Let us put an end to the killing

Saturday, July 04, 2009

THIS for me is one of the most difficult letters I will ever have to write. My name is Robi Damelin, I am the mother of David who was killed by your son...

What makes our children do what they do, do they not understand the pain they are causing your son by now having to be in jail for many years and mine who I will never be able to hold and see again or see him married...

After your son was captured, I spent many sleepless nights thinking about what to do, should I ignore the whole thing, or will I be true to my integrity and to the work that I am doing and try to find... closure and reconciliation...

I understand that your son is considered a hero by many of the Palestinian people, he is considered to be a freedom fighter, fighting for justice and for an independent viable Palestinian state, but I also feel that if he understood that taking the life of another may not be the way and that if he understood the consequences of his act, he could see that a non-violent solution is the only way...

Our lives as two nations are so intertwined, each of us will have to give up on our dreams...

Let us put an end to the killing and look for a way through mutual understanding and empathy to live a normal life, free of violence.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, July 04, 2009