Peace is possible - Iranians and Israelis speaking out together
'We're Not Our Regimes' |
Thousands of Iranians and Israelis Sign Joint Letter Demanding a Cease-fire
In response to escalating war, more than 2,100 Iranian and Israeli scholars and activists have signed a letter calling for an immediate cease-fire. Emerging from months of cross-border dialogue, the initiative rejects militarism and urges global powers to support peace
Etan Nechin, Haaretz, June 22
NEW YORK - After nearly ten days of war – with mounting destruction in both Israel and Iran, and the U.S. entering the conflict last night with strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – an initiative to push back against the escalation is gaining traction.
Since its publication last Monday, more than 2,100 Iranian and Israeli scholars, artists, and civil society leaders have signed an open letter calling for an immediate cease-fire. The letter urges the international community to pressure "all sides of the conflict" to end the violence and begin a diplomatic process.
Endorsed by writers, historians, filmmakers, political analysts, and human rights advocates from both countries, the statement was released in Hebrew, Persian, English and French.
"We refuse to accept the inevitability of violent conflict as the only way forward between our nations, Israel and Iran, or their positioning as eternal arch-enemies," the statement reads. "The endless and senseless wars of this region won't benefit our people, all of whom have the right to live in peace and security." They call on international actors to "bring all parties on the path of diplomacy," with a cease-fire as the first step.
Among the signatories are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi; prominent Iranian-born human rights lawyer Mehrangiz Kar, who has reportedly fled her home in Tehran following Israel's intensifying airstrikes; former Israeli Knesset member Mossi Raz; and David Harel, president of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Jerusalem. They are joined by well-known academics and activists from around the world.
The letter grew out of a months-long dialogue among Iranian and Israeli intellectuals who began meeting last year, alarmed by what they saw as rising tensions between their governments and a drift toward open conflict.
"Around last November, a group of Iranian intellectuals, including many prominent ones, came together with a simple mission: to reach out to our Israeli counterparts and start a process of dialogue," Yale historian Arash Azizi, one of the initiators of the letter, told Haaretz. "We were worried precisely about what's happening today – a war between our two nations."
"Within a Day, We Had a Letter"
The group initially met informally online, and Israeli scholars and activists soon joined the conversation. Lior Sternfeld, an associate professor of history and Jewish studies at Penn State University and an expert on Iran, said the outbreak of direct hostilities brought new urgency to their efforts.
"As the military confrontation between Israel and Iran began, someone in the group suggested issuing a joint statement," Sternfeld said. "Everyone agreed. Within a day, we had a letter."
Sternfeld, who recently met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian – becoming the first Israeli citizen to publicly meet an Iranian official since the founding of the Islamic Republic – described the letter as deliberately narrow in scope. "It doesn't lay out a political program. It's a simple, urgent call to stop the killing of civilians. That's it. Do everything possible to stop it now."
Lior Sternfeld in November 2024. Sternfeld described the letter as a deliberately narrow appeal, "[...] a simple, urgent call to stop the killing of civilians."Credit: Nate Smallwood
Azizi emphasized that the effort is not only about halting violence but also about "building links between our two societies and peoples.
Accumulated demands of citizens is the first step in achieving political power and ultimately political change. We are speaking to powers in our two societies but also to international community," he said.
Among the letter's initial signatories is Touraj Atabaki, an Iranian born Emeritus Professor by special appointment of Social History of the Middle East and Central Asia at Leiden University in the Netherlands, who said the initiative helps both populations rise above the limitations of domestic politics. "We know Israelis have their own affiliations and internal political struggles," he said. "What united us is the that in both countries there are people who believe war will bring liberation. We stand against that."
According to Atabaki, "This is the first time in our people's history that a people-to-people initiative like this is happening. It shows that we are not our regimes – and we have agency."
A Rejection of the Narrative
Sternfeld said reactions to the statement have been emotionally charged, especially as thousands of civilians flee their homes amid intensified Israeli airstrikes and Iranian missile attacks. "Most of the responses have been supportive," Sternfeld said. "But there's grief, frustration – it comes through in every message we receive."
Azizi noted that support from inside Iran has been especially strong, adding: "Many of our more than 2,000 signatories are from inside Iran […] The camp of peace is currently strong in Iran with many people calling for a ceasefire."
Jonathan Brack, a historian at Northwestern University and one of the Israelis involved in the group prior to the outbreak of war, said the urgency of the situation accelerated the initiative.
