Press release: Arson attacks in WASNS

For immediate release
Arson attacks on Wahat al-Salam – Neve Shalom Peace Institutions

Date: 9 September 2020
Contacts:

Anwar Dawood, Chair of Board of Municipal Society - 050-8344199
Samah Salaimeh, Communications and Development Director - 050-9792389
Nava Sonnenschein, School for Peace Director – 050-8551594

Background:
On Monday, September 4, the village community of Wahat al-Salam - Neve Shalom awoke today to a difficult and painful reality. The village’s large library building had been attacked by criminals who managed to set a fire in the building’s main hall. Only thanks to the fire suppression and alarm system, was a much bigger disaster averted. According to expert firefighters, the fire was apparently initiated and intended.

On September 1, a nearby building of the School for Peace was completely burned. That building was constructed 40 years ago following the establishment of this first and largest Jewish - Arab village in the world. According to experts from the fire department, this earlier fire was also the result of arson rather than an unfortunate accident as we had initially hoped.

These repeated attacks on the village’s educational institutions bring back painful memories of the “Price Tag” hate crimes we experienced in 2012, the arson attack on the neighboring Latrun Monastery, and the huge fire that nearly wiped out our dear and most senior peace initiative in 2016.

We are aware that in these difficult days, peace education, tolerance and equality between Palestinians and Israelis and the struggle against the occupation are not high on the country’s agenda or expressed in its policies. Neither do they suit the forces of evil and hatred.

Regretfully, some in the news media were quick to draw hasty and dangerous conclusions that the two attacks were related to the fact that 13 Arab children were unable to join the first grade of our school as planned. It was implied that due to their experience of rudeness and insensitivity, these families may be linked to the arson.

– As members of the village and as the ones who are responsible for its education system, we reject these arguments. We have been struggling to admit all of the children into our school. Education for peace, love for humanity and tolerance is our main mission and we think that all of these children deserve a place here. The village, including all of its members and institutions, have stood by the families against the decision of the school principal and the Education Ministry. The campaign to return the children is not yet over.

– We see the repetition of such rumors as a grievous attempt to smirch the reputation of an entire public, including families who have chosen to raise their children in our school. They are an essential and integral part of the school community.

– We ask the Israel Police to investigate the unfortunate events as soon as possible and to bring the criminals to justice, regardless of their religion, race or nationality.

– We see any attack against our educational institutions or the village as an ideological crime, an act of violence, and severe aggression perpetrated by the enemies of peace and its supporters. It is much easier to point the finger of blame at a convenient, available target than to find the true culprit.

– We call on all our supporters across the country and around the world to stand by our community at this difficult time, to seek out the facts rather than the rumors; to unite against incitement and hatred, and to offer succor to our educational institutions in their time of need.

Buildings may have been burned, but our longing for peace and brotherhood is alive and well and we will continue our journey.

Samah Salaime,
Director of Communications and Development
Wahat al-Salam - Neve Shalom