Transforming through Grief: Israeli and Palestinian Women Together – Beyond Conflict and Parents Circle Family Forum

6 MINUTE READ

Many of us cannot imagine what it is like to lose someone in war or conflict. We cannot imagine living day after day under the terrifying conditions of bombardment and the attack of warfare. How do those who have experienced such bereavement and fear process what has happened and may still be happening to them and those they love? The Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Parents Circle Family Forum (PCFF), a grassroots NGO, works to heal war trauma and grief and build reconciliation and peace through dialogue across the divide of conflict. Author Across Cultures, Yang-May Ooi, shares the latest news from this NGO, which is supported by funds from Beyond Conflict, the mental health charity for conflict zones. 

From Pain to Solace: Bringing Israeli and Palestinian Women Together – Beyond Conflict and Parents Circle Family Forum

In May, Beyond Conflict, the mental health charity for conflict zones, announced its partnership with the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Parents Circle Family Forum (PCFF). This grassroots NGO made up of more than 850 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian mothers and other women who have lost family members.

This project brings together women from both sides to address their war trauma and grief to promote reconciliation, dialogue and peace building. PCFF has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026.

I wrote in my article Can We be Friends with People Who Disagree with Us? about the challenges facing us here in the UK of how to talk across the divide of different opinions and ideas. I am in awe of the work being carried out by PCFF and the Israeli and Palestinian women who have come together to talk with each other in the shadow of so much violence, anger and hatred.

Healing through shared dialogue

PCFF has worked since its formation in 1995 to create “safe and transformative” spaces for the bereaved to share personal narratives and promote understanding. Their work aims to stop the cycle of fear and violence by humanising the other side.

PCFF is run by a joint Israeli-Palestinian board and bi-national team, operating from offices in Beit Jala and Ramat Ef’al.

My friend Edna Fernandes, Beyond Conflict Co-Founder and Director, says: “Beyond Conflict is delighted and honoured to support the work of PCFF which provides specially curated programmes that allow grieving mothers and other women and children from both sides to share stories, address war-related trauma and facilitate healing between the two sides through dialogue, reconciliation and peace-building measures. It is a painful but necessary process to promote understanding and humanise the ’other side’. Only by working to break the cycle of hate can we hope for peace.”

Gillian Dare OBE, Beyond Conflict Chair, says: “Beyond Conflict is very pleased to announce that we will be working with the Parents Circle Families Forum on a programme to support families of both Israelis and Palestinians who have lost children and other family members though the Gaza-Israel conflict. At a time when all the news is about hatred and division, PCFF sheds a wonderful light on two communities coming together to support each other through the trauma of loss and grief.”

Pain and Solace

Dr Caroline Elton, Chair of UK FCPP, says: “The Forum organises a number of different projects including a Women’s Group that brings together bereaved mothers from both sides. The group creates a unique space where together, bereaved women can acknowledge loss, build solidarity, and transform private grief into public action.

Whilst the conversations are often angry, raw and painful, participants gain solace from the knowledge that collectively they are challenging the narrative that the cycle of violence is inevitable. In this way, they feel that something positive could potentially emerge from the trauma they have all experienced. The success of the group depends on the input from skilled facilitators, therapists and translators. The generous support of Beyond Conflict will play a vital role in allowing the Women’s Group to continue.”

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How the Forum works

• 2-3 uni-national meetings for Israeli women and a 3-day workshop for Palestinian women with 20-40 participants in each meeting will address specific needs within each community and themes relevant to their social and political context.
• 4 bi-national meetings, with 30-50 women participating in each, will include cultural exchange and discussions on social and cultural practices in Israel/Palestine and strengthen social bonds. This deep acquaintance with the “other side” will enhance group collaboration towards shared goals, transforming feelings of helplessness or the need for revenge into a sense of purpose, which helps alleviate psychological distress. 
• CFF women members will facilitate Dialogue Meetings, webinars, and other events for the general public, which will be conducted in-person or online. This will also include Dialogue Meetings and webinars for international audiences
• The PCFF media team will develop and produce publications with women participants for dissemination.

 Beyond Conflict

As you may know from previous articles, I am a long-time supporter of Beyond Conflict. The work they do is so much needed in our divided and angry world.

Beyond Conflict’s partnership with PCFF can hopefully change the mindsets of hatred, anger and revenge that are perpetuated by cycle upon cycle of violence – not just through the women directly taking part in the conversations but through the spread of the mindset of reconciliation and hope via their wider outreach.

This is a bit more about who they are: “Beyond Conflict is the award winning UK mental health charity for victims of war, terrorism and displacement. We believe there can be no enduring peace without addressing the psychological fallout of war. Our charity supports mental health projects for victims of war, as well as training for frontline workers in conflict zones.”

You can read the original announcement about the PCFF project at https://beyond-conflict.co.uk/mediahub/blog/beyond-conflict-backs-new-project-for-bereaved-israeli-and-palestinian-women/ from which this article has been taken, with permission.

If you’d like to find out more – especially how you can support their work in today’s troubled world – go to https://beyond-conflict.co.uk/take-action/ 

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Source: 

https://beyond-conflict.co.uk/mediahub/blog/beyond-conflict-backs-new-project-for-bereaved-israeli-and-palestinian-women/ from which this article has been taken, with permission.

Photo:

from Beyond Conflict website

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