October 13, 2025. We are in a moment of thanks, relief, and hope. What comes next? Here’s a narrative I would love to hear. Shalom, Salaam.
Aziz Abu Salam stood on the stage of the Al-Hakawati Theatre. He had never addressed a full house, and every seat was filled. Some wore keffiyehs, some wore kippahs. He took a sip of water, looked up, and began.
“For seventy years we, the Palestinian people, have defined ourselves by our oppression. Our jobs, our schools, our music, our politics, all served the greater purpose of resistance. Resisting our oppressors, the people who took our land, who exiled us into refugee camps, and who put up checkpoints as barriers, and used water and electricity as ways to keep us a refugee people in an occupied land.
As we gather in this moment of calm, with families reunited in Israel, in Gaza, and in the West bank, I stand before you today to say that it is time for a new narrative. We will never forget the treatment we have faced. But it is also time to look ahead to our future. A future that we define for ourselves. A future that we choose, for ourselves and for our children. A future that replaces occupation with occupations; a future that replaces terrorism with coexistence; a future that puts us in charge of our own land, and of our own lives.
I believe that it is time for the Palestinian state. An independent Palestinian state that joins other sovereign countries in the United Nations and is recognized around the world. A Palestinian state that is defined by our people, not by the west, not by Israel and not by our neighboring countries. A Palestine defined by our people, not by any who have ignored our plight for decades in a game we will play no longer. It is not for the world to recognize our Palestinian state – it is up to us. For we care about our futures and our children’s futures. We have never been so close to that achievement.
This is not an easy path. For a very long time we have been a refugee people – estranged from our grandparents’ homes and farms, and longing to grow our own food on our own land. When we look at the past 70 years there has been a fundamental reason why we have not had our own state, the country of Palestine, and that is this: We were not prepared to share this land. I stand before you today and say this: It is time we share the land with the Jews. And it is also time that they share the land with us.
We can all trace back our ancestors to this land, land that has been conquered, occupied, and fought over for centuries. And in the past 70 years there have been wars and intafada in attempts to destroy Israel. Yet Israel continues to exist. Israel defined who we have been. But we will no longer let Israel determine who we are. We are the people of Palestine, and we have the right to determine our future. In stating that we are the country of Palestine we accept the goodwill and encouragement of millions of people around the world who want to see the atrocities end, and peace descend over this land. As the country of Palestine we stand strong in our resolve to end the Israeli occupation. As the country of Palestine we will defend our borders, and resist the incursions of illegal settlers. As the country of Palestine we will embrace the goodwill of the world to stand for our rights of self-determination, establishing diplomatic ties and trade with nations around the world, with sea ports and airports under a Palestinian flag of peace.
There is much work to do yet, and to accomplish these goals one thing is clear. We must find a way forward with Israel. For some, this is an impossible idea. For some, who have fought the occupation for decades, co-existence means collaboration – collaboration with a sworn enemy. I cannot say that Israel and Palestine will ever be friends, but I do know of growing groups of Israelis and Palestinians who speak and work together to raise their children to play together, to leave fear and hatred behind.
We do not want to see our children become martyrs, or end up in Israeli prisons as resistance fighters. We want them here at home, at Palestinian schools and universities, starting businesses and raising families. But the injustices and traumas of the past cannot be forgotten. Villages have been destroyed, vineyards torn up, and bombs exploded. There are thousands of narratives of injustice in Palestine, and of attacks on Israel. We ask Israelis to join us to form a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a body through which these narratives can be told, witnessed, grieved, and perhaps forgiven, for without acknowledging the tremendous pain on both sides of this struggle, its end will continue to be beyond our grasp.
The Palestinian people are grateful to the world who have recognized our state. This moment of peace and hope is fragile, and brief. Let us all seize this day to set aside our fears of the worst that may happen, to build a bridge to a tomorrow of safety for Israel, and independence for Palestine.
Salaam.”
