Interviews published by Haaretz, a leading Israeli daily, on Friday Oct. 27, with seven family members or close associates of Israeli peace and anti-occupation activists who were either killed or taken hostage Oct. 7 by Hamas, are a testament to the human spirit which offers the path out of barbarity and world war. Despite their anguish, those interviewed, are determined to continue the fight for a policy of respect and peace with for the Palestinians.
The common thread in the statements of those interviewed is a fierce refusal to destroy their own human identity, by giving into the “poison” of hating another people.
Maoz Inon, whose parents were killed Oct. 7, now describes himself as a man on a mission, Haaretz reports. “Look at our state. We’ve been warning for years that we were on the precipice of an abyss, and now the biggest disaster since the Holocaust has struck the Jewish people, under the leadership of the ‘fully’ right-wing government.... We have to change … our basic assumption that Israel’s security is based on military might,” he told Haaretz. His sister, Maayan, says she doesn’t feel hatred or anger—just pain. “It tears me up inside that people have gotten to the point where they are capable of behaving this way. The question is, do we want to continue this round [of fighting], is this round good for us? Or do we want to look for a different, less violent, less cruel and destructive path?”
