Towards a Shared Future: An Open Letter to My Fellow Israelis

Dear Fellow Israelis,

I write to you today not just as a fellow citizen but as someone deeply concerned about our path in our quest for security and peace. This letter is an appeal, a reflection, and a hope for a future where we redefine what it means to be secure.

In the very fabric of our nation, the pursuit of security has always been paramount. But this pursuit, as crucial as it is, needs a re-examination. Safety, as I’ve come to understand it, is not solely about fortifications and defenses; it’s intrinsically tied to justice, rights, and human dignity.

We stand at a crossroads where the belief that our security is built on another’s insecurity casts a long shadow. How can we, in good conscience, find peace in our hearts, knowing that our comfort might cause another’s despair? We are haunted by a question that undermines our sense of freedom: Can we indeed be free if our liberty is the shackles of another?

Oppression, I’ve realized, is a double-edged sword. In denying fundamental rights to Palestinians, we unknowingly chip away at the moral bedrock of our freedom. We nurture generations in an atmosphere of sirens and resentment, perpetuating distrust and a thirst for vengeance that only distances us from genuine peace.

The road to proper security requires more bravery than erecting higher barriers or tightening controls. It begins with acknowledging that security and justice are not mutually exclusive but are, in fact, interdependent. It involves seeing our Palestinian neighbors not as adversaries but as partners in a shared journey toward peace.

I hold onto the hope that we, as Israelis, will experience the profound liberation that comes with the cessation of being oppressors. To be liberated from the constant lookout for retribution and to live in a nation where security is not gauged by the might of our forces but by our ability to coexist harmoniously with those around us.

Our journey towards a secure future is still in progress, a dream yet to be fully realized. It’s a dream of an Israel where peace is defined not by the absence of conflict but by the presence of enduring justice.

Let us come together, as a people and a nation, to forge a path where our security is not at the expense of others but is built upon the pillars of mutual respect, understanding, and a firm commitment to the rights of all.

Sincerely,

Gil Mildar