The feeling of walking barefoot is universal; the wincing pain of stepping on a sharp rock and the simple pleasure of leaving a footprint in loose soil.
On March 22nd, women from across the globe will march through Sydney’s CBD in support of Mothers’ Call, a joint peace initiative led by Palestinian and Israeli women.
Days later, the momentum will continue in Rome, Italy on March 24 where women will walk barefoot, with further marches planned in the US, Brazil, Argentina, Israel and Germany, as the movement gathers global force.
The idea of the barefoot walk was conceived by Reem al-Hajajreh, 43, a Palestinian mother of four to “symbolise the pain of land soaked in blood, to feel that pain and bring hope precisely from that difficult place”.
“We do not ignore the pain and suffering, rather, we bring hope from within them,” says fellow organiser Dr Yael Admi, 66, an Israeli mother of six.
Reem and Yael first crossed paths in 2019 at a peace organisation meeting between Palestinians and Israelis. Yael remembers being impressed as she watched Reem courageously speak her mind in front of a group of Palestinian men.
“Despite coming from a refugee camp rather than a prestigious background, Reem spoke with determination – even when some disagreed with her,” recalls Yael. “Even with the vast differences in our lived realities, I sensed a shared connection between us – as women and as mothers.”
Back in 2019, those differences could have seemed too great to breach for Reem, who questioned whether it was even possible for the two sides of the conflict to open a dialogue. Then she met Yael.
“She told me that peace could be possible if we, as women, take part,” remembers Reem. “I was not convinced by the idea at first, so I decided to establish an independent Palestinian organisation [Women of the Sun] – it is very important for me to first build peace within my Palestinian community and to empower my people – and only then engage in dialogue with Israelis.”
The two women from opposing corners found common ground in motherhood.
“We managed to connect [with] the language of motherhood, our shared fears for our children and our desire to provide a safer and more stable life for all of us,” says Reem. From their conversations, Reem and Yael united their respective organisations – Women of the Sun and Women Wage Peace – to establish Mothers’ Call, a rally cry for peace.
“The initiative to write the Mothers’ Call was born from a desire for Israeli and Palestinian women to define together our shared vision, beliefs, values and commitment.
This document serves as the foundation of our partnership. In it, we call on leaders to act to end the conflict and demand to be active and meaningful participants in negotiations and reconciliation,” explains Yael, who admits the process of writing a joint statement was a challenge.
Both Yael and Reem brought their unique perspectives to the table. They come from different generations, backgrounds and places. Yael is based in Ganei Yehuda, an affluent area. She is a software engineer with a PhD in ethics and dialogue, and the former chair of the board at the Israeli-Palestinian bereaved family’s forum.
At her core, Yael is a peace advocate. She traces the roots of her activism to her childhood, when she found out at age 12 that her older brother had been killed during the conflict between Egypt and Israel. Reem has also experienced loss – sadly, that is one of the things the women have in common – and grief is an ever-present emotion in her day-to-day life in Bethlehem, which is under Israeli occupation in the West Bank.
“My day begins with checking the situation in the refugee camp: can I go to work today, or is there Israeli military presence there? If there is no confrontation, I take my car and go to work,” says Reem, who studied business and social work at university.
“I work alongside the Women of the Sun staff, implementing programs and projects within Palestinian society to defend and attain our freedom, with the least possible losses, through negotiations rather than through killing and imprisonment.”
At times, peace in Gaza can feel like an impossible mission. The conflict is brutal, the loss is catastrophic, the harm is lasting.
In February, the Gaza health ministry reported that the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 75,000 since the Israel-Gaza war began, following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, when 1200 people died and 250 were taken hostage.
Both Reem and Yael have had people close to them killed. “We have lost many women members from both movements: 43 Palestinian women from Women of the Sun in Gaza, and Vivian Silver from Women Wage Peace,” says Reem. “We have decided to honour their memory and continue on their path, not allowing revenge to dominate our actions but instead seeking to bring security and safety to the region and to contribute, with all the strength we have, to stop the war.”
To make matters all the more difficult, Reem and Yael face judgement for working with one another. “This criticism is understandable. Many people have lost hope after the terrible war; despair, hatred and fear can prevent people from imagining a better future or empathising with the other side,” says Yael.
On the hard days, Yael pulls out her “compass”, which is a message Reem sent her on October 7. The text said: “What is happening now means we must act with more courage and determination.”
The pair are in constant contact with each other. “We have a broader WhatsApp group called ‘The Crazy Women’, because to continue under such difficult conditions we must be a little crazy,” says Yael.
“My friendship with Reem is built on very similar character traits. We are both ‘crazy’ in our devotion to peace … Often, I feel that Reem understands me better than anyone else. This deep connection helps us overcome the immense asymmetry in our lives.”
In 2024, Reem and Yael were named in Time magazine’s Women of the Year List for their peace advocacy. It was a pivotal moment of recognition for their work, but they believe far more awareness is needed.
“The media has not shed enough light on the suffering of women in Gaza, on their specific needs and the lack of access to them, nor on their losses and grief. Women have paid the price of this war without taking part in it,” says Reem. “The pain has shattered our hearts, but it has not affected our determination to move forward, to make our voices heard.”
By listening to one another and amplifying each other’s voices, Reem and Yael have formed a beautiful bond. In fact, they have developed an almost mother-daughter-like relationship.
“The name Reem calls me – ‘Mama Yael’ – is precious to me. We both lost our mothers at a young age, and I am proud to be a loving, supportive maternal figure for Reem,” says Yael. “When Reem is sad, I feel as if one of my daughters is sad. When one of us faces hardship, we overcome it together without giving up.”
This bond is a timely reminder of the power of unity – and the strength of the matriarchy. “What sustains us most deeply is our commitment as mothers to our children and grandchildren. We act with all our strength so our children will neither kill nor be killed in unnecessary wars,” says Yael. “We cannot watch our children die,” adds Reem. “Their lives are our responsibility, and it is our duty to protect them.”
This March, Reem and Yael invite us all to walk with them on their mission to protect the next generation. As well as the barefoot march in Rome on March 24, there will be a parallel march planned in Australia. When we walk barefoot, the impact is two-fold. We leave our footprints in the earth, and the earth leaves its mark on our feet.
In the same way, Reem and Yael hope that the Rome March will work double time: to amplify the voices of mothers on both sides and to encourage leaders to actually listen. “The path of peace is the only solution to end the suffering,” says Reem.
For more, visit mothers-call.org.
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