"This important collaboration – and the strong response to the statement from citizens in both countries – shows that many Iranians and Israelis do not see a military option as a solution," Brack said. "They reject the narrative that casts residents of Iran or Israel as enemies, and they no longer trust our leaders who are steering us down a destructive path that exacts a terrible toll on people in both countries who seek peace."
Behrooz Bayat, a Vienna-based German-Iranian nuclear physicist and former advisor to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), joined the initiative after connecting with an Israeli academic he met in Europe. A longtime critic of Iran's atomic program, Bayat said, "It's dangerous – not just for weapons, but for other uses."
He said the initiative represents a step away from religious divisions and toward shared regional concerns. "We see what's happening in the Middle East reverberates throughout the world," he said. "This initiative shows that different voices are emerging."
Mehrzad Boroujerdi, an Iranian political scientist and dean at Missouri University of Science and Technology – and one of the letter's initiators – said the Iranian signatories span a broad cross section of civil society, all united by their commitment to human rights and reform.
"We're talking about moderate people, deeply dedicated to humanism," Boroujerdi said. "That's a far cry from the current rhetoric of the government. There's a massive divide between the regime's pronouncements – calls to wipe Israel off the map, antisemitic discourse – and what ordinary Iranians believe. Most citizens don't resonate with that at all."
He added that Netanyahu's actions – both in undermining Israel's judiciary and in the war – are deeply flawed, and warned that viewing him as a preferable alternative to Iran's regime is misguided.
He warned that U.S. alignment with Netanyahu's agenda could backfire, alienating Iran's 90 million citizens and echoing the long shadow of the 1953 coup. "As someone who teaches political science, I can say this course of action violates international norms and will damage U.S. credibility in the developing world for years to come," he warned.
Atabaki said he hopes the initiative will grow into a broader antiwar civic movement. "This is about marching, campaigning, building international partnerships – we can grow," he said.
Sharon Tal, an Israeli actor who signed the letter after meeting Iranians abroad, said the message is simple. "War won't bring freedom or end dictatorship. I believe in dialogue between people, not violence between nations. Most people just want to live in dignity and peace. Our shared humanity is stronger than fear and hate. Peace is possible – between Israel and Iran, and everywhere."
Thousands of Iranians and Israelis Sign Joint Letter Demanding a Cease-fire
In response to escalating war, more than 2,100 Iranian and Israeli scholars and activists have signed a letter calling for an immediate cease-fire. Emerging from months of cross-border dialogue, the initiative rejects militarism and urges global powers to support peace
Etan Nechin, Haaretz, June 22
NEW YORK - After nearly ten days of war – with mounting destruction in both Israel and Iran, and the U.S. entering the conflict last night with strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – an initiative to push back against the escalation is gaining traction.
Since its publication last Monday, more than 2,100 Iranian and Israeli scholars, artists, and civil society leaders have signed an open letter calling for an immediate cease-fire. The letter urges the international community to pressure "all sides of the conflict" to end the violence and begin a diplomatic process.
Endorsed by writers, historians, filmmakers, political analysts, and human rights advocates from both countries, the statement was released in Hebrew, Persian, English and French.
"We refuse to accept the inevitability of violent conflict as the only way forward between our nations, Israel and Iran, or their positioning as eternal arch-enemies," the statement reads. "The endless and senseless wars of this region won't benefit our people, all of whom have the right to live in peace and security." They call on international actors to "bring all parties on the path of diplomacy," with a cease-fire as the first step.
Among the signatories are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi; prominent Iranian-born human rights lawyer Mehrangiz Kar, who has reportedly fled her home in Tehran following Israel's intensifying airstrikes; former Israeli Knesset member Mossi Raz; and David Harel, president of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Jerusalem. They are joined by well-known academics and activists from around the world.
The letter grew out of a months-long dialogue among Iranian and Israeli intellectuals who began meeting last year, alarmed by what they saw as rising tensions between their governments and a drift toward open conflict.
"Around last November, a group of Iranian intellectuals, including many prominent ones, came together with a simple mission: to reach out to our Israeli counterparts and start a process of dialogue," Yale historian Arash Azizi, one of the initiators of the letter, told Haaretz. "We were worried precisely about what's happening today – a war between our two nations."
