The Forward: Israelis and Palestinians mourn our losses together on Yom Hazikaron

by Shiri Ourian

Executive Director
American Friends of the Parents Circle

Fighting dangerous pathogens that rip through societies is not new to joint Israeli-Palestinian organizations like the Parents Circle-Families Forum and Combatants for Peace. Fear, hatred, and dehumanization, like viruses, are invisible. They are often asymptomatic in many and lead to senseless fatalities in others. COVID-19 and fear, hatred and dehumanization know no borders, religion or nationality. We work to treat them on an individual, case-by-case level and with broad measures on a societal level.

From the horrible darkness of the coronavirus outbreak, some narrow shards of light have nonetheless emerged. Traffic is gone; gas is affordable; the air feels cleaner, healthcare workers are praised instead of athletes and celebrities.