Six thousand people gathered in Tel Aviv on July 1 for the largest pro-peace event in recent memory. The event, called ‘It’s Time,’ was organized and led by over 50 organizations, many of them NIF grantees. ‘It’s Time’ was a show of force, highlighting the resilience and strength of the Israeli peace movement.
The gathering’s main calls were to stop the war, bring the hostages home, end the conflict, and build peace. It was co-produced by Shatil and supported by NIF through an emergency grant.
“The coming together of so many different groups made the event the dictionary definition of synergy, showing how the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts,” said Tami Yakira, a Shatil organizer and one of the event’s producers.
“After the pain and trauma of October 7 and the devastation in Gaza, this must be the war after which peace is born,” she added. “‘It’s Time’ was an incredible event that reminded everyone in the peace camp that we are not alone, that we are a large movement seeking life. On July 1, I felt a feeling of togetherness, of power, of hope, of belief that there will be peace here one day.”
The event included two keynote speeches, the first by Muhammad Ali Taha, a Palestinian writer. He eloquently described the horrors of the ongoing war, advocated for a political solution, and spoke of the future he envisions where both nations come together to play football, enjoy music, and celebrate life.
The second keynote speaker, Israeli academic and author Yuval Noah Harari, said, “It doesn’t matter when Israelis and Palestinians were created. The fact is both exist here and now. And both have the right to exist on this land.” He went on to talk about how each side fears that the other is trying to destroy them, and that, while those fears are legitimate, the only way to achieve peace is if we can put those fears aside, and both Israelis and Palestinians affirm for each other with trust and a commitment to peace.
In her speech, Labor MK Naama Lazimi reflected on the peace movement of the past – and the stalemate she refuses to endure: “My children, your children, all our children, deserve hope. They deserve to live in peace and security. This is our historical role.”
Grief and hope were ever-present—in speeches and artistic performances offered by a diverse range of Jewish and Arab speakers, including those who lost loved ones in Gaza and on October 7, released hostages, and Israeli survivors of October 7th. Musical performances included a moving rendition of “Prayer of the Mothers” as well as “Song for Peace,” the peace anthem immortalized after Yitzhak Rabin sang it at a peace rally moments before his assassination.
The event also featured a clip highlighting what Israelis and Palestinians can learn from South Africa, Northern Ireland, and Rwanda, where peace agreements ended conflicts. Israel’s treaties with Jordan and Egypt were also presented as models of success.
In a moving ritual at the end of the event, over 20 Israeli artists, thought leaders, former politicians, and peace activists joined MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv and other MKs in formally pledging to end the war.
In her reflections on the event, Tami shared that just like a locomotive needs power to pull a train and a bird needs power to take off, the peace camp needs power to create a better reality. She added, ‘It’s Time’ will be the first of many events, giving hope back to all who aspire to create a brighter future in this land.
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