ALLMEP condemns last night’s violent attack on the 20th Joint Memorial Ceremony screening in Ra’anana, Israel and targeted attempts to stop the work of peacebuilders

Last night, thousands of activists in Israel gathered for the 20th Joint Memorial Ceremony, hosted by ALLMEP members Parents Circle – Families Forum and Combatants for Peace. The Joint Memorial provides a shared space for Israelis and Palestinians to come together in mourning, honoring their shared losses and working to prevent future victims of war. The event features testimonies from Palestinians and Israelis who have tragically lost family members due to the conflict, as well as performances and speeches from leaders in the peacebuilding community, and was live-streamed to satellite locations around the world.

ALLMEP is deeply concerned about the targeted attack on one of these screenings at a synagogue in Ra’anana, Israel, where members of our community had gathered to grieve together and imagine a more just, equal, and peaceful future for the region. Three participants and four police officers were injured in the violence. Police say they have arrested three people who participated in the riot. 

The assault comes at a time when attacks on civil society, targeting of activists, and withdrawal of international support for civil society work are mounting. We remain committed to supporting civil society peacebuilding and championing the work of our members and their vital role in conflict resolution. Everyone who cares about a better, shared future for the region should be deeply concerned by this incident and by any attack on or threat to the work of peacebuilders. 

Now is not the time to withdraw support for peace. We need to strengthen and lift up the efforts and political imaginations of those working in the peacebuilding space. Their voices are more critical now than ever before.

Next week, The People’s Peace Summit will take place from May 8-9 in Jerusalem. Organized by the It’s Time coalition–a coalition of 60 peace and civil society organizations bringing together Jewish and Palestinian leaders, members, and allies. The summit aims to advance a political agreement that guarantees the rights, dignity, and security of both peoples, and brings an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

ALLMEP is a proud sponsor of the event this year, and we encourage you to attend, share, screen the event wherever you are and demonstrate that civil society is not going anywhere. We are here to stay, and we remain committed to the core values of security, equality, self-determination, justice, and peace for both peoples.