Settlers, Palestinians light 'bright tag' torches

"Grave price tag attacks will not ruin our long tradition of Jewish-Arab co-existence," say event organizers from the Gush Etzion region.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Palestinians, settlers light bright tag torch 311 (photo credit: Courtesy of 'Tag Meir')
Palestinians, settlers light bright tag torch 311
(photo credit: Courtesy of 'Tag Meir')
Dozens of settlers and Palestinians lit "bright tag" torches together Sunday night, as part of the "bright tag" movement that recently emerged as a peaceful protest against the wave of extremist "price tag" attacks.  
The event was held in the village of Beit Zechariah next to Gush Etzion. The event organizers described the relations generally enjoyed by the village residents and Gush Etzion settlers as peaceful and respectful, as they live side by side in co-existence.
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During the event the organizers ran a study session on peace and light in Jewish and Muslim sources. In recent months, residents of the area have been holding sessions together and have cooperated in the fields of planning, the environment, welfare and education.
Referring to the 'price tag' attacks that have disturbed the area recently, two members of the community that initiated Sunday night's event said: "These grave acts will not ruin our long-standing tradition of... Jewish-Arab co-existence, side by side in the Gush Etzion region."
Beit Zechariah village elder Mohammed Atallah and poet Eliaz Cohen promised to further strengthen cooperation between the two communities. "This is the best response to the extremists. We will not throw stones back at the stone throwers. We will invest in education, in true mutual responsibility, and we will try to banish this darkness with our light," the two said.