The Sumarins are a Palestinian family living in the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem, the part of Jerusalem that is in the West Bank. East Jerusalem is the location of many familiar religious sites, such as the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. The Sumarins have spent the past 30 years fighting to remain in their home; this fight has recently intensified.

With the worldwide media’s attention captivated by tyrannical governments in Syria and Bahrain, tumultuous reconstructions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and fledgling democracies in Libya and Egypt, Iran involuntarily retreated, this summer, from the global stage.

Dear Editor, After four very critical columns—two from avowed supporters of Israel—in the Sept. 22 issue of Student Life, it is time for someone to stand up for David Horowitz. The vehemence of the responses suggests that Horowitz told an inconvenient truth. In particular, his use of the word “genocidal” appears to have been inflammatory.

I support Israel whole-heartedly. I recognize that it has flaws—building illegal settlements and populating them with ultra-religious far-right zealots—and whether it should have been established in the first place is a question for the ages.

I believe the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is an inter-subjective debacle, at once complex, dynamic, and grounded in human experience, phenomenology, and history.

As many students are aware, in its last issue, StudLife decided to print an inflammatory paid advertisement by David Horowitz entitled, “The Palestinians’ case against Israel is based on a genocidal lie.” As representatives of the leading pro-Israel groups at Washington University, we would like to respond to that decision.

Last week, students of the Washington University community affirmed their support for the disinvitation/boycott of Marvin Casey from the US-Mideast Hip-Hop Exchange Week in support of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS).

We, as undergraduate and graduate students of Washington University, write today in strong support of the courageous decision of the executive committee of the Universal Beatz event to disinvite the Israeli performer and cultural ambassador Marvin Casey.

An expert on the Israeli economy explained how the small nation has grown into a leading economic power as part of the Assembly Series. Dan Senor, co-author of the bestseller “Start Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle” and adjunct senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, spoke Thursday in Graham Chapel.

Israel remains a strategic asset to America, making a strong US-Israel relationship critical to American success. When determining the benefits to the United States of a diplomatic relationship with another country, one must look at the benefit the relationship has on American civilian, military and diplomatic goals, as well as the reliability of ally.