Iranians we love you - say the Israelis

[Limor Wolf]

An on-line 'Hello' from an Israeli couple has managed to touch the hearts of hundreds of Israelis and Iranians on Facebook, and it all started with these two posters:





Ronni Edry and his wife Michal Tamir put on Facebook two posters showing them with their children, the posters are bearing the inscription - "Iranians, we will never bomb your country, we love you" On another poster they wrote -" To the fathers, mothers, children, brothers and sisters in Iran"

"In order for a war to start between us we need to fear each other, we must hate. I am not afaraid of you, I do not hate you, I do not even know you, No Iranian has ever hurt me" Edry wrote, adding that he is not an official representative - "we love you, we don't want to hurt you".

The idea was to reach the other side, Edry told 'Haaretz' newspaper, although he admitted he did not believe it would get into such a level of success.

"I thought that in a situation where there are constant talks about the threats and the war, you are so afraid and under pressure and so you go into a kind of a shell, and think to yourself how lucky that we also have bombs and we are going to 'clean' them first," he said.

"So I thought why not try to reach the other side, bypassing the generals, to see if they really hate me."

At first we were met with criticism, Adry told, "After the first poster I put, people started to go down on me saying I'm an idiot and naive. "Why are you telling them you love them? Why are you taking your pants off before the war begins".But, it quickly became clear that the first two posters, followed by many others been a tremendous success.

The first Post received hundreds of shares and 'likes', and many wanted to join.The couple has shared the format of the text, so that everyone can incorporate it themselves and create a picture of their own.

The couple's story has been exposed in the media and even their close friend, which was the most forceful of their critics, has joined the initiative last night.

Dozens of the photos already posted on their Facebook album show parents and children, youth, adults and even someone standing there with a gas mask and holding a toy puppy and pan, a reminder of the first Gulf War. Many of them are holding an Israeli flag, in the spirit of the first image of Edry.

Very shortly, and responses from Iran have started to arrive. "I never believed that within 48 hours I'll talk to the other side," said Edery. Most responses come from private messages but there are also others that express their desire to become friends on facebook.

During a conversation with him on Saturday night, after a day of sitting in front of Facebook having conversations with Iranians and Israelis, it was difficult not to notice Edry's excitement ." Its getting crazy. I'm just talking with some Iranians and I'm trying to convince them to send me their pictures, "They tel me that we can post pictures, But for them, they might go to jail for such a thing." Meanwhile, they advertise private messages, while hiding the details. Despite all this, the beginnings of what looks like responses and pictures from the other side are already seen:






"We love you too, your words have reached us, Despite the censorship" wrote one of the surfers from Iran. "The Iranian people, with the exception of the government, do not hold any grudge or animosity towards anyone, especially not for Israel ... We have never considered Israelis to be our enemies. Therefore, the regime will not be able to mobilize the nation to war. the hostility, invented by the regime's propaganda will dissipate pretty soon. The Ayatollah will die soon. Ahmadinejad will disappear. He is no more than an opportunist, and most of all - an idiot. Everyone hates him. Love you, love, peace. And thanks for your message. "

http://fluechtlingshilfeiranev2010.w...ian-peace-web/

[astrid]

wow very very cool.

As we all suspected its at the grass roots level where real change can and is happening.

Power to the people YEAH !

And there is my "beef" right there of all the bad press people put onto facebook.

Sure we know its "theirs" if you want to think in terms of polarities.

But it has its uses for "our side" and here is a classic example of it.

Nothing is that black and white, and less so by the day, by the minute.

These are just tools, aimed for ill intent maybe, so why not take those same tools
and use them for the highest good??

Just my two cents.

[AlternativeInfoJunkie]

This is so beautiful. This thread should get like a million replies. This is the most important thread i've seen on here in awhile. This israeli couple is showing us how we can beat the owo by going off-script and not buying into the us against them mentality anymore. We can beat the bad guys if we do more things like this.

[bluestflame]

further reinforces the fact the governments really do NOT represent the people they are so out of touch with

[astrid]

Here is the direct link to the Facebook page,
the clickable link above doesn't work, not for me anyways.

https://www.facebook.com/pushpin

[Zamendar]

I haven't posted but this was so awesome and inspiring I had to post! The most enlightened post I have seen in sometime! As Ghandi said so eloquently "Be the change you want to see". This is a wonderful example of it! Forget the governments! How many of us want war! We are all just people. Limor thanks for making my day!

[astrid]

Yes EXACTLY, governments want war,
people do not.

[Operator]

I see new 'occupy' opportunities ... unfortunately the word occupy has a nasty military connotation already.
So it would be wise to give it a more neutral and yet still very meaningful name ...
But what I mean is that if e.g. one thousand Israeli's could visit Iran and one thousand Iranians would visit Israel
both countries' governments would have more difficulty bombing each other if your own civilians are visiting
there. I know, it sounds idealistic but that's how 'people' could demonstrate where the power really resides.

[Limor Wolf]

Posted by Operator (here)
I see new 'occupy' opportunities ... unfortunately the word occupy has a nasty military connotation already.
So it would be wise to give it a more neutral and yet still very meaningful name ...
But what I mean is that if e.g. one thousand Israeli's could visit Iran and one thousand Iranians would visit Israel
both countries' governments would have more difficulty bombing each other if your own civilians are visiting
there. I know, it sounds idealistic but that's how 'people' could demonstrate where the power really resides.

