Every morning, when 48-year-old Michal Shohat sends her kids to school, she prays they will come back safely at the end of the day.
As a Jewish Israeli, Shohat has witnessed the effects of the Middle East conflicts first-hand and has committed herself to fighting for lasting peace. She has been an elected member of the Municipal Council of Jerusalem and served as an officer in the Israeli army.
"Since I was born, I went through five wars, as a kid, soldier and mother," Shohat said. "It is very difficult, no matter what situation you are in."
Even though the United States has recently tasted the effects of terrorism, Shohat said the experience is too foreign to most Americans for her to truly communicate.
"It's difficult for me to tell you about my life because I realize that only ones who live there know how it is to live under these circumstances," said Shohat. "We are afraid to shop, to go to the movies."
To raise awareness about the violence, Shohat joins Jean Zaru, a Quaker from Ramallah, Palestine and Rawan Damen, a Muslim Palestinian, on the Jerusalem Women Speak tour, a national panel promoting peace in the Middle East sponsored by Partners for Peace, a national government organization.
Shohat and Zaru shared their experiences with about 50 Duke students and faculty members Monday afternoon in a presentation at the Episcopal Center. Damen, a 22-year-old who recently graduated from Birzeit University in Ramallah, Palestine with a bachelors degree in media and sociology, was unable to attend most of the discussion due to airport delays caused by the recent terrorist attacks.
Violence is not the only struggle that her people face in their daily lives, Damen said.
"This occupation has affected our way of life. Everything is under Israeli control. It's like three million Palestinians under siege," said Damen. "They control electricity, water. I spent several days without electricity because of the collective punishment procedures."
Zaru, a founding member of Sabeel, a Palestinian liberation theology center in Jerusalem, said the occupation is complex.
"There are many narratives," Zaru said. "It is not black and white. We're suggesting international legitimacy. I am living here and yesterday, my hometown and children were bombarded, so how can I guarantee anything?"
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