-Arab Social Treaty and approach the Israeli public with a request to sign this treaty (details will follow).

2. Israelis must understand the needs of the Palestinians and Palestinians must understand the needs of the Israelis. In order to do that, one must approach the Israeli and Palestinian publics through the media. A peace model must be constructed (details will follow), and this must be marketed through the media to the Israeli and Palestinian publics.

What have we done since Oct. 1, 2000?

1. We are in daily touch with the Palestinians including meetings before the border was closed.

2. We have published a full page spread in the El Khouds newspaper on the 4.10.00 (see Attachment 1)

3. We gave interviews to the local and international media with the aim of conveying reconciliatory messages by stressing the necessity to continue the talks (to TV stations in Israel, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Holland as well as local radio stations in Israel - Reshet Bet, Galei Zahal).

4. We met Prime Minister Barak on 9th October 2000 - after Yom- Kippur, and requested that he appoint an Arab Minister to his government in order to pacify the general Israeli public.

5. We took part in demonstrations for peace, which included delivering speeches.

6. We met with Arab Israelis, M.K Barka, Sheik Abu Nimmer Darwish Head of the Islamic Movement in Israel. A key individual, honest, direct, sensitive and a great leader who has great influence on Arab-Israelis.

7. Setting up a Social Israeli Jewish-Arab Treaty - the draft is not final (see Attachment 2).

8. Construction of a peace model between the Israelis & the Palestinians - the draft is not final (see Attachment 3).

9. A trip to Sakhnin to meet bereaved Arab-Israelis - (see Attachment 4 published in Haaretz newspaper and Attachment 5 - a description of the meeting as recounted by one of the participants - Mr. Yona Bargur, a bereaved Israeli father).

What do we want to do?

a. To finalize the social treaty and the model for peace.

b. To publish the social treaty in the media and to obtain signatures in support of the treaty from Israelis. The treaty will be signed by Sheik Abu Nimmer Darwish and by Yitzhak Frankenthal.

c. To publish the peace model in the media and to distribute the model in the Israeli and Palestinian press. The model for peace will be published jointly by Sheik Abu Nimmer Darwish and Yitzhak Frankenthal and an effort will be made to convince a senior Palestinian figure to add his signature to this model for peace.

The Objective:

To reach the longed-for peace as swiftly as possible whilst ensuring the appeasing of all concerned, and not miss the opportunity for peace.


Gimzo, 5th October, 2000

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT

Mr. President,

We are a group of over 150 bereaved Israeli parents who have lost their children as a direct result of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Over the past 6 years, we have been active together with over 120 bereaved Palestinian parents who have lost their children as a result of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Logic says that we should hate each other and seek revenge, but no, we seek peace - not revenge. Palestinian parents too seek peace and not revenge.

These days we feel the pain, day in day out, of the unfolding events when both our people lose their children.

We, the Israeli bereaved parents appeal to you as President of the Palestinian people:

There is no doubt that peace will not prevail without the establishment of a Palestinian state within the borders agreed between you and Prime Minister Barak.

There is no doubt that peace will not prevail unless the Arab sectors will be under Palestinian sovereignty.

There is no doubt that the problem is the Old City of Jerusalem and the holy places to Arabs and Jews.

We appeal to you, as a President and leader, to come to a decision that will be acceptable to the Arabs, both Muslims and Christians, which, we the Jewish people can also find acceptable.

Our proposal is that the Old City will be under joint sovereignty of Israelis and Palestinians.

FROM THE OLD CITY PEACE WILL EMERGE

Administration of the holy places will be through religious people of each denomination. A Muslim for the Muslim holy places, A Christian Arab for the Christian holy places, and an Israeli Jew for the Jewish holy places. Followers of each denomination will be able to pray according to procedures to be set jointly.

There is no doubt that this solution will bring an end to the political conflict.

There has always been mutual respect between the two religions, Islam and Judaism.

We call to you to accept this proposal and by doing so to come to a brave solution, honest, just, and respectable to your people who have endured endless suffering, as we have too.

There is no difference between human beings, we are all children of Allah.

Yours sincerely,

BEREAVED FAMILIES FORUM

(-)

 

Yitzhak Frakenthal - Chairman

We pray to the Creator to open the hearts of citizens, leaders, and the Jewish and Muslim world to support this agreement.


Ha’Aretz, Friday Oct. 13, 2000.

The Peace Camp / First Steps of Jews and Arabs to Mend what was Broken

Despite the Various Events, Efforts for Reconciliation are Continued

Last night , a delegation of Jewish bereaved parents reached Sakhnin in order to meet with local parents who have lost their sons last week, in the Galillee riots. The group was headed by Yitzhak Frankenthal, whose son Erik was kidnapped and murdered by the Hamas six years ago. Frankenthal is running an association named the Family Forum, whose members are families who have lost their loved ones at wars or in terrorist acts. With Frankenthal came Mashka Litvek, who lost her father and brother in the War of independence and the War of Attrition; Yona Bargur, who lost his son five years ago, Aharon Barnea, whose son was killed in Lebanon a year and a half ago and Beni Gefen, whose son was killed in an encounter with the Hizballah in Lebanon.

