Itamar - Activist and alternative tourist guide , Israel - Tel Aviv

What is your motivation to work towards peace?

I grew up as an Israeli Zionist and I feel today that I was brainwashed into being part of a machine in the army and especially in the second Intifada in 2002. I was part of an oppressive and deadly machine against Palestinians. I feel bad about this and I need to work in a different way. I live in a conflict that I want to finish and help to find a solution to, because I want to live here in peace and want my children to grow up here.

What is your vision for the future?

Politically I think we should have a state or some sort of system that gives freedom to both sides, meaning Israelis and Palestinians. It is important to remember that we do not have to be Palestinians or Israelis, but just people. We need to take into consideration that people are very nationalistic, very religious, to remember both national traumas, the Holocaust on the Jewish side and the Naqba on the Palestinian side. We need total openness in this area, not a state solution that is playing into the hands of the stronger ones, but rather opening up the settlements, give the right of return to the Palestinians, and a right of return for the Jews and build up a model of equality.

Filename: Change Itamar.jpg
Copyright: Carole Reckinger
Image Size: 3456x3456 / 7.2MB; Social change photography documenting change documenting dissent protest and dissent human rights photography human rights and social change actors for change human rights advocates portraits of human rights activists Palestinian peace activists Israeli peace activists peace activists
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What is your motivation to work towards peace?<br />
<br />
I grew up as an Israeli Zionist and I feel today that I was brainwashed into being part of a machine in the army and especially in the second Intifada in 2002. I was part of an oppressive and deadly machine against Palestinians. I feel bad about this and I need to work in a different way. I live in a conflict that I want to finish and help to find a solution to, because I want to live here in peace and want my children to grow up here.<br />
<br />
What is your vision for the future?<br />
<br />
Politically I think we should have a state or some sort of system that gives freedom to both sides, meaning Israelis and Palestinians. It is important to remember that we do not have to be Palestinians or Israelis, but just people. We need to take into consideration that people are very nationalistic, very religious, to remember both national traumas, the Holocaust on the Jewish side and the Naqba on the Palestinian side. We need total openness in this area, not a state solution that is playing into the hands of the stronger ones, but rather opening up the settlements, give the right of return to the Palestinians, and a right of return for the Jews and build up a model of equality.