Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Congressional address has been hotly contested, with Vice President (and presidential hopeful) Kamala Harris and more than 30 other lawmakers electing not to attend the address on Wednesday afternoon.
A warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest has been requested by International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan, though it has not been issued, according to the Associated Press. Still, many lawmakers and civilians alike do not feel comfortable endorsing his visit to Capitol Hill.
“For him, this is all about shoring up his support back home, which is one of the reasons I don’t want to attend,” Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen told reporters. “I don’t want to be part of a political prop in this act of deception. He is not the great guardian of the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
For those sitting out, however, there was another option on Wednesday afternoon: To hear from Israeli and Palestinian peace activists.
The Center for American Progress coordinated a panel featuring Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, respectively. The duo have worked together since October 2023 to advocate for peace between Israel and Palestine, including giving a shared TED Talk, and speaking before Pope Francis, to heed the call for an end to the bloodshed.
Nadav Weiman of Breaking The Silence, an Israeli nonprofit made up of former IDF soldiers who work to raise awareness about the dire consequences of military occupation, was also part of the event.
On Wednesday before the event, Inon shared a statement to members of the press.
“Our vision is clear: It’s time for a policy change,” he wrote. “Instead of sending Israel weapons and tools of destruction, it’s time to send Palestinians and Israelis tools of reconciliation. Instead of marginalizing peacemakers, it’s time that they sit at the negotiation table.”
Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Jim McGovern both gave remarks, which segued into a discussion moderated by the leaders of CAP and Win Without War, an activist group looking to turn American foreign policy toward peace instead of militarism. The event took place at the same time as Netanyahu’s Congressional address.
While the meeting in DC was not televised, Allison McManus, the managing director of national security and international policy at CAP, live-tweeted the event on X (formerly Twitter).
Rep. Jayapal began by acknowledging the efforts of these peace activists, adding that “every lawmaker present in this room is here because they are dedicated to learning what is necessary for peace,” according to McManus.
“As Israel’s primary security partner and a primary funder of its weapons, the United States has the responsibility and leverage to forge a path toward peace,” Rep. Jayapal continued.
Rep. McGovern chimed in: “Amid so much heartbreak — for hostage families and for Palestinians caught in the crossfire…” he said that he came to this event to “hear a message of hope in how to move forward.”
Others seemed to have followed his lead, with a room full of protesting representatives, including Illinois Reps. Robin Kelly and Jan Schakowsky, who both contributed to the discussion towards the end of the panel.
Before diving into the panel, moderator Patrick Gaspard, the president of CAP and former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, made one thing clear: “Speaking up today is a choice and a protest against the policies of the current Israeli government,” he said.
Weiman, a former Israeli soldier, exemplifies this choice. He said that the orders he was given as a member of the IDF “subjugated Palestinians, but… didn’t make Israelis any safer.”
He added: “As an Israeli, I am calling on my government to reach a ceasefire, to bring home the hostages, and to allow aid to come into Gaza.”
Weiman also spoke about the devastating loss of his mentor on October 7, and he and Inon joined hands. Inon lost both of his parents in Hamas’s attacks, as well.
Abu Sarah added that his brother was killed through torture in an Israeli prison.
All three of these men have committed to peace activism instead of revenge. For instance, when Inon’s parents were killed on October 7, Abu Sarah reached out to offer condolences. It was that connection that led them to become partners in the fight for peace.
“I lost my parents,” Inon said, “but I won a brother,” as he wrapped his arm around Abu Sarah and put his hand to his chest.
The pair has worked with their peacemaking and tourism backgrounds to host educational tours throughout the region, partnering with local groups and vendors in both Israel and Palestine to provide a full, nuanced picture of the region’s history.
Most recently, on July 1, they co-hosted a peace gathering called “It’s Time” with 50+ area NGOS. Over 6,000 Israelis and Palestinians were in attendance, making it the largest peace gathering Israel has seen in the last 30 years.
“We revitalized the peace camp,” the duo said about the event in a statement shared with Good Good Good on Wednesday.
“One of the things that Israeli governments have been saying for decades is that there is no Palestinian partner on the other side. You can argue and yell that they’re wrong — or you can show that there is a partner, that we’re here,” the statement continued.
“The existence of us together is the greatest threat to the extremists, who claim that war, bombing, and killing are the only way. We are demonstrating what the alternative is, what the road to peace will look like. When people find a meeting point, it’s the biggest antidote to extremism.”
Ultimately, the duo’s first step toward peace is direct: for the U.S. to stop providing weapons to Israel.
“I’d love to see the U.S. invest much more in radical peace work on the ground,” Abu Sarah said during the panel, pointing to the contrast between the funds spent on weapons, versus funds spent on aid and reconciliation between both Israel and Palestine.
Even with a divided Congress split between two spaces in Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Inon and Abu Sarah believe uniting for a common goal is achievable.
At the top of their trip to DC, Inon and Abu Sarah spoke on CNN’s “Amanpour & Company,” sharing their call to action.
“If there are only three words that I would be able to share here in DC, it’s that peace is possible,” Inon told CNN, repeating himself for emphasis.
“Peace is possible.”
Header images courtesy of Allison McManus © MEDC and CSPAN