Elijah Demetrios Kahlenberg: “Brothers, not ‘others'”
I spoke with 22-year-old Elijah Demetrios Kahlenberg, a Jewish-American peace activist who founded Atidna International – bringing Jews/Israelis and Arabs/Palestinians together in pursuit of dialogue and peace building.
“When people ask me why I, as a Jewish individual, champion a ceasefire, I always give two interrelated answers. Firstly, as a human, I believe everyone deserves a right to life irrespective of their nationality or religion.
“Netanyahu and his far-right government are still inflicting horrors on the people of Gaza.
“As a Jew, I feel a familial bond to the Palestinian. When your family is harmed, you have a duty and obligation to stand up for them. To me, three simple words capture the relationship between the Jewish and Palestinian peoples: brothers, not “others.”
“Every defining aspect of our two peoples, from our languages, our cultures, our ancestry, to our religions, is ingrained with unifying bonds that prove we are not enemies, rather one family that deserves to be united rather than divided.
“To begin this mission, we must first ensure everyone from the river to the sea, whether they are Jewish or Arab, has a right to life. That can only happen with an immediate and lasting ceasefire. Inshallah, B’Ezrat Hashem, and God willing, such an act can be the start of a future predicated on freedom, equality, for both peoples in our shared homeland.”
Dr Marina Mchitarian-Lazaridou: Lessons from the Armenian Genocide
Dr Marina Mchitarian-Lazaridou, born in Armenia, is a strong advocate for remembering the victims of the Armenian genocide as well the Pontian/Greek, by the Ottomans. She has photographed and written about the genocide of the Armenians.
She has undertaken similar projects in the Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh), helping spotlight the horrors of war especially on women and children. One of her projects was an acclaimed photography project centred on these women caught in a region surrounded by brutal enemies.
In April, she wrote in an article that is relevant to Gaza and Armenians, “I have seen the sorrowful children’s eyes in the crossfire.”
This is the reality of the Middle East for Arabs and Jews. One of her projects that people on all sides should take note of, “Can memory trigger genocide prevention?” is a project that is pertinent to every nation; we must never repeat atrocities, be it the slaughter of Armenians, the Jewish Holocaust or what is happening in Gaza.
As the granddaughter of victims from 1915, she reminded me in a recent conversation that the memory of past atrocities particularly against Armenians should inform future peaceful endeavours. We need to look into the sorrowful eyes of those children and bring them peace, and end their hunger.
Dr Max Kaiser: “Jewish safety is not at odds with Palestinian freedom”
Dr Max Kaiser is one of the executive officers of the fledgling Jewish Council of Australia, told me, “Jewish safety is not at odds with Palestinian freedom. We support calls for freedom, equality and justice for all Palestinians and Israelis (including hostages).”
“I am proud to stand with 900 Jewish Australians who have signed on to our core principles which firmly state:
While we have diverse views on many issues, we are united in our opposition to Netanyahu’s continued policies aimed at the destruction of Palestinian life. We are opposed to the Israeli occupation and the prioritisation of the rights of Jewish people over the rights of Palestinians.”
Dario Hawat: “Our moral duty to protect the vulnerable”
Dario Hawat since my student days remains a role model, a teacher and an executive for Ausrelief.
“Picture the innocent face of your child or a child of someone you know living in a constant state of fear, uncertainty and despair moving amongst the rubble trying to find food and shelter. Imagine the horrors that have faced them and the unbearable scenes of death and destruction that have befallen their friends and loved ones. Now ask yourself what you would do for that child?
“It is our moral duty to put an end to this suffering and protect the most vulnerable members of society. A ceasefire is urgently needed to prevent further loss of children’s lives. By halting the violence, we are able to create safe havens for these children and provide much needed humanitarian assistance, and hopefully some much needed psychological support to sift through the trauma that has inflicted them.”
Andrew Theodorou: A shared commandment of peace
Andrew Theodorou, a Cypriot from London, a traditional Greek musician says, “love and peace to all…. Imagine!” Andrew makes the point that “Judaism, and by virtue of lineage, Christianity and Islam share the Commandment, Thou Shalt not Kill.” A reminder that we need to end violence, focus on peace.
Jews, Muslims, and Christians can live peacefully. We need to feed the hungry, desperate Gazans immediately. We need the Israeli hostages home.
We need to look at the sorrowful children’s eyes to make this horror STOP!
*Billy Cotsis had two Great Uncles who survived NAZI concentration camps and is the author of Aegean Seven Take Back The Marbles.
