Ezra Nawi is a Jerusalemite peace activist, who works as a plumber and resides in the Rehavia neighborhood, not far from the Prime Minister’s and President’s residences. Ezra was born in 1952 to parents who moved to Israel from Basra in Iraq. His mother was 14 when she gave birth to Ezra. He was raised in a poor neighborhood in Jerusalem and was active in a communist youth movement. Unlike most youth from his neighborhood he did not attend vocational school, but rather he completed his high school education.

The influence of the Arab culture and language that he was exposed to in his home led him to befriend several Palestinian families in the village of Beit Safafa near Jerusalem. Ezra’s political activities began after the first Intifada broke out. In the year 2000 Ezra met Fuad Mussa. They became a couple and lived together in Ezra’s Jerusalem home. Fuad was an illegal alien and they were constantly harassed by the police. After he met Fuad, Ezra began his activities in the South Hebron Hills together with the organization, Ta’ayush (Co-existence) that works to physically and legally protect Palestinian villagers from the threats they face from police, settlers and the army.

In 2005 Fuad and Ezra ended their relationship and a short time later, Fuad was sent to jail for one year and eight months. During the whole process Ezra stood by Fuad. After Fuad was released from jail he went to live in the Palestinian Authority and worked as a taxi driver. In 2007 he was caught by the police when he accidentally crossed a few meters into Israeli territory and he is currently in jail awaiting trial. Ezra feels responsible for Fuad, even though their relationship ended, because due to Fuad’s relationship with Ezra he was exposed as a homosexual.