Aziz Abu Sarah

Yeah, I reached out to Ma'oz right after October 7th because I felt that this is a dark moment.

And in dark moments, it's important to show empathy.

And I knew it because of my own personal story where I lost my brother in the first intifada due to torture by Israeli soldiers.

And I was 10 years old when that happened.

And only eight years later, when I met an Israeli teacher and I went to study Hebrew, who reached out to me and who showed me empathy, that my journey for peacemaking started.

So I felt it was important to do the same with Ma'oz because at the moment we are living in,

It's just empathy seems to be something that's not happening.

There was, I mean, I didn't have a doubt, but I also knew the pain that is gonna be happening on the Palestinian side with Gaza being destroyed and more attacks.

There was so much fear.

And that empathy also came from Mao's back, where on television, a few days after his parents were killed, he said that he's crying not only for his parents, but also for children in Gaza that are being killed.

And that's a level of empathy that can put us on this path for creating a different future.

Yes, my parents and my brothers and sisters have gone through this journey with me already many years ago.

When I was 10, they were terrified by my choices to seek revenge when I was a teenager.

And then when I became a peacemaker, they were terrified because they thought,

Every Israeli works for the Shin Bet and is going to get you arrested for any word you say wrong or anything that if you trust any Israeli, you might end up being punished for it.

But eventually they all have come around, have been supportive of my work in peace.

I've been a peace activist for more than 27 years now.

And so they actually have welcomed Maoz in our home and got to meet him.

And our families have got to know each other.

There are tons of Palestinians who are like me.