Hello all.
Monday we set out again to Spain for concerts. I have not been in that fine country for a while. Spain has given me some of the most exciting moments of my life, and also some of the most challenging. Writing this I have a specific incident in mind, and that is the demonstrations against me during my performance at the Catalonian National Day three years ago (I was pregnant at the time) by pro-Palestinian organizations, in my beloved Barcelona. (By the way, I was sharing the stage with a local Arab orchestra, great people). The event was traumatic but I overcame it, and finally the performance was a success. These kinds of demonstrations are very frequent against Israelis everywhere, myself included, even those who are very outspoken in support of peace, as I always have been.
I would like to share with you a letter I write to one such organization last June (!!), calling for peace between us. It is important to me that you, my friends, followers, foes, whoever is reading this, be aware of this call for communication, this cry in the night.
I never got a reply to this letter. I am still waiting and have not lost hope.
Very sincerely yours,
Noa
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The letter:
Hello friends.
It has been a long time since our unhappy mail interaction. Many things have happened.
I want to make peace with you. it weighs heavy on my heart that people who basically think the same and want the same thing, who share the same principles and are working for the same goal, who dream of peace between nations, cannot make peace with eachother.
I am not interested in any negative feeling with you. on the contrary, I think we should join forces and work together, to promote public awareness for a two state solution, for the rights of the Palestinian people alongside the Israeli people, for respect and equality, for dialogue and peace.
Here is something I wrote a long time ago, that is still my deepest belief and personal truth about peace in our region:
1. RECOGNIZE-
Each side must recognize the rights of the other to life, freedom, independence, identity, the right to flourish, the right to a peaceful existence. This is the first and critical stage of the plan. Without formal recognition, in writing, signed by the recognized leaders of each nation, no progress can be made.
2. APOLOGIZE-
Both sides have done horrible things to each other in the name of this and that ideal. Since the death of one life is parallel to the death of all of humanity, there should be a true and deep remorse for these actions, a heartfelt apology on both sides for the pain and anguish they have caused.
3. SHARE-
Each side should revoke their dreams of a complete ‘anything’. Only through compromise is peace achievable. In this way, on one small piece of land, we can create 2 countries, Israel and Palestine, living peacefully and respectfully alongside each-other.
I send you all my best wishes.
Noa
www.noasmusic.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsflPG3_C78