Two women, an Israeli and a Palestinian, were honored this week by TIME Magazine, receiving recognition for organizing their respective movements as well as their collaboration in the hopes of reaching peace.
In an exciting announcement on Wednesday morning, TIME released its slate of women of the year to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8. These 12 women were selected for their contribution to building a more equitable future for women, and this year's list includes two women - one Israeli and one Palestinian - who founded and led movements for equality and peace.
The first recipient is Dr. Yael Admi, who founded "Women Wage Peace," a women-led movement dedicated to promoting peace and finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The co-director of "Women Wage Peace," Orna Shargai, stated, "In these difficult days, we are fighting against despair and carrying the banner of hope for a better future. We were moved by the choice of TIME magazine, and this gives members of the "Women Wage Peace" movement the strength to continue this difficult journey, especially during these terrible days when we are experiencing the suffering of thousands of girls and children, mothers and fathers, grandparents, women, and men, young and old. We join in the demands of our sister movement, "Women of the Sun," to end this terrible conflict and work for the future of our children and future generations."
The second recipient is Reem Hajajreh, the founder of the Palestinian organization "Women of the Sun." "Women of the Sun," like "Women Wage Peace," seeks nonviolent solutions, dialogue, and coexistence among Israelis and Palestinians, with a special focus on the role of women in leading such efforts. The two organizations have worked in tandem and have called on decision-makers to end the cycle of violence and seek peaceful and sustainable solutions for women and the people of the region.
Merely days before Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel, the women of these two groups organized an event that saw Israeli and Palestinian women convening in Jerusalem and the Dead Sea to demand a peaceful future and action on the part of leaders. On October 7, co-founder of "Women Wage Peace," Vivian Silver and two other women from the organization were murdered by Hamas terrorists.
Despite the October 7 attack and ensuing bitter conflict, the two groups have continued to work tirelessly in cooperation and have not lost sight of their goals.
'The great majority of our people share mutual ambition'
The two groups released a joint statement: "We believe that the great majority of our people share mutual ambition. Therefore, we demand that our leaders listen to our call and open talks and negotiations as soon as possible with a determined commitment to achieve, within a limited time frame, a political solution to the long and painful conflict."
Along with the prestigious recognition by TIME magazine, the two groups have also been nominated as candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize of 2024 by the Free University of Amsterdam.
The university commended "Women Wage Peace" and "Women of the Sun" in a statement: "Their work stands out tragically at this moment, considering their ability to continue building peaceful relations between Palestinian and Israeli communities despite the incredible obstacles they faced in the last two months."