« Thematic Highlights

Normalization

George Sa'adeh
Bereaved Families Forum Portrait »
Interview Highlights »

“ Normalization means I want to have mutual relations with another who shares my peaceful intentions in a peaceful environment. Currently there is no peace, rather negotiations for peace. I think the process of normalization occurs after the peace process is completed, not prior to it. After the establishment of a state and human rights for the Palestinians there can be normalization between two countries and two people, but normalization attempts will fail as long as there isn't peace.”  [Source in Complete Interview]

Ali Abu Awwad
Bereaved Families Forum, Al Tareek (The Way) Portrait »
Interview Highlights »

“ […] We were accustomed to thinking that talking with the other occupier is treason and normalizing. Every meeting was considered to be a normalization meeting. It isn’t easy for a patriot to do such a thing. But I discovered that these weren’t normalization meetings; normalization happens between countries. These meetings are about expressing your suffering and defending your rights in a different way. Even the extremists think that their way will lead to a solution. Through these activities you begin to realize that you are doing a great thing. You are dismantling the excuse for killing our people.”  [Source in Complete Interview]

Rami Nasrallah
International Peace and Cooperation Center (IPCC) Portrait »
Interview Highlights »

“ Dialogue with Israel should be based on Palestinian interests. When the Israelis initiated meetings in Europe that were funded by the Europeans, the Palestinians sometimes didn't understand the intent of the meetings and we didn't ask ourselves the right questions about the relations with Israelis. We were literally followers. This creates extremely negative reactions. Part of the people become "traitors" who work for Israel and part become nationalists who are against normalization. Can I free anything from Israel if I don't meet with the Israelis? I can't. The idea for the creation of the IPCC was the creation of a Palestinian agenda, for the issues of peace, development and social and economic mobility.”  [Source in Complete Interview]

Salwa Abu Libdeh
Dialogue On The Road Portrait »
Interview Highlights »

“ At first I was worried to do this work and to work with an Israeli journalist, because I didn’t want people to think that I was normalizing relations with the Israelis. But I think that anyone could do his work and maintain his personal opinions. I didn’t change who I am or what I believe in, I just did the work. I didn’t humiliate any value or principle, I just went and filmed and did my job. I also delivered my message. I had the freedom to decide what I wanted to cover and what questions I wanted to ask, nothing was imposed on me. However, we were careful not to touch religious issues because it's very sensitive, even though I, as a Muslim, believe in all three religions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism. We just wanted to see the average person on the street. A lot of my friends told me to be careful that the film should not turn out to be about normalization, but I told them that I am working on this film with my own thoughts and beliefs, and I have the right to agree or disagree with the work. Even the management of the television station supported us.”  [Source in Complete Interview]

Walid Salem
Panorama Portrait »
Interview Highlights »

“ Normalization means the transformation of the current relations with Israel into normal relations. Those who reject this idea claim that we shouldn't have normal relations with Israel in a less than normal situation of occupation, and therefore the normalization with Israel should be postponed to after the occupation ends. Some of these people say that we should have a long ceasefire with Israel after the occupation ends, but not normalization. People like me claim that normalization with the Israeli peace groups is very important for building the future normalization between the two countries and people.”  [Source in Complete Interview]

Walid Salem
Panorama Portrait »
Interview Highlights »

“ I found that there was a strong Israeli position against normalization. Normalization isn't rejected only by our side, but also by the Israeli side. This issue is problematic. For example, when the settlers claim that the Palestinians are strangers in this land, and that they should either live as strangers or leave, this is a position against normalization. When Israel claims that their basic identity is European, not Middle Eastern, they consider themselves to be in a position of "us against Arab culture," even against knowing about Arab culture, and this is a position against normalization.”  [Source in Complete Interview]

Itamar Shapira
Combatants for Peace Portrait »
Interview Highlights »

“ Normalization means that there needs to be a struggle against the occupation, but that it’s possible to maintain relations with Israel in other areas, work and education for example, in order to keep on living. In Palestinian society, [the stigma of normalization] is similar to when our side accuses us of "surrendering to terrorism," but it means cooperating with the Israelis and preventing the end of the occupation, and so they are perceived as traitors.”  [Source in Complete Interview]