My name is Ibrahim Shatat. I am a lawyer from Beit Jala, Palestine. My sister, Irene, was 12 years old when she had an accident. She was hit by a car. And because we live in an occupied country, the Israeli army had closed the streets and big cement blocks closed off the streets so cars could not get through. We could not get my sister to the hospital in time. The army did not let the ambulance take her either so she bled to death. We could not help her. She died in our arms.
My name is Tal. I am 20 years old. I was born and live in Herzliya, Israel, with my family: two parents, two older brothers, and my dog.
On July 24, 1995, my grandmother, Zehava, was killed by a suicide bomber while riding the bus to Tel Aviv. I joined the Parents Circle following the footsteps of my family. I participated in many of the youth activities. I met and talked with Palestinian kids at the age of 8. After my first summer camp, I understood that they are not different from us and we are the same except language and religion.
My name is Na’ama. I`m 25 years old from Israel. I live in Jerusalem. I`m studying law at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
I lost my uncle Udi in 1993. Udi was killed at age 36 when he came home from reserve duty in the Gaza Strip. He was kidnapped and killed by Hamas. My father, Udi’s brother, joined the Parents Circle 5 years later to work together with the other side for reconciliation and a just solution to the conflict. My father promised himself and his children to try to do everything he can, so that this tragedy would not happen to anyone again.
I am Palestinian, 23 years old. I work in an optometrist office. When I was 7, life was not easy. The occupation made life very difficult for my family. I lost two of my uncles. I did not know my grandfather. He died while he was taken to hospital in an ambulance but at the checkpoint, he was prevented from making it to the hospital.
After all of this pain and seeing my mother crying throughout my childhood, I grew up hating the occupation and all Israelis.
