annanimiddy

Healing and Reconciliation After October 7, Between Israelis and Palestinians? Today, I met Michal Uziyahu, Mayor of the Eshkol Regional Council in Israel’s “Gaza Envelope,” home to many of the communities hardest hit by Hamas’s October 7 attack. Roughly 70% of the massacre occurred within Eshkol, including the sites of the Nova music festival and the kibbutzim of Be’eri, Re’im, Nir Oz, Holit, Kissufim, Kerem Shalom, and Sufa. Hundreds of Eshkol residents were murdered that day, and 119 hostages were taken from its communities. Michal shared countless stories of pain, loss, and suffering endured by her residents on a scale few could ever imagine. She described a community whose worldview was rooted in coexistence, partnership, and long-term peace with its Palestinian neighbors in Gaza. Like many leaders in the region, she had envisioned a future that included industrial and economic zones where Gazans could work for international companies in technology, manufacturing, education, and other sectors in the kibbutzim near Gaza. Those aspirations were shattered by Hamas’s barbaric violence and Jihadist terrorism on October 7. Since then, Michal has led the effort to rebuild her communities and restore the spirit of the kibbutzim that became ground zero for one of the most consequential chapters in the Israel and Palestine conflict. She insists that her nearly 20,000 residents are survivors, not victims. Rather than trauma centers, she is helping to establish resilience centers. Instead of fostering dependency, she is working to create a model of recovery, perseverance, and renewal. Most movingly, Michal demonstrated a profound capacity to recognize the humanity of Palestinians in Gaza. She expressed genuine sorrow for the loss of innocent life, including the deaths of dozens of my own family members in Israeli airstrikes. While we share the goal of ending Hamas’s rule over Gaza, we also acknowledged the reality that our peoples’ futures remain intertwined, even though healing, reconciliation, and the rebuilding of trust will take years. I offered my deepest condolences, sympathy, and apology for everything her community and other “Gaza Envelope” residents have endured since October 7. Michal is currently in the United States raising resources to rebuild her communities physically, psychologically, educationally, and economically. Contrary to common assumptions, much of the funds raised after October 7 did not reach those most in need, a reality I had long heard about and which Michal confirmed. Many “Gaza Envelope” communities had already suffered years of neglect from the Israeli government, the Finance Ministry, and even segments of Jewish philanthropic networks. The devastation of October 7 only compounded those challenges after what was the worst security failure in Israel’s history and the deadliest single day for Jews since the Holocaust. That is why I encourage those with the means to support Michal and the Eshkol Regional Council in their efforts toward rebuilding, rehabilitation, and resilience to do so. @BillAckman @wolfejosh @shaunmmaguire @AriDavidPaul @AdamMilstein @jfunders @eJPhil @JCFNY @schusterman_fdn @InsidePhilanthr @TheAssociated @WilliamDaroff @MikeBloomberg @Spokoiny @JCCAssociation This is what radical pragmatism, shared empathy, holding space for multiple truths and tragedies, and advancing healing between Israelis and Palestinians looks like. My hope is that both the Israeli communities surrounding Gaza and the Palestinian people of Gaza can one day experience lasting peace, security, and coexistence.