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Interview Questions for Riyad Faraj

Would you start by introducing yourself and telling us how you got involved in the Bereaved Families Forum?

What caused this change? What caused you to decide not to take the course of revenge? Was it your father’s loss that caused this change or was there a personal incident that caused this?

Tell us about your father’s death, how it happened and how it affected your life.

Was it you that contacted the Bereaved Families Forum, or the other way around?

How did you come to know about the Forum?

I know you said you were there to tell them about what you went through, but what effect did hearing the story of an Israeli have on you?

Do you consider your activities with the Forum normalization?

Did hearing the stories of bereaved Israeli families change anything in you personally?

What did your friends and family think? Were you endangered in any way for doing this work?

What caused your hesitation about becoming part of the Forum?

What were your expectations when you joined the Forum?

Did you give up anything to be part of this Forum?

What do you hope will come out of this Forum?

For someone who doesn't know about what Palestinians and Israelis are doing together other than what they see on TV, how do you explain how this will contribute to peace?

Why do you think your dreams are shrinking?

So you think that what you are doing now is the solution?

Were you active in the resistance before joining the Bereaved Families Forum?

You've been involved in this work and you've seen the work of others in the same field. Where do you think this is going?

What about the responses of people around you?

Do you consider that a challenge? What are your challenges?

Do you think fear plays a role?

Did you ever have doubts that you are doing the right thing?

How did this work change your life and how did it affect your family, friends, etc?

Is it rare to be involved in this way?

Did you feel that your sense of belonging changed with this work?

Who do you blame?

What or who inspires you the most?

Did being part of the Bereaved Families Forum lead you to meet people that you wouldn’t have met otherwise?

What are your hopes or ambitions?

What will it take to get there?

What does the word peace mean to you?

Is there hope?

What do you think is the greatest misconception about this work?

How far are you willing to go and how much longer can you continue on this path?

You were saying something earlier about your daughter. Can you tell me more?