Resisting war, as Layla and Robi Do

Chiara Zappa, Gli irriducibili della pace. Storie di chi non si arrende alla guerra in Israele e Palestina
[The Irreducibles of Peace: Stories of Those Who Refuse to Yield to War in Israel and Palestine], Terra Santa, 2024

Chiara Zappa, an expert on human rights—particularly those of women and ethnic or religious minorities—has listened to the stories of those who have chosen to pursue peace and has decided to share them. These individuals are the witnesses of the only viable future in the wounded heart of the Middle East.  Amid the escalation of war, even using the word peace might seem euphemistic. Yet there are women like Layla, a Palestinian, and Robi, an Israeli, who can still say today: “I refuse to fight for Israel without also fighting for Palestine. Take a stand for peace, for humanity, for dignity, for life". Theirs is one of ten stories of people who refuse to surrender to war. To underscore the significance of these accounts, the book’s preface was written by Noa, the famous Israeli singer born in Tel Aviv to a family of Yemeni Jews who were forced to flee their homeland. The book also highlights not only the personal stories of these individuals but also the work of NGOs—apolitical, nonpartisan, and secular—where Israelis and Palestinians often collaborate.

Rosa Lupoli is a Capuchin nun from Naples and abbess of the Santa Maria in Gerusalemme monastery, also known as the Monastery of the Thirty-Three, founded by Blessed Maria Lorenza Longo.