Both have valid opinions to uphold, although I do not understand the Israelis as much because one of their main reasons for their right to the land is religion. Being non-religious, I do not quite have the feeling of understanding towards it. That takes away one of their major points, but also some of the Palestinian's points. In class, however, I had to argue with others from the point of view of Moishe, a highly religious Israeli child in the Promises movie. It was hard arguing for something I don't fully understand. I do, however, understand that if you are an Israeli, surrounding you and most likely in your family are survivors of the Holocaust. Israelis hear every day from their community members about the suffering that they endured and how it must never happen again. This plagues their hearts with fear, and that is why every Israeli citizen, girl or boy, except for the rabbis, must serve in the army. I think that the Israeli army takes out their fear of another Holocaust or terrorist action on the Palestinians.
A highly racist thing is to classify Arabs as terrorists. The term is rarely used for someone other than an Arab. True, some Arabs are, in fact, terrorists, although so are others of many other ethnic backgrounds in the world. In fact, anybody that does something to severely harm an innocent or non-fighting person is a terrorist. The Israelis are calling the whole nation of Palestine terrorists. Now, if this accusation were to be accurate, then a few bombings a year from the Palestinians make them terrorists. In this world, almost every country is a terrorist. The United States of America has dropped a bomb on a wedding of innocent Pakistanis, wanting to be happy and start a family. Thinking the wedding group was Al Qaeda, the US bombed them with a drone. There goes a family. There are mad people everywhere, and they're part of our society. People do have things that will make their anger rise, such as getting kicked out of their beloved homes, being shot at, having curfews, having loved ones dying when it could have gone differently or been prevented. Some of these things are happening to both nation's peoples. Anger + anger usually = war. Intifadas have been happening for many years. With the military aid of the US, Israeli soldiers shoot at Palestinians, and they retaliate by throwing stones. I think that the US should not spend huge amounts of money for military that could be given to take care of all Americans, like free health care. Instead, we give the money to Israeli soldiers, which is resulting in death of innocent people, sometimes. If we have to give aid to the Middle East, we should give it to all the wounded, Israeli and Palestinian.
It starts with the next generation. Conflict is still happening, but this could still change, with hope, and children. Children are the next generation. They're not the ones firing at each other. With Hand In Hand Schools, it gives Palestinian and Israeli kids ways to connect and become friends and just know each other. Some have been living just minutes away from each other in whole different worlds with no idea of the others' existence. When the next generation grows up, Israelis in the army would think, Wait a minute, I'm being told to shoot, but that's my childhood best friend's village! I don't want to shoot them! And Palestinian adults would think, Wait a minute, I won't let my son go on a suicide mission or throw rocks at Jerusalem—my childhood best friend lives there! I don't want them to be hurt!
Perhaps one day, there could be peace and harmony throughout these lands in the Middle East, and refugees could move back to the lands they once lived on, that they have the key for, and the land deeds too. They could accept each other for who they are and what they believe in. This is my hope, for children will make the change we're all hoping to see come out of this terrible situation,
I really liked how you introduced what we have done this unit in the first paragraph.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how in-depth that was soph
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