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Interview Questions for Ayelet Shahak
Please tell me where you were born and a little about your background.
Before Bat-Chen was killed, were you involved in any aspect of the conflict?
When did you first get involved in the Bereaved Families Forum?
What made Tzvika call Shimon Peres to urge him to continue negotiating with the Palestinians?
Was your initial fear about going to Gaza about physical danger, or something else?
Was the decision not to include the parents of suicide bombers made before you went to Gaza for the first time?
Did you discuss it again with the Palestinian members of the Forum over the years?
Please try to explain to someone who does not have any knowledge of the conflict why you think what you do is important?
In the recent Bereaved Families Forum seminar there was a play called the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and an actor played the sister of someone who carried out a suicide bombing. How was it for you to see that?
What do you need to do in order to be ready for that?
In South Africa the reconciliation process began after the signing of the treaty. Is your work a preparation for that stage or just a hint as to what is possible?
What did you hear so far that helped you understand what reconciliation is?
What is the role of the bereaved families in this process?
Do you have to give up something in this process?
Do you see any success?
Who requests the lectures?
What kinds of questions do the students ask when you lecture with the Bereaved Families Forum?
Do you think you manage to tell the story in an emotional way each time?
What does your family think of your activity?
What are the most difficult challenges the Forum faces?
When you speak Hebrew, do the Palestinian students understand you?
What are some of the other challenges?
Did you ever have any doubts that what you are doing is the right thing?
When you saw the demonstrations at The Hague, the bus that had been bombed and the bereaved parents, what did you think?
With the other group of parents, the “Dizengoff Group,” are there families that are upset with you and with the Forum?
Where do you feel a sense of belonging?
I am wondering if there is something that drastically changes when you start doing work like this. Is there a sense of not belonging to your old group?
Do you think your work has affected them?
What do you gain from doing this work?
Have you thought of writing something yourself?
Who is inspiring to you?
Can you tell me what you think the trips you took to Gaza with the Bereaved Families Forum did for you?
Was it rare for Israelis to go to Gaza?
Was there someone special on the Palestinian side that taught you something, or said something that was important to you?
What are some of the most important things that you have learned through doing this work about people or about the conflict?
What does the word peace mean to you?
Is there something here that you think is the hardest for people to understand, if they are not here?
What do you think are the roots of the conflict?
Is it also important to you personally, the land here?
What does a Jewish state mean to you?
How do you relate to religion? Is it part of your life?
How does fear affect the conflict?