"Within a Day, We Had a Letter"
The group initially met informally online, and Israeli scholars and activists soon joined the conversation. Lior Sternfeld, an associate professor of history and Jewish studies at Penn State University and an expert on Iran, said the outbreak of direct hostilities brought new urgency to their efforts.
"As the military confrontation between Israel and Iran began, someone in the group suggested issuing a joint statement," Sternfeld said. "Everyone agreed. Within a day, we had a letter."
Sternfeld, who recently met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian – becoming the first Israeli citizen to publicly meet an Iranian official since the founding of the Islamic Republic – described the letter as deliberately narrow in scope. "It doesn't lay out a political program. It's a simple, urgent call to stop the killing of civilians. That's it. Do everything possible to stop it now."
Lior Sternfeld in November 2024. Sternfeld described the letter as a deliberately narrow appeal, "[...] a simple, urgent call to stop the killing of civilians."Credit: Nate Smallwood
Azizi emphasized that the effort is not only about halting violence but also about "building links between our two societies and peoples.
Accumulated demands of citizens is the first step in achieving political power and ultimately political change. We are speaking to powers in our two societies but also to international community," he said.
Among the letter's initial signatories is Touraj Atabaki, an Iranian born Emeritus Professor by special appointment of Social History of the Middle East and Central Asia at Leiden University in the Netherlands, who said the initiative helps both populations rise above the limitations of domestic politics. "We know Israelis have their own affiliations and internal political struggles," he said. "What united us is the that in both countries there are people who believe war will bring liberation. We stand against that."
According to Atabaki, "This is the first time in our people's history that a people-to-people initiative like this is happening. It shows that we are not our regimes – and we have agency."
A Rejection of the Narrative
Sternfeld said reactions to the statement have been emotionally charged, especially as thousands of civilians flee their homes amid intensified Israeli airstrikes and Iranian missile attacks. "Most of the responses have been supportive," Sternfeld said. "But there's grief, frustration – it comes through in every message we receive."
Azizi noted that support from inside Iran has been especially strong, adding: "Many of our more than 2,000 signatories are from inside Iran […] The camp of peace is currently strong in Iran with many people calling for a ceasefire."
Jonathan Brack, a historian at Northwestern University and one of the Israelis involved in the group prior to the outbreak of war, said the urgency of the situation accelerated the initiative.
"This important collaboration – and the strong response to the statement from citizens in both countries – shows that many Iranians and Israelis do not see a military option as a solution," Brack said. "They reject the narrative that casts residents of Iran or Israel as enemies, and they no longer trust our leaders who are steering us down a destructive path that exacts a terrible toll on people in both countries who seek peace."
Behrooz Bayat, a Vienna-based German-Iranian nuclear physicist and former advisor to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), joined the initiative after connecting with an Israeli academic he met in Europe. A longtime critic of Iran's atomic program, Bayat said, "It's dangerous – not just for weapons, but for other uses."
He said the initiative represents a step away from religious divisions and toward shared regional concerns. "We see what's happening in the Middle East reverberates throughout the world," he said. "This initiative shows that different voices are emerging."
Mehrzad Boroujerdi, an Iranian political scientist and dean at Missouri University of Science and Technology – and one of the letter's initiators – said the Iranian signatories span a broad cross section of civil society, all united by their commitment to human rights and reform.
"We're talking about moderate people, deeply dedicated to humanism," Boroujerdi said. "That's a far cry from the current rhetoric of the government. There's a massive divide between the regime's pronouncements – calls to wipe Israel off the map, antisemitic discourse – and what ordinary Iranians believe. Most citizens don't resonate with that at all."
He added that Netanyahu's actions – both in undermining Israel's judiciary and in the war – are deeply flawed, and warned that viewing him as a preferable alternative to Iran's regime is misguided.
He warned that U.S. alignment with Netanyahu's agenda could backfire, alienating Iran's 90 million citizens and echoing the long shadow of the 1953 coup. "As someone who teaches political science, I can say this course of action violates international norms and will damage U.S. credibility in the developing world for years to come," he warned.
Atabaki said he hopes the initiative will grow into a broader antiwar civic movement. "This is about marching, campaigning, building international partnerships – we can grow," he said.
Sharon Tal, an Israeli actor who signed the letter after meeting Iranians abroad, said the message is simple. "War won't bring freedom or end dictatorship. I believe in dialogue between people, not violence between nations. Most people just want to live in dignity and peace. Our shared humanity is stronger than fear and hate. Peace is possible – between Israel and Iran, and everywhere."
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