Tzvika ShahakMost people assume I would want revenge, that I would try to hurt any Palestinian; certainly not that I would meet with Palestinians or search for peace and reconciliation. Most people raise an eyebrow and say, "looks like he lost some of his reason because of what happened." After I explain what my motives are and why we organize such activities, people accept it. Maybe they don't always agree, but they do accept it as being legitimate-- a special way to "avenge" the death of my daughter. On March 4, 1996 Tzvika Shahak's daughter Bat-Chen was killed in a bombing outside a Tel Aviv mall. During the mourning period, the Shahaks discovered that Bat-Chen's diaries were full of writings and poems about peace. The Shahaks have made it their mission to pursue their daughter's hopes for peace, becoming founding members of the Parents Circle-Bereaved Families Forum, a group of over 500 Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost loved ones to the conflict, and who advocate reconciliation over retribution. Tzvika Shahak is featured in Just Vision's documentary film, Encounter Point. The Shahaks have published Bat Chen's poems and diaries in Hebrew, Arabic, Dutch, German and Japanese, Italian and recently in English. |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
