I’m a Palestinian-American Who Dreams Peace Is Possible

I want to be very clear, I’m not representing any community, I speak only for myself. I’m a Palestinian-American who’s had enough of the history, geopolitics, tit-for-tat accountings of grievance and fault, and faith-based arguments that undergird every discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It’s not to diminish people’s passionate feelings, the legitimate pain they’ve endured, the unspeakable losses they’ve faced. I just believe that the best way to honor the victims of the past is to focus on building a path to a future where both Israelis and Palestinians live without the existential dread that has become the region’s hallmark.

The continuous “airing of the grievances” is an accelerant for the never-ending cycle of violence. Our inability to let go traps us in a zero-sum game that keeps the wheel of suffering spinning, deepens the divide between us, and pushes peace out towards an ever-receding horizon.

I’m a Rabbi. Here’s Why I Went to Palestinian Boy’s Funeral.PRAY FOR PEACE

Hody Nemes, Anthony L. Fisher

I am not here to diminish anyone’s history. I honor each side’s narrative. But resolving irresolvable narratives can’t be the prelude to resolving the larger issue. Each side is yelling a litany of historical “rights” and “wrongs” at each other and ignoring the very real issues of the present.

How about we stipulate the validity of each other’s narratives and begin to move forward?

I’ve done a lot of strategy and creative workshops professionally, and one of the tricks I’ve learned is starting by articulating the goal—answering the question, “What does beautiful look like?”

For me, beautiful is two sovereign states coexisting peacefully, cooperating seamlessly, and living prosperously.

Each people exercising their right to self-determination by electing accountable governments that prioritize the safety and freedom of their citizens. Each cooperating to prevent and punish acts that aim to breach or destroy the peace. Each living without worry in their homes and enjoying protection under a meaningful rule of law. Each with territorial integrity, control of its borders, and the right to defend itself. Each working to grow and maintain an equitable and sustainable peace.

But what do we need to make “beautiful” real?

Leadership.

We need courageous leaders who understand that empathy, compromise, and grace are not weaknesses but strengths. Leaders who tell their constituencies what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Leaders who find the courage to confront their own hardliners, marginalize their own extremists, and work to be the architects of a new narrative that values shared human dignity over dogma and victimhood. Leaders with the fortitude to resist the inertial pull of the wheel of suffering and move us toward an equitable peace.

We need an independent, democratic Palestinian state. A single, universally recognized nation-state which can speak and act on behalf of the Palestinian people.

Not a “Bantustan” like the Palestinian Authority or Hamas; we need a genuinely democratic institution with a police force, territorial integrity, sovereignty, and a constitutionally enshrined obligation to maintaining peace with Israel. It should be monitored and advised by an international entity like the United States for a short time (think of it as training wheels for a fledgling state).

Do Hamas’ Brutal Tactics Do Anything to Help Palestinians?AT ALL?

Hussein Ibish, Matt Young

Terrorism will, no doubt, happen. It’s all too easy for extremists to spin up the cycle of violence through atrocities.

Both sides are guilty of this, which is why it’s critical for each side to take responsibility for, and police its own extremists. They should be firmly, quickly, and unequivocally dealt with internally.

Think of the impact on Israeli hearts and minds when Palestinian security forces quickly capture and punish those who fire rockets into Israel.

Imagine the shift on the Palestinian street, if Israel swiftly and unequivocally imposed meaningful consequences against right-wing settlers who engage in “price tag” attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The responses can’t be slaps on the wrist; each side needs to send a clear message that terrorism is a criminal act that undermines the collective will for peace.

And yes, sometimes that means using lethal force against people who would desecrate the social contract. FAFO should be the operative principle here.

There will also continue to be hardliners on both sides who see compromise as betrayal and cling to maximalist positions. We each have to confront these elements head-on, challenging them and ensuring that their perspectives don’t go unanswered.

Each side must make it socially and politically costly to advocate for positions that are out of step with a lasting peace. It’s not silencing dissent; it's elevating the discourse and centering voices of reason and compromise.

We need the international community to step in with meaningful support. The role here is not to dictate terms but to facilitate dialogue and help the parties. I do not believe the UN can do this, but a coalition of nations (with the U.S. in a leadership role) and NGOs should monitor and advise on actions on the ground, help verify commitments, and ensure that obligations are met in an impartial and transparent manner that is committed to principles of self-determination and mutual respect.

Each nation needs to elevate compromise over confrontation, cooperation over competition, and de-escalation over escalation.

This isn’t just the work of politicians but of educators, religious leaders, and civil society. We should model the ideals of empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution. We should preach from the gospels of tolerance and center the common humanity that binds us all. We should lay the groundwork to each see the “other” as a neighbor to be understood.

One Simple Way Israel Can Avoid Sparking a Holy WarKEEPING THE FAITH

Andrew Lawler, Anthony L. Fisher

This will only end when we break the wheel and step off the world’s worst fucking carousel ride to acknowledge that most people just want to live their boring-ass lives in safety and security and peace. This will only end when we, both of us, realize that we need Havels not Hitlers, Mandelas not Maos, and Gandhis not Guevaras.

I know that the challenges are immense, but I am convinced that the silent and ignored “middle” is a powerful catalyst that can overcome the cynicism and inertia.

My hope is that someone on each side will step up to be the architect of a more stable and prosperous future for all. I dare to imagine a world where peace is not just a dream but a lived reality because I am convinced that the status quo is a ticking time bomb.

We need to be brave, be bold, be honest with each other, and (above all) be honest with ourselves. Because the alternative is a living nightmare for millions who just want to live their lives, and frankly, they’ve waited long enough.