Today, I had the honor to meet with Mrs. Visaka Dharmadasa [1] , chairperson of the Association of War Affected Women. She is a Sri Lankan activist whose son was reported missing in action while serving in the Sri Lankan army in 1998. She took the bold initiative of connecting with parents of the Tamil rebels, allowing her to see the injustices they live under. Mrs. Dharmadasa told us how she has devoted her life to forging bonds among the mothers of missing combatants from both sides of Sri Lanka’s conflict, and what it means to be human. The Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), honored her efforts by releasing 10 prisoners of war in 2002, as a goodwill gesture to enhance the ceasefire treaty.

Hearing her inspiring stories and feeling her courage, a Palestinian friend sitting next to me whispered: “Why doesn’t she address the mother of the captured Israeli soldier - the mother of Gilad Shalit?”

Suddenly, all women on the roundtable discussion, including the Israeli women who for some of them, were having their first visit to Ramallah, started fantasizing about a different role women can forge: Gilad’s mother mobilizing other Israeli mothers to march in the streets of Israel with one major slogan: “Not in the name of my son.”

Like all mothers of the world, we recognize the Aviva Gilad’s agony and feelings, and fully understand her desire for his safe return. We imagine that, like all mothers, she won’t accept that her son’s liberty be on the account of Palestinian blood, mainly the blood of the children in the Gaza Strip.

Therefore, I decided to write my appeal to Aviva Shalit.

“Can we appeal to you today to get your moral voice for the sake of humanity? Do you accept the collective punishment policies your government is executing in the name of your son?

“Your son’s name will be remembered by all Palestinian children for generations to come as a curse for the bloodshed. I am sure you want a different remembrance of your son’s name. A happy ending story with his safe return and, with him, the return of all children and women imprisoned in Israeli jails. Like a mother waiting impatiently for the safe return of her son, hundreds of Palestinian mothers are waiting for the moment to hug their children released from Israeli prisons.”

I know many will say that, as women, we cannot have an impact on the current military madness. I do not believe that. On the contrary, we women can make a real difference. Didn’t the Four Mothers’ movement in Israel make a huge difference in the Israeli public during the Lebanon war? Why don’t we women who are often portrayed as victims, start receiving some recognition for our actual and potential roles in attaining peace and promoting security?”

I am a woman and a mother who believes in the politics of small things. I believe that we women and mothers can make a difference in the lives of our countries even with small initiatives. So let us not wait. Let our voice of reason be heard. Let our voice of passion for humanity be heard. We women, give life… we’d better protect it!

I assure you, the day you march calling for the safe return of your son, the day you march to call for an end to the Israeli collective punishment against the Palestinian people living under brutal occupation of your government, the day you cry out to your government that their attacks in the Gaza Strip will not bring them closer to gaining your son’ safe release… We women in the occupied territories will be marching to support your call for a safe return of your son... We will be calling for the respect of international law… We will be calling for the respect of the human rights of both peoples in the Holy Land…

Together we can make a difference in our countries. Together we can push forward a different peace agenda that is based on a negotiated and just settlement, and not on unilaterism or convergence. Peace can never be imposed by one party of the conflict. Peace can only be negotiated by both parties.

Together we can raise our voices against the Israeli occupation that has brought insecurity and instability to both Palestinians and Israelis. Together, we can make difference in the lives of our children and grandchildren.

Terry Boullata

Occupied East Jerusalem

A mother of two children

12 July 2006