Approaching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reminds me of tree diagrams that keep splitting up. Every point has new areas of contention and new terms with a variety of definitions. It’s one of the hardest areas for me to discuss with honesty and an open mind, because every question seems loaded and I am constantly worried about being judged. As individuals, we all have something at stake when it comes to the situation and it’s daunting for me to let go of my assumptions and come to a discussion ready to hear things I don’t believe and don’t understand. Maybe that’s why it’s so much easier to talk to those people who agree with me and cover my ears to those who don’t.
But as concerned members of a global community, we no longer can ignore each other or talk past one another. Last week Israel assassinated the spiritual leader of Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, as he finished his morning prayers. Yassin, who Israel asserts masterminded many suicide bombings, was a symbol of Palestinian nationalism. Across the world, leaders are condemning Israel and angry crowds are marching to protest his death. Institutional leaders in Saudi Arabia and Egypt have approved acts of revenge, and Hamas has already vowed to avenge to death of Yassin.
For me, one of the most disturbing effects of these events is the stop it puts to dialogue internationally. Egypt’s planned trip to the Knesset to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Camp David accords is canceled. Streets in Jordan and Egypt, two of the only Arab nations to have Israeli embassies, held thousands of protestors crying “No Zionist embassy on Arab land!” An upcoming conference for Arab leaders to discuss Palestine and new reforms no longer holds the possibility of normalizing relations with Israel. The marks that nations were engaging in dialogue about the conflict are being erased.
Everyone has questions, answers and opinions about these events. What does it mean to kill the legitimate spiritual leader of one of the most influential and important Palestinian groups? Does a Hamas leader have a different status than a leader in the Palestinian Authority? I believe that Yassin was a legitimate leader whose death will bring more violence and less hope for peace. Others see things far differently.
Questions are complex and multilayered and we cannot fall back on glib answers rhetoric. What does it mean that Israel is pulling out of Gaza yet refuses to negotiate with Palestinians? Can unilateral action bring about peace if the actions involve the beginnings of Palestinian demands? I believe peace-making can only begin when there’s a side with whom to negotiate. By ignoring the Palestinian voice and making decisions about the Palestinian fate, Israel only further hurts itself.
Even if you are not caught up in Israel, as an American or one here, we must turn to ourselves. Where is America on this issue and where should it be? As one of the few countries that did not condemn the killing are we condoning it? Some say we must stick by Israel; others believe we cannot support Israel’s actions, particularly with aid and money.
By raising questions, I reveal my own biases. But there are too many questions to ignore surrounding these events. There are too many feelings and opinions left misunderstood. When we cannot bring ourselves to discuss a controversial and emotional topic how can we ever hope for a productive dialogue amongst countries with so much more at stake?
Third Path, a campus group working toward anti-binary politics and a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has begun weekly lunchtime dialogues. Every Tuesday, from noon to one, there will be a facilitated discussion on the situation. The objective is not to agree but to understand views other than your own. A forum that allows us to raise questions and begin to have answers must be an integral part of creating a productive and respectful dialogue on campus. This dialogue must take place. Finally we can start to ask these questions together and begin to raise answers. Everyone, regardless of knowledge and experience, has a lot to learn. While it will be a long time before the Middle East is ready for more dialogue, by creating our own conversations we may be able to keep our hopes for the region alive and understand the hopes of others in the absence negotiations abroad.
Weekly Dialogues are held in Meeting Room 1 of the Campus Center. This week’s dialogue will be on Thursday 4/1 and not Tuesday.
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