They have met with the mayor of Sakhnin, Mustaffa Abu-Raaia, who said that on top of the bereavement, Sakhnin was also offended by the fact that “sane Israel” did not reproach enough the shooting on Israeli citizens. Frankenthal said the purpose of the visit was extending condolences and that the jewish parents were also under the impression that the police used their weapons too lightly. In his opinion, an interrogation committee should be set up in view of these incidents.

“In a normal state, the government would have been disassembled for the death of twelve citizens” said Frankenthal “but we do not live in a proper state and for fifty-two years we let ourselves discriminate other citizens”. Later on, the Jewish parents went to the bereaved family’s house, were Farage Gnaim, who lost his son Immad, and Abdel Al Mun’im Abu Salekh, who lost his son Walid, have waited. They all shook hands and spoke for peace. Gnaim asked to see a photograph of Frankenthal’s son, and when the latter took it out, Gnaim kissed it.


15th October, 2000

A Sukkahh in Sakhnin

 

On Thursday last week, the People of Israel, ultra orthodox, orthodox, conservatives and secular were busy erecting Sukkot for the forthcoming Jewish holiday the next day. The experience of erecting a Sukkahh, stretching the sheets between its pillars, "stealing" thatch from neighbors’ gardens where palm trees were grown, securing the lighting and preparing colorful paper decorations are also part of childhood experience in the Land of Israel of a secular child even before the state of Israel was established and during its 50 years of existence, was regarded as the duty of a secular parent to his young and adolescent children. The discussion whether or not to sleep in the Sukkahh, even if it was cold outside was a part of the Sukkot culture whether it was in our childhood or later as young parents. "Sukkot" was always a family holiday that was anticipated and looked forward to. Over the years, the wooden planks were exchanged with ready made "Sukkah Forever" and this was a sign of the rise in the standard of living and modernization adopted by the Jewish society; but the taste for the Sukkah was not spoiled because it had the aura of camping. There was transience that was savored when one knew that a one can always return to a warm bed nearby, under four stable walls, and under a safe roof. Over the past few years we witness the development of a culture of Public Sukkahs, Peace Sukkahs, Heart warming Sukkahs, Educational Sukkahs, Cultural Events Sukkahs, all of which are a welcome process of breaking the barrier between observing a traditional ritual, or its transformation to meet the needs of the entire Jewish public in Israel.

Last Thursday, a day before Sukkot eve, we visited another Sukkah - a Mourning Sukkah in Sakhnin at the center of the lower Galilee just south of Carmiel. We arrived at Sakhnin, Yitzhak Aaron, Mashka, Benny and myself to express our condolences to the families of Walid Abu Salah aged 21 and Amad Farage Ranayam aged 25 who were killed by police fire during demonstrations that took place several days earlier and in which many of the Arab citizens of the State of Israel took part. We came in order to convey to our brothers, Israeli-Arabs, a human message that most of the Israeli society is hurting at the death of young Arabs, citizens of Israel, and joins the families' mourning and recognizes the pointlessness of this unnecessary death. We came to convey a political message, that we, and many others, continue to believe in coexistence between the two people that make up the State of Israel and to harness the will and the strength to continue and nurture the peace process between ourselves and the Palestinians outside the State of Israel.

Leaders of the community in Sakhnin, its elected representatives, the Imam and the bereaved families received us with warm cordiality as befits the occasion, but also expressed their specific wish and intention to continue to live in peace and on good neighborly terms with Jews in a Jewish democratic state that grants equal rights to all its citizens including the Arab minorities. It was a moving occasion that encompassed within it real hope when we and scores of other representatives from other Jewish villages in Gush Misgav, all sat in the Mourning Sukkah of two bereaved families together with the local public representatives. They participated in a dialogue, shared the loss and pain, presented with openness political views and drafted demands to the government and the law enforcing entities to secure the civil rights of the Arab citizens of the State of Israel.

Several days after the outburst of fury with such a force, we did not feel an atmosphere of threatening violence when we roamed the streets. We did not hear irretrievable words of incitement. There was an atmosphere of pain, sorrow at the loss of young live, fear and concern over the possibility of a future conflict, the desire to find the right path to continue living together, a need to overcome the extreme elements in both societies, a recognition that a terrible tragedy might happen if we will not learn to behave differently. There was a candid atmosphere when the harsh claims against the government regarding systematic discrimination were presented, and towards the light-handedness on the trigger of the police as far as firing at the Arab population is concerned, as well as presenting our expectations as far as the civil fulfillment of duties by the Arab population and condemnation of acts of violence inspired by the Palestinian Authority. There was renewed hope that sanity will return! Seeds of peace were planted, perhaps anew, seeds that did not help 17-year-old Asil Hassan Asallah from Arahva village. Amen.

On the way home we continued listening to the horrendous news about the lynching of Vadim Norzits and Yossef Avrahami at the Ramallah police station. Was this goodwill visit in Sakhnin and the cordial reception a mirage and are we doomed to bury our children and sit in Mourning Sukkot in Sakhnin and Arahva, in Ramallah and Gaza,

Or-Akiva, Petch Tikva, Beit Jan and Salameh many more years? Can we still choose between a Mourning Sukkah and a Peace Sukkah? Will the "living forever on our swords" overcome "Sukkah Forever"?

Yona Bargur

10 Moriah St.

Ramat Hasharon

Tel. 03-5407-725

Fax 054-798-726

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