Some encounters change the world, and that between Chen Alon and Suliman Al-Khatib may well be one of them. The former was once a high-ranking officer in Tsahal, the Israeli army, while the second was a member of the nationalist Palestinian party, Fatah, engaged in an armed struggle against Israel.  They met, felt mutual respect and together founded Combatants for Peace, an NGO often cited as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Both were at Rosey last week to present their documentary Disturbing the Peace, and they gave straight answers to Roséens’ questions after the film in a session that stretched late into the evening.  Respect for those from beyond our frontiers, finding strength in difference and the importance of each individual action are all ever-present themes at Rosey although that did not make their message any less powerful.

 And if some encounters do indeed change the world, it may well be that this evening in the Rosey Concert Hall will have a long-lasting impact on some of the many Roséens present.