Bereaved Israelis urge Palestinian state recognition ahead of UN summit

After militants killed his parents during Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel, Mr Maoz In-on vowed to reject revenge and choose a path of reconciliation for his own healing and his country’s.

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The 49-year-old is among thousands of Israelis calling on the international community to formally recognise the State of Palestine ahead of a UN summit where several Western countries are set to join the UK, Canada and Australia and do just that.

For Mr Inon, a tourism entrepreneur who became involved in the peace movement around 20 years ago, dialogue, recognition and forgiveness on both sides are key to a secure future for the region.

“By (avenging) the death, we are not going to bring them back to life. And we're only going to escalate the cycle of violence, bloodshed and revenge we've been trapped within, not since Oct 7, but for a century,” he noted.

When militants attacked Israel, Mr Inon said he “wasn’t surprised” after the years of “occupying, oppressing and walling between us and the other side”.

“I knew it’s going to explode in our face,” he told AFP in Tel Aviv.

“I didn’t, in my worst nightmare, (think) I will pay the price.”

Mr Inon has since become a key figure in a new campaign calling for Palestinian statehood, but the initiative is facing an uphill battle for Israeli hearts and minds.