Rabbi who escaped the Hamas massacre fights for peace between Israelis and Palestinians
In this interview with AsiaNews, Avi Dabush, executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights, looks back at the tragic hours when terrorists attacked Kibbutz Nirim. Despite the fear and the violence, he considers the release of the hostages to be paramount and has launched a new outreach programme in the West Bank. For him, it is time to work for rights and justice. In Gaza, the parish of the Holy Family was also hit; a water tank and solar panels were destroyed.
Milan (AsiaNews) – Avi Dabush, executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights, an organisation that works for peace and coexistence through direct aid to Palestinian communities, victims of harassment and violence in the West Bank, clearly remembers the attack on 7 October.
He remembers the "fear" for his family and children, spending "over eight hours" hiding while Hamas terrorists roamed around his kibbutz, Nirim, holding the “door handle of the safe room,” as a last and extreme form of defence.
In this interview with AsiaNews, he renews his appeal for and commitment to the release of the hostages still held in Gaza, which he considers a priority, worried about the spread of the war "in Khan Yunis, where we know that other prisoners are detained".
At a time when the Israeli government is pressing for war, with the death toll in Gaza exceeding 18,000, mostly civilians, including women and children, working on "human rights" and "space, rights, and opportunity" for all in the Holy Land is key.
The ongoing fighting has not spared Gaza’s Latin parish of the Holy Family, which was struck last weekend by shrapnel during Israeli attacks that destroyed water tanks and roof solar panels, as well as some cars and parts of the church compound.
The interview with Avi Dabush follows:
Almost two months after Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel, what do you remember of those terrible events?
I remember most, the horror of the event, the fear, for the children, for my family. We were hiding in our safe room for eight hours totally alone, the army was not there and our kibbutz, Nirim, was overrun with terrorists. As someone who works in the field of human rights, I look back at these events as a terrible abuse of human rights, something which must never happen to anyone, anywhere.
Which is the most vivid memory that has stuck with you the most?
For hours, I held the door handle of the safe room, hearing terrorists outside. This will always stay with me.
Did the days of truce, when prisoners were exchanged, give hope for a solution or at least a de-escalation of the conflict?
I am coordinating the kibbutz’s support and response for our hostages in Gaza. I am in favour of having a ceasefire for the return of hostages. This is a major focus for me. We are dealing with a highly complex event, or series of events, with human rights suffering in many different contexts and among different communities. For me the return of the hostages, my neighbours and friends, is of the utmost importance.
What did you feel seeing the release of some of the people kidnapped by Hamas during the attack? Does hope remain alive for the others still in the hands of the kidnappers?
There was huge joy, personal, family, and communal, on the return of the hostages. Of the five hostages from Kibbutz Nirim, three were released and this was a crucial moment for us. But this was accompanied by a growing fear for those still in captivity. We started to get an understanding of the conditions, and we are deeply worried for those still kidnapped. Seeing the war operation in Khan Yunis, where we know hostages are being held, is really worrying.
What happened, the October 7th attack, is a horror. Palestinian voices are talking about a 'horror' taking place in the Gaza Strip, with innocent victims among civilians. Are these two different horrors the two sides of the same coin?
From a human rights perspective, any harm to a civilian population must be denounced. This value does not differ from population to population; it is a human right. We are only too aware of the results of war and we must hold on to the equal value of a human life, which is at great threat at this time.
Is it possible, in your opinion, to get out or overcome this logic of confrontation, revenge, of wall against wall? Some people are afraid of an escalation or widening of the conflict to the West Bank . . .
Ultimately the only solution is a diplomatic one. There must be a formal agreement between Israel, Palestinian entities, regional leaders, the United States, and the international community. It is clear that we have reached a dead end in policy around managing the conflict, and the political thinking needs to change. With the involvement of the international community, we have more chance of creating the climate for such a solution.
In this framework of conflict, of violence, how can the battle for human rights be pursued?
Our organisation, Rabbis for Human Rights, was founded over 30 years ago during the first Intifada. It was a time when Israeli society first became aware of the occupation and the Palestinian story. I, myself, have spent much time in Palestinian towns; Gaza was our main city when I grew up in Ashkelon! But we were not aware of the situation. So our organisation was founded during conflict, and since then we have experienced many forms of recurring conflict. And this is the key time for human rights work, during conflict. We hope, pray and work that this terrible round of conflict will be the last, and that we may come to a realisation that the only future here is where there is space, rights, and opportunity for everyone.
The latest military escalation is the bloodiest in 50 years, many observers say, a consequence of opposing extremisms on the two fronts. Is there space for dialogue between Hamas and Israel’s ultra-right-wing government?
We know from history that extremists, from different sides, strengthen each other. They create the two sides of the coin. It is not a coincidence that this conflict comes at the time of the most extreme government Israel has known. For exactly this reason we need to reject extremism. Before the war began, I was running weekly demonstrations against the government in Beersheba (in opposition to Netanyahu’s controversial justice reform). We need to create a new paradigm where dialogue and partnership are rewarded; through these values we can reject extremism.
What are Netanyahu's political responsibilities in this scenario?
I am not a political commentator. Our role is to help design the solutions, not prophesies. My feeling is that Netanyahu has lost his right to a seat at the leadership table. The leadership we need to develop must be serious and responsible and will have different values and an agenda for how to resolve the conflict.
Has the focus on the West Bank, the territories, the settlements, on the domestic clash over justice, left aside the Gaza issue? To what extent did this influence the current situation?
We have witnessed a severe escalation in settler violence in the West Bank since the start of the war. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports three times more attacks, and we are certainly seeing this on the ground, starting with violence in agriculture. I just saw today a film, from our Palestinian coordinator, of settlers harvesting olives from Palestinian-owned trees, to horrendous attacks with weapons that have taken innocent lives. We have been calling to every possible body, the Israeli army, the government, and in the international arena, to crack down and end this terrorism. Rabbis for Human Rights is based on Jewish thought and values, so we call settler violence, Jewish terrorism; it is based on a hateful ideology, and very far from the Judaism of peace and justice we espouse.
We are also witnessing an economic crisis in the West Bank, with hundreds of thousands unable to continue their work in Israel and having no income for two months. The olive harvest, that we usually provide protective presence for, was much curtailed by the army and Jewish terrorism, and all the Palestinian farmers we are in touch with were unable to get to many of the areas where their trees are. Prices are also increasing in the West Bank due to lack of freedom of movement, supply chain and more. So now we have started a new project for humanitarian aid – delivering basic food parcels to the most vulnerable communities in the West Bank.
How do you feel and what do you think of the situation, yourself and all the people like you who have promoted and worked for peace, reconciliation, and dialogue in the past?
I am absolutely worried! These are very difficult times for anyone who believes in human rights, dignity, and peace. It is clear to us that we must be active at this time, we must “pray with our feet” and model actions that speak louder than words. This is why we are working harder in the West Bank. When we go out to provide a protective presence for Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest, we are advancing peace. Now what we need to do is create more partnerships, coalitions of all those who share these values of peace, human rights, and justice. Strengthening these coalitions, between Jews and Palestinians, will create an alternative, and lead societies to adopt the values which are needed.
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15/01/2024 19:24
