This is how Israelis and Palestinians living in Switzerland react: shock, anger, fear and pride

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The number of deaths in Israel is increasing virtually every minute. In an unprecedented attack, Hamas terrorists entered the country on Saturday. Israel has ordered a complete closure of the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ devastating attack that left more than 700 dead in the border area.

“Someday there will be peace”

Fear and anger are palpable in conversations with Israelis in Switzerland. Entrepreneur Ayal Haneman (59) runs an Israeli restaurant in Zurich. His first words during the interview with Blick were surprising: “There is no question. There will eventually be peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis. I do not doubt that.”

For Haneman, the problem is not the Palestinians themselves, but the radical Hamas, an Islamic group founded in 1987. ‘We are at war and fighting terror. Not against any country.” He demands that the West quickly recognize that Hamas is a terrorist group and act accordingly.

Israel’s counteroffensive is coming

Haneman cannot believe that Hamas does not even shy away from the civilian population and kidnaps people. The entrepreneur does not see the situation easing in the near future – on the contrary: “The Israeli army will now invade the Gaza Strip. The counter-offensive is coming.”

Tomer I.* also assumes this. The 39-year-old man from Israel works in a start-up company and has been living in Switzerland for a year. “The aggression does not come from Israel.” If the Palestinians can break away from Hamas, they would have a bright future of peace. “My heart also lies with the Palestinians,” he says. “An end to violence is possible. But only with the help of the international community.” For years, Hamas has not only harmed Israel but also held Palestinians hostage, he says.

The Palestinians do not want to condemn the attacks

Sami Daher (64) is a Palestinian and restaurateur from Solothurn, born in Nazareth. He is the only Palestinian who wants to talk to Blick. In what may come as a shock given the hundreds of civilians killed in Israel, he was initially proud Saturday morning when he heard about the attacks. “I felt a certain pride that we Palestinians are militarily capable of such a blow,” he says in an interview with Blick. An extreme attitude that not every Palestinian shares. Nevertheless, there were joyful demonstrations by Palestinians in major European cities last weekend.

Restaurateur Hence is also very afraid of what will happen. “What happens after this terrible blow?” he asks. “You have to be afraid of the setback.” Israel would often repay the Palestinians twentyfold for what they had suffered. “The danger of genocide is now enormous,” Daher warns, referring to the Gaza Strip.

He admits that Hamas committed war crimes on Saturday, but does not want to distance himself from the violence and emphasizes: “Resistance is a human right.” And what it looks like is determined by the people who resist. The people of Gaza lived in prison and the world had forgotten their suffering. The Palestinians would not be given a fair chance to defend themselves. He criticizes the fact that the EU and the US support the State of Israel economically and militarily.

The model is Switzerland

The conflict between Jews and Palestinians, which has been simmering for more than a hundred years, is not easy to solve, says Israeli Ayal Haneman. Because the two peoples are partly enemies, but also deeply connected. “Our destiny is to live together as twins.”

Haneman sees Switzerland as a great role model for the peace he hoped for: “The cantons have always fought among themselves. Until they realized that the internal conflicts only played into the hands of their great enemy, France.”

*Name known

Source: Blick