Women of the Sun (نساء الشمس) is a Palestinian women's organization based in Bethlehem.[1] It was founded in July 2021 and is devoted to a peaceful resolution in the Israel-Palestine conflict.[2][3][4] The organization's name is an allusion to Men in the Sun, the 1962 novel by Ghassan Kanafani.[5]
| Founded | July 2021 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Reem Al-Hajajreh |
| Founded at | Bethlehem, West Bank |
Director | Reem Al-Hajajreh |
They are a member of Alliance for Middle East Peace.[4] In October 2023, the organization had about 2,800 members: 2,500 in the West Bank and 300 in Gaza. By February 2024, 27 members from the Gaza Strip were known to have died or been killed.[6] By May 2024, the organization had an estimate 3,000 members.[5]
Work
editCollaborations
editThey have collaborated multiple times with the Israeli organization Women Wage Peace, who have a similar objective.[1][7]
In late 2021 and early 2022, both groups worked together on forming a "joint platform".[8] In March 2022, coalitions from both groups met at Neve Midbar Beach on the Dead Sea for a peace conference.[8][9] The conference was decried by the General Union of Palestinian Women, who said it was "normalizing" the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, and called Women of the Sun a "fictitious" organization.[10]
On October 4, 2023, just days before the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, the two groups organized a peace march in Jerusalem, from the Monument of Tolerance to the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood.[7]
Aid work
editWomen of the Sun has offered programs relating to trauma, environmental protection, and women's empowerment.[5]
In response to the Israel-Hamas war, they have worked to send food, menstrual products, and supplies for mothers to about 50 families in the Gaza Strip.[11] They also worked to collect supplies for West Bank families, who have been economically impacted by the war. In addition, the organization started a "trauma-healing program" and a WhatsApp group chat for affected women.[11]
Awards
editIn December 2023, Women of the Sun and Women Wage Peace were both nominated by the Nobel Peace Prize Working Group of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.[12][13]
Women of the Sun founder and director Reem Al-Hajajreh was selected as one of the 2024 TIME Women of the year.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b Byrne, Siobhan (2023-10-17). "How women in Israel and Palestine are pushing for peace — together". The Conversation. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ "About". Women of The Sun. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ Prince-Gibson, Eetta (October 13, 2022). "'As Women, as Mothers and as Palestinians, We Must Speak Our Truth'". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ a b "ALLMEP members Women of the Sun and Women Wage Peace host month-long "Journey to Peace" campaign". Alliance for Middle East Peace. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ a b c Günther, Inge (2024-05-25). "War in the Middle East: Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun work together for peace". Qantara.de. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ "The Israeli and Palestinian Women Calling for Peace". Time. 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ a b Lazaroff, Tovah (2023-10-04). "US: Palestinian, Israeli women are silent heroines of quest for peace". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ a b Abu Toameh, Khaled (2022-03-26). "Israeli, Palestinian women call to revive peace talks". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ "Israeli and Palestinian mothers gather for peace by Dead Sea". Arab News. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ "الاتحاد العام للمراة يدعو لعدم المشاركة في مؤتمر نسوي تطبيعي في البحر الميت". وكالة وطن للأنباء (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ a b Morgan, Lucy (2023-12-18). "'I don't feel like we're Israelis or Palestinians; we're just sisters': Inside the women's movement for peace in the Middle East". Glamour UK. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ Basch-Harod, Heidi; Pedersen, Erin (2023-10-04). "Palestinian and Israeli Women Paving the Path Toward Peace". Women's Voices Now. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
- ^ Lewis, Mark (January 31, 2024). "Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize end Wednesday. Not all of them are secret". Associated Press.
- ^ "TIME Reveals 2024 Women of the Year List of Extraordinary Leaders Working Toward a More Equal World". PR Newswire. February 21, 2024.