President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday morning 1 Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, met with residents of Kibbutz Ramat Rachel and the nearby Arab neighborhood of Sur Baher. The meeting coincided with the launch a new book by Eliezer Yaari, entitled “Beyond the Dark Mountains”, which follows the author on a journey through the neighborhoods around the area – close to his own home – and details his encounters with his neighbors and the local Jewish and Arab residents.

The President began by extending his greetings to the Muslim residents of Sur Baher in honor of Ramadan which was to begin the following day. He noted that as a Jerusalemite, Sur Baher held for him fond memories of the Arab green grocer from the village, who would frequent his childhood neighborhood of Rechavia, and would speak in Yiddish with the Jewish residents, who in turn would respond in Arabic.

Dr. Ramadan Dabesh, chairman of the Sur Behar residents committee, told the President that he was born close to Ramat Rachel, and that all of his life, he had been aware of the gaps between the two communities. He said, “The first banner I raised as chairman of the village was that of peace. If we are able to live in peace with ourselves and with our neighbors, we can face any challenge. The second banner was that of equality. The time has come for us to demand what we deserve, instead of complaining about what we don’t get. There is a tremendous gap between what we have and what our neighbors have – in terms of education and infrastructure – and for this we are striving.”

The President listened to the Sur Baher residents’ words and said. “Jerusalem is one, but there is no disputing there is inequality in Jerusalem.” The President addressed the author, Eliezer Yaari, and said, “In your personal story, it was the need to undergo open-heart surgery which led you to embark upon an inspirational journey of enlightenment. Similarly, Jerusalem is in need of open-heart surgery, and to set out on a painful and complicated, but essential journey to mend the rifts and gaps between its Jewish and Arab residents. The narrowing of these gaps between the two parts of Jerusalem in education, infrastructure, learning of languages, and employment, is a crucial mission for sake of the future of the city, and of all of us.”

The President spoke of the importance of the residents of the two communities meeting together. He said, “It is important that this meeting is taking place, as the book illustrates the extent to which discussion is essential to open the heart, and to set out on the path to partnership. As a Zionist, I understand that I will not be able to explain to an Arab resident of this land that the Jewish people needed to return to the land of Israel, because we have no other land. We have to reach an understanding that all of us are living here, and none of us are going anywhere.”

The President stressed that he saw no conflict in Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. He said, “A Jewish and democratic state is not a democracy just for Jews, but a Jewish democratic state, democratic and Jewish in one utterance. We are not doomed, but destined to live together, and in this meeting today, we see that the people of Sur Baher don’t only work on the Kibbutz at Ramat Rachel, but are also involved in the community, which shows our ability to live together.”

Eliezer Yaari, the author of “Beyond the Dark Mountains”, said, “It appears that the perceived dark mountains can be overcome with ease, with the desire to recognize, to know, to hear and to work, and the President today offers a personal example to all the residents of Jerusalem, especially to the residents of the Arab villages and their nearby Jewish neighbors, to try to bridge the pain and suspicion of the past, out of a desire to preserve mutual respect and recognition of each side’s rights and heritage.”

Meir Kraus, Director of the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies who collaborated on the publication of Yaari’s book, said, “In Jerusalem there is constant competition over everything. Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, Muslims, Christians, secular and ultra-Orthodox, compete each with one another, trying to put their mark on the city, and to shape it according to their identity – in the most part in an attempt to ignore, and drown out the identity of others.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)