Transcript for Speakers Ali Abu Awwad and Robi Damelin

[Applause]

Ali Abu Awwad, Robi Demelin.

Parents' Circle - Family Forum

[Applause continues]

I would like to read extract from the letter

which I wrote to the family of the sniper

who killed David, my son.

This, for me, is one of the most difficult letters I will ever have to write.

My name is Robi Damelin, and I am the mother of David

who was killed by your son.

I know he did not kill David because he was David

if he had known him, he could never have done such a thing.

David was twenty-eight years old

He was a student at Tel-Aviv university doing his masters

in the philosophy of education.

David was part of the peace movement

and did not want to serve in the occupied territories.

He had a compassion for all people

and understood the suffering of the Palestinians.

He treated all around him with dignity.

David was part of the movement of the officers

who did not want to serve in the occupied territories

but nevertheless, for many reasons

he went to serve when he was called to the reserves.

All my life I have spent working for causes of coexistence

both in South Africa and here.

After David was killed, I started to look for a way to prevent

other families, both Israeli and Palestinian

from suffering this dreadful loss.

I was looking for a way to stop the cycle of violence.

Nothing for me is more sacred than human life

No revenge or hatred can ever bring my child back.

After a year I closed my office and joined the Parents' Circle - Families Forum.

We are a group of Israeli and Palestinian families

who have all lost an immediate family member in the conflict.

We are looking for ways to create a dialogue

with the long-term vision of reconciliation.

After your son was captured, I spent many sleepless nights

thinking about what to do.

Should I ignore the whole thing or will I be true

to my integrity and to the work that I am doing

and try to find a way for closure and reconciliation.

This is not easy for anyone

and I am just an ordinary person, not a saint.

I have come to the conclusion

that I would like to try to find a way to reconcile.

Maybe this is difficult for you to understand or believe

but I know in my heart it is the only path that I can choose

for if what I say is what I mean, it is the only way.

I understand that your son is considered a hero

by many of the Palestinian people.

He is considered to be a freedom fighter

fighting for justice and for an independent, viable Palestinian state

but I also feel that if he understood

that taking the life of another is not the way

and that if he understood the consequences of his act

he could see that a non-violent solution is the only way

for both nations to live together in peace.

[Applause]

Our lives, as two nations, are so intertwined.

Each of us will have to give up on our dreams

for the future of our children, who are our responsibility.

I do not know what your reaction will be, it is a risk for me.

But I believe that you will understand

as it comes from the most honest part of me

I hope that you will show the letter to your son

and that maybe in the future that we can meet.

Let us put an end to the killing and look for a way

through mutual understanding and empathy

to live a normal life, free of violence

[Applause]

Now you can recognize that there are heros in the Middle-East

and peace is possible.

I want -- You know, I'm not going to tell you all of my life story.

I've been to prison for four years, my mother was in a prison for five years

for resisting the Israeli occupation.

and I grew up in a refugee family.

I lost my land, I lost my home, I lost many of my dreams

and in 2000 I lost my brother, and I was wounded by a settler.

So, I believe that the case of revenge inside me doesn't exist

because the killing of my brother was not a case of a personal case

it's a political case.

My brother has been killed because he was a Palestinian.

But I believe that I lost my brother but I didn't lose my mind.

It's so hard --

[Applause]

It's so hard to deal with all of this

but I believe on the other hand that people

cannot reconcile not because they don't want peace

but because they cannot live with the daily suffering

and they don't know where to put the anger

so I believe that causing a nation of suffering

if you bind a nation by building walls and barriers

we'll not secure another nation.

Maybe this

[Applause]

Maybe this could bring a Psychologists' solution

but it will not bring a human being solution that people can live

either together or side by side.

I believe that it's easy to judge people

it's easy to close people down.

My message, especially to the Jewish people wherever they are

that you are not my enemy, your fear is my enemy.

I am attacking today your fear.

So please don't throw your problems to the sea

because those problems learn how to swim.

You cannot ignore the whole reality by being

taking a side or being right.

It's very easy to be right because it's so hard to be honest.

You can go and you can find the truth.

The truth is millions of people.

It's not their destiny to keep dying by this way.

I'm not begging for peace, peace will come

and I remember that Gandhi once said

that there is no way for peace, peace is the way.

You first do peace without any conditions

then everybody will identify the word.

[Applause]

I believe [repeated]

I believe that material can easily damage material

Air Force can easily attack houses

but material will never succeed to damaging human beings.

Thank you.

[Applause]