Scott BresslerAn Israeli-Palestinian conