Mayo MEP hosts Palestinian and Israeli women in European Parliament

On Monday, November 17, Mayo MEP Maria Walsh hosted Palestinian and Israeli female peacebuilders in the European Parliament for an event on the role of women in conflict resolution in the Middle East.

Co-hosted by MEPs Chloé Ridel, Villy Søvndal, and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, the event brought together leaders from Women Wage Peace (WWP) and Women of the Sun (WoS), who are working on the ground in Israel and Palestine to promote dialogue, reconciliation, and a shared vision for peace. 

The event was moderated by Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), who oversees the €1.1bn PEACEPLUS Programme across the Northern Ireland border region. She highlighted the role civil society played in sustaining the Good Friday Agreement and the lessons it offers for regions emerging from conflict. 

Speakers Reem al Hajajra, Naama Barak Wolfman, and Kifiaia Masarwy shared personal testimonies and outlined the joint peace movement they are building, work that has earned them international recognition, including nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize and selection as finalists for the 2024 Sakharov Prize.

At the session, which  was attended by Members of the European Parliament, Irish and international diplomats, and civil society representatives, Maria Walsh said,

“These women travelled from Israel and Palestine to Brussels with a message Ireland knows well from our own peace process: peace is only possible when communities are involved and when women are at the centre of negotiations.

“Their courage is extraordinary. After years of violence, these women continue to work together across divides, and their message must be heard loud and clear in Brussels - a place where policy that affects their lives is developed. 

“As an Irishwoman, and as someone deeply committed to peacebuilding and gender equality, I believe the EU has a responsibility to amplify these voices. Ireland understands the power of community-led peace work. We have lived it. Hearing from Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun was a reminder that peace is a process, not an event - and that women are the backbone of that process.” She added. 

The event marks the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, a framework Ireland has championed for decades.