Son of Israelis Killed on 7 october speaks to mps about the path to peace
On Tuesday 7 November, Magen Inon – an Israeli teacher whose parents were killed when Hamas attacked their village a month ago – spoke to MPs about his hopes for peace in the region.
Yakov and Bilha Inon were killed by a shoulder rocket fired at their home by Hamas on 7 October. They lived in Netiv Haasara, a village metres from the border with Gaza. Magen Inon, their son, spoke to MPs this afternoon. He reflected that, in a horrifying way, it was better that they died instantly.
Magen told MPs that his parents believed that Israelis and Palestinians could live together. They were advocates for peace as were many people in the communities that Hamas attacked. He said that Hamas’ attacks felt like a purposeful assault on their dream of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
Magen argued that extremists on both sides are drowning out the voices of Israelis and Palestinians who want to live together in peace. He stressed that there was already widespread antipathy to the Israeli Government within Israel before the attacks – his parents had joined million-strong marches against the Government’s judicial reforms. Magen urged MPs to amplify moderate voices within Israel and Palestine who want peace.
The briefing was organised by Yachad, a British Jewish organisation which advocates for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. On Thursday 19 October, he wrote an article for The Guardian calling for peace instead of revenge for his parents’ deaths.