Hi Operator, Many people who live in Israel are an Iranian jews born and bred. The majority of them have good words to say about Iran, There were times when jews and iranians could live together with each other...and why not..

I would also like to see our palestinian neighbors getting their freedom, I would like to reach to them as well and say, besides how sorry I am that I love and appreciate them, for they are our fellow human beings, they deserve being equal members of a sane society and may their cry be manifested and will be heard very soon.

Thank you all for your enthusiasm and warm responses.

Tomorrow The Bilderberg group is, according to roumors, going to gather for their annual infamous meeting in Haifa, Israel (23/3-25/3). I think this is a retort to their weariless efforts. They are playing their games for thousands of years, we are only new awakens, but already turning the situation upside down. The human spirit is really very unique, and It will not disappoint, not this time, we can't have it any other way..

[loc333]

I went on fb and read the posts, eyes tearing up,what an unexspected feeling of what could be .As a yank i didnt want to post on the fb page.I was going to say my goverment dosent speak for me. But i dint want to mess up the page. Its a given I hope all others understand.

[astrid]

@loc333
Maybe, PM them and see what they say,
im sure they would love your post.

As i said its the Govs not the people that want wars.. as they keep the money flowing,
and keep everyone in separation.

If its LOUD AND CLEAR from all of us, these beliefs will surely start to rot at the ground.

I can smell a new movement coming out of this one simple act.

From little things big things grow....

[Guest]

This is truly an amazing event what a courageous couple and family. The reception by the people of both countries and
to stop the lie.... by reaching out with love.

The Love has brought tears to my eyes

This thread needs to become sticky and stay sticky.

Love

Nora

We are all related

[Calz]

Only one type of bomb will do ...

[WhiteFeather]

There was once a time when every one loved one another. We need to go back there once again.

L iving
O ne
V ibrational
E nergy

Great Thread. Wanishi.

[aranuk]

Use facebook to stop war. Use facebook to stop everything that's evil. We MUST use the tools that we HAVE!
Forget about voting. Do what we do best.........socialising and making friends.


Stan

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Posted by WhiteFeather (here)
There was once a time when every one loved one another. We need to go back there once again.

L iving
O ne
V ibrational
E nergy

Great Thread. Wanishi.

Wanishi bro.

Stan

[Hervé]

That's the spirit!

"Little" people realizing they indeed do have power.

More genuine communication is indeed the answer to isolation due to the all round fear mongering.

[aranuk]

When I was a wee boy I read that during the first world war at Christmas the British and German soldiers ceased fire and started playing a football match, needless to say I think the Germans won!
Written on the tombstone of an unknown soldiers grave was written IF THEY ASK HOW I DIED SAY A POLITICIAN LIED.

Stan

[Limor Wolf]

Originally posted by Astrid: "I can smell a new movement coming out of this one simple act.
From little things big things grow...."

It seems Your sense of smell is proving right, Astrid.

In parallel to the initiative of Edry and Tamir a new facebook group was opened on Thursday under the name -'People Against War with Iran'. "Newspaper headlines tell the story: Prime Minister trying to prepare public opinion for an Israeli attack on Iran, which is expected to arrive very soon," reads the group page.

"The majority of Israelis oppose this adventure, the consequences might be catastrophic. Many experts warn about the possible consequences of an attack in Iran and a declaration of such a war. Iran is expected to respond, which will cause many casualties in Israel."
The founders of the group were also indicating the determined opposition of the former Mossad Cheif Meir Dagan initiative.

Well, Apperantly, there is going to be a demonstration this coming saturday: "The people say 'No' to Israel-Iran war."




News from a couple of hours ago:

"Before going to sleep, a good news. Today we launched our first demonstration. Within eight hours more than 700 woman and man have joined.
Since a day and a half ago close to 1,500 people have joined this Facebook page.Together with what is happening on the Israel- Iranian 'love scene' :) (In the absence of a better terminology), we allow ourselves to one second of optimism.That together we put an end to the vanities of this war, and return, each with its own leaders and rulers to face a summer of an attempt for a better life for ourselves. good night and good morning."

[Hervé]

... and love is the most direct communication there is:

Posted by Amzer Zo (here)
[...]

The long term effect of even short term love has been noticed before in sociology. In one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, there is a true story about disadvantaged minority students in Washington, DC schools. A sociology professors sent his graduate students in to assess elementary student’s chances of succeeding in life. The graduate students said things like “The kids haven’t got a chance, their parents are drug addicted, unemployed, illiterate, etc.”. Twenty or more years later another sociologist sent his grad students out to find out what actually happened to those kids. Much to their surprise, the kids turned out to be overachievers with many physicians, engineers, etc. among them. They were baffled. They studied the issue until they figured it out. The kids that succeeded so well had all gone through one particular teacher’s class. They tracked that teacher down in a nursing home where she was still alert. They asked her what she had done that made the difference. She said, “That’s easy. I loved those boys!”.

Studies of foster children have shown the same thing. If there was one person that believed in them, believed that they could grow up to be a good person contributing to the society, that was enough. Just one person, out of all the people that abused them and put them down. Just one person that loved, cared, and respected them—that was all that it took.

[...]

[Cerridwen]

I love this story, thank you so much for sharing it. It's nice to see Love & Light reaching out to others. Like others have already said, it's the leaders who want war to profit from, not the people.