Women between War and Peace

This article examines, in the context of recent history, women’s positions on war and peace, both those attributed to them ideologically and those they have to endure in spite of themselves, in their voluntary involvement as well as in their militant commitments within a multitude of organizations that have changed in nature with the end of the Cold War. The author reminds us that women are not pacifists in essence, but rather human beings like any others, opposed to war and working to pacify the world in a context increasingly favorable to war, which exalts virilism and has buried conscientious objection. The unity and solidarity of women from politically opposing camps is the dominant face of their struggles today in many conflicts, such as the exemplary one between the Israeli government and the Palestinians, which brings some women together, Jews, Muslims and non-believers alike.