The citizens of Israel are going through a difficult, exhausting, and painful period. So are the citizens of the Palestinian Authority. These are days of violence, terror, military activity, and political and security instability.
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This is not something we haven't experienced before, however. We are accustomed to such periods. But the time has come for both sides to demand a new approach from the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships.
There is a feeling of mutual threat and great distrust on both sides. Gone are the days when Jews could walk around freely in Jenin or Nablus. But even for Palestinians from Gaza and Hebron it is not easy to get around Tel Aviv, Haifa, or Netanya.
There is no doubt that violence must be eradicated with a firm hand. And there could never be a logical or moral explanation as to why innocent people get hurt. But as much as a change seems impossible when "blood is boiling," it is possible and necessary to demand that our leaders strive for something more than just "confidence" and "stability."
I am talking about a message of reconciliation. Even before we speak about "negotiations," let alone "peace talks," the leaders should send one message of reconciliation, even a unified one, to both peoples. The world will not end. Not just a condemnation of violence or in response to the actions of the other, but a message in its own right that would calm the waters and prevent more deaths.
No one absolves the Palestinian leadership of responsibility for their failures, but even Israelis who oppose disengagements and concessions know that the Palestinians' responsibility for their fate is limited. For example, an Israeli defense minister can have more influence than the very chairman of the PA.
Pressure and unrest are on the rise in Palestinian society, and the reality of living under military control is becoming unbearable for the younger generation. The chronic procrastination regarding disputed matters and resolving the conflict only increase resentment among them.
And yet, there were several Israeli leaders, right-wing no less, who exhibited courage in unexpected moments, such as Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon, and of course, pro-peace leaders, such as Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres.
In fact, there has hardly been an Israeli leader in the last generation who has not come to the conclusion that reconciliation must be sought.
It sounds a bit out there, maybe even impossible, given the current situation. But these are exactly the days when people yearn for leaders who can send a message of reconciliation.
It can begin with one simple step: a photograph of the two leaders side by side. The Palestinian leadership rarely refuses a meeting and dialogue. The ball is now in Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's court. One meeting. One photograph. It can change reality โ for the better.
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