March 8 is International Women's Day, so this week there are hundreds of events at the UN about women. I went to a beautiful breakfast meeting this morning (beauty for content, for the women and for the 29th floor full length windows) organized by UNIFEM, presenting members of the International Women's Commission for a Just and Sustainable Palestinian-Israeli Peace (IWC). The meeting was on How Security Council Resolution 1325 Supports Women’s Leadership in Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Resolution 1325 calls for women's participation in all peace processes, specifies war crimes against women, and calls for extra-protection of women in conflict zones. This meeting focused on including women in the peace negotiations for Palestine and Israel.
The women leaders included Palestinian Wafa’ Abdel-Rahman and Israeli Shlomit Lir, as well as their international allies (including an outspoken Italian peace activist, Luisa Morgantini). The organization has presented numerous position papers and Lir outlined IWC's four main points:
1) IWC wants to see women around the negotiating table--feminist women, and women from all walks of life.
2) IWC sees the need for a gendered approach to end the violence. Lir emphasized that regardless of the social context and background influencing this phenomenon, men carry out the vast majority of violence in the world, so women must be engaged in the shift from violence to peace.
3) IWC calls for a two-state solution with 1967 borders. The Abdel-Rahman expanded on this point. She recognized the excessive presence of settlements (she said the West Bank is like "swiss cheese") as a current blockage toward peace. But she said the one-state solution is not a viable option, she expects it will lead to "more blood, more discrimination and more violence". (The social and political role of Palestinian citizens of Israel "Israeli Arabs" elucidates her point)
4) IWC promotes dialogue between decision makers and opponents. They see that many male leaders believe that you must be stronger than your enemies. But women bring a different perspective; as Abdel-Rahman said, "There is no military solution to our conflict"
Lir explained that their position came through lengthy and intense discussions. "It came with very hard discussion, with emotions, screaming, crying and extensive analysis." I think this is an important explanation of the process. Yes, women are emotional, but they are also analytical. Furthermore these are intensely emotional questions for both sides of homeland, right to life and security, right to self-determination, etc. I think it is valuable to work through the feelings first to get to a point of honest communication from which agreements can grow. Furthermore, seeing the diplomatic, clear, precise and analytical view these women presented gave no indication of the emotional process they underwent to come to their positions. Women have a pivotal perspective to bring to the peace process and they deserve respect both for their ability to participate as equals to men and the asset they bring with their uniquely feminine manner.
Addressing a question about the role of peace-allies in the United States and abroad, Abdel-Rahman said the struggle in the US is against the current climate of mainstream politics, mainstream Jewish politics, and the politics of industrialization. Activists must work to break the mainstream slogans and ideologies that justify the ongoing brutal acts.
More UNIFEM events in NY this week: http://www.unifem.org/campaigns/csw/events/
More on IWC: http://www.iwc-peace.org/
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