The Future is Peace, Days 5-8

By Nate Feldman

Summary: During the second half of Aziz and Maoz's journey through Israel and Palestine, they first spent a couple of days in the West Bank.  They first go to Jericho and are part of a march led by Combatants for Peace for water rights for Palestinian communities.  

They also visit Bethlehem and Hebron and discuss the difficulties in moving from place to place if you are a Palestinian from that area.  

Note: As a person who traveled through the West Bank to meet my then fiancee Iman from the village of Irtah, near Tulkarem, I clearly remember how disruptive checkpoints were for people trying to even get from one city to places just a few miles away.

Later, they visit the Galilee in Northern Israel and go to Nazareth.  Maoz talks about his venture in opening the Fauzi Azar Inn, a Palestinian owned home that he helped convert into a hotel through cooperation with the family.  

Note: I was in Nazareth a few times and enjoyed the areas he mentions in the book.  I had Arabic food at the local restaurants and remember passing the entrance to the Fauzi Azar Inn.  

The journey concludes with them visiting Tzippori, an Israeli town that was built over the ruins of Safforiya, a Palestinian village.  They talk about the legacies of the Holocaust and displacement of the Palestinians, or Nakba, on their respective communities.  They have both guided tours, teaching each side about the others experiences with trauma.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I recommend this book.  I deeply admire Aziz's and Maoz's attempts to build a relationship and call for an end to violence in spite of the horrific and heartbreaking tragedies both had to endure in their lives.  That they remain committed to coexistence and nonviolence is nothing short of a miracle and should be applauded at all chances.  I also like their idea of educating people about the other side and giving people a chance to learn about perspectives they typically do not here.

My only issue with their book is I feel they miss some voices on their journey.  If their goal is to hear voices you typically don't hear, I believe they are only presenting certain voices as well.  You dont hear how groups like Mizrachim, or Jews from Middle Eastern countries, feel about the conflict or their experiences growing up in Muslim dominated societies.  You dont hear from Druze or other smaller minority groups, though the writers at least acknowledge such groups exist.  

Regardless, the most important message of the book is that Israelis and Palestinians must end violence and fight for equality.  No more hate and suffering.  That is something to always cheer on.