‘First suspend disbelief in peace, then negotiate’

Australian journalist, educator, and peace builder Ittay Flescher recently wrote The Holy and the Broken: A Cry for Israeli-Palestinian Peace from a Land that Must be Shared, and is heading to South Africa to speak at Limmud. The SA Jewish Report caught up with him.

What inspired you to write The Holy and the Broken?

The book is my response to all the people who have lost hope that peace is possible. As someone who has worked in peace building for the past seven years in Jerusalem, I felt I had something to contribute to the conversation about how this land can be shared.

How would you describe this book?

When dehumanisation and destruction become the norm, the cycle must be broken. Following decades of dialogue facilitation between Jews, Muslims, and Christians, I believe that the enemies of today can be the partners of the future.

The Holy and the Broken challenges Palestinian and Israeli leaders, citizens, and their supporters worldwide to imagine a different reality in a book that will comfort the troubled and trouble the comfortable.

Who do you most want to read your book and why?

The intended audience is primarily Israelis and Palestinians, and the people who care about the well-being of these two countries across the world, that seek to imagine a future where we can all live in justice and equality.

As we get closer to two years of war in Gaza, what do you believe the true damage is to both sides?

By the numbers, as of this moment, 60 000 people have lost their lives in Gaza, more than 18 000 of whom were children. Two thousand Israelis have been killed since 7 October 2023, 251 kidnapped, and 50 are still being held hostage after two years. This is devastating. What an immense loss of life, and for what? Behind each of these numbers is a story. Stories of pain, grief, despair, and anguish that are barely possible to put into words. My heart breaks for all the damage and brokenness in my holy country.

Do you believe there’s the possibility of peace between Israelis and Palestinians? If so, how do you see it manifesting?

Yes. Just like the Camp David Accords were signed five years after the horrific war between Israel and Egypt that resulted in thousands of deaths in 1973, it’s possible that within five years, the Israeli and Palestinian people will reject violence and dehumanisation. This is possible only after we both make the decision that our current and future disputes about the future of this land will be resolved around a negotiating table. Since Israel and Egypt made this decision in 1978, there hasn’t been a single war between these two countries.

What would it take for this to happen, and for peace to last?

As a first step, we need to suspend disbelief that peace is possible. Following that, both Israel and Palestine need to see significant reform in the fields of education, journalism, social media, religious instruction, and the inclusion of women in peace negotiations. In my book, there’s a chapter devoted to each of these subjects.

In the past two years, the fear, hatred, and distrust between Israelis and Palestinians has probably reached an all-time high. How do you believe this can be changed?

The first thing that needs to happen is a ceasefire deal that brings all the hostages home; ends the war; and begins the process of rebuilding Gaza, as outlined by the “Arab reconstruction plan for Gaza” that was endorsed by a summit in Cairo on 4 March 2025. Following this, we need new elections and new leadership in Gaza, Ramallah, and Jerusalem.

Over the longer term, we need a truth and reconciliation process to ensure that we never experience the horrors of the past two years ever again.

Who are the Palestinian and Israeli leaders who can take the two sides towards peace?

There are few elected leaders at the moment that can take their nations to peace. Yet, among the people, there are thousands from Rafah to Ra’anana that are desperate for a future that isn’t filled with violence. These people protest against Hamas in Gaza, and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. They join peace movements like Standing Together and the Gaza Youth Committee. They reject dehumanisation, and embrace hope that another way is possible.

How do you see the land being shared?

I favour a confederation of two sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, with open borders and free movement for their citizens. The core principles include maintaining separate national identities and institutions, while sharing a single homeland. It would allow citizens to live and work in the other state as permanent residents, with Jerusalem serving as a shared capital.

Over the past two years, antisemitism has grown substantially, and Australian Jewry have been hard hit by it. What do you make of this?

The significant rise in antisemitism in Australia, particularly since 7 October, is deeply distressing. Many Australian Jews barely recognise their country, which has been such a wonderful home to them for generations. This wave of hatred demands a response that goes beyond simply tightening hate-speech laws and increasing police protection, which haven’t been successful in places like Germany and the United States, where this approach has been adopted. While these measures are necessary, they address only the symptoms. To combat this issue effectively, a more holistic approach is needed.

A key first step is to establish clear national guidelines that differentiate between legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies and antisemitic rhetoric. Conflating all pro-Palestinian activism with antisemitism is counterproductive – it compromises Jewish safety, and undermines Palestinian advocacy. By making this distinction, governments can protect free speech while simultaneously reducing hate.

Furthermore, a long-term strategy must focus on education and dialogue. Holocaust education is vital, but should be expanded to include the richness of Jewish culture, traditions, and contributions to society. This humanises Jewish identity beyond historical victimisation, and connects the lessons of the Holocaust to broader issues of dehumanisation like racism and Islamophobia.

Investing in interfaith and inter-community programmes is also critical. These initiatives foster trust and understanding between different groups, serving as a powerful inoculation against all forms of hatred. Finally, governments must address the underlying societal roots of antisemitism, such as fear, alienation, and misinformation, by equipping citizens with the digital literacy to combat online radicalisation. Fighting antisemitism is a societal responsibility, not just a Jewish one, and requires a national, multifaceted effort.

Where can South Africans get hold of your book?

The book is published by HarperCollins and promoted by Jonathan Ball Publishers in South Africa. It’s on sale through Amazon and at Bookdealers, which will be the venue for my book lunch in Johannesburg on 14 August. If you plan to attend, please register at ittay.au, where you will also find a number of resources that promote peacebuilding and dialogue that can help us all build a better future.

I’m looking forward to speaking at Limmud Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town Between 15 and 24 August.