Truth and Reconciliation—A Dream, a Goal for Israelis and Palestinians?

If you do not know to which port you want to sail, no wind will take you there. We hope and believe that, while likely in the distant future, that port is waiting for us. We believe that not only an armistice is possible, but that we must toil toward reaching the port of peace with solidarity, equity, and justice for all. With the end of the war, we are approaching a time of transitional justice that can be broadly defined as “how societies respond to the legacies of massive and serious human rights violations”: to the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre; to the destruction and starvation of Gaza; and to the massive infringements of basic rights in the West Bank. Alas, the prospects of establishing a truth commission—let alone an effective one—are extremely limited, as the ongoing conflict and complex political climate have resulted in a fractured state of governance and a lack of political will; a lack of readiness within both societies; and significant security risks for all those involved (Vassiliades 2023). Truth and Reconciliation Commissions are traditionally created “top down.” We, Aisha and Miriam—a Palestinian nurse and midwife, and an Israeli nurse—together with like-minded friends and colleagues, believe that we must begin with a “bottom up” approach: listening and creating space for “the Other.” As Aisha quipped months ago, “From the river to the sea, everyone has PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).” We are now deeply aware of the importance of creating integrated spaces where deeply human emotions are acknowledged as central to discussions of peace. Our foremost challenge is to begin to listen—listen respectfully and with empathy—to our very different narratives. This, however, requires a reckoning with the concept of truth. Hannah Arendt (1967) notes Herodotus as the first person to demand saying “What is.” No permanence can even be perceived without the willingness to testify to what is and to what appears true because it is. This is not a simple matter. So often, facts are transformed into opinions. Now, more than ever, simple factual statements—“truths witnessed with the eyes of the body, and not the eyes of the mind”—are widely perverted in political arguments and social media. Arendt argues that there is no justification for blurring the dividing lines between fact, opinion, and interpretation. In our efforts, we will not be able to solve this conundrum, but we must remain aware of it. It is liable to set multiple traps before us. Only the slow development of trust among us might overcome this grave difficulty. We are two women—Aisha, Palestinian, a nurse and midwife; Miriam, an Israeli nurse. Like so many of our generation, we come with heavy family and personal baggage to our encounter. And nevertheless, we became trusting friends. We recognize that the path toward reconciliation must also include a collective process of healing—one that transcends political divisions and national identities. This healing demands mutual acknowledgment of suffering, shared accountability, and a steadfast commitment to uphold human dignity for every individual, regardless of ethnicity or faith. As healthcare professionals, we understand that healing communities is not only a medical act but also a moral and social responsibility. Nurses and midwives are often the first witnesses to the human cost of violence; our duty extends beyond the clinic walls, calling us to foster dialogue, compassion, and human connection across divides. True reconciliation requires ethical courage—the courage to confront painful truths, to listen without judgment, and to engage in dialogue even when the wounds of history are still raw. It is through this courage that trust may begin to take root, allowing empathy to replace enmity. We must also learn from the successes and failures of Truth and Reconciliation Committees and Commissions worldwide. Important lessons can be drawn from the experiences in South Africa (Department of Justice and Constitutional Development n.d)., Rwanda (Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement n.d)., and Canada, whose commission's work is preserved by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (n.d). The extensive list of such commissions globally provides further context (Wikipedia n.d). Learning from these experiences teaches us that reconciliation cannot exist without truth, justice, and accountability. Only by establishing mechanisms that recognize all victims, promote restorative justice, and ensure non-repetition can societies rebuild a shared moral foundation. The education of the younger generation must become a cornerstone of reconciliation. By teaching truth grounded in historical integrity and human empathy, we can prevent the transmission of hatred and foster a culture of coexistence rooted in respect and understanding. As history, beliefs, and fate have bound us to live together in this narrow land in the Eastern Mediterranean, we know that truth and reconciliation are preconditions for a future of safety and peace for all. Meanwhile, Israeli, and Palestinian societies remain in trauma—entangled with our painful histories, the Holocaust and the 1948 Nakba, the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, the recent horrific war and the occupation—with both societies living in fear and in a shared sense of victimhood. And nevertheless, we shall overcome. Though our societies remain deeply wounded, we are committed to nurturing spaces of humanity, compassion, and shared learning. Through small acts of courage and sustained engagement, we can begin to transform pain into purpose—paving the way for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. As nurses and midwives, we dare to nurture the fragile but enduring hope for a future of peace with justice for all. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors have nothing to report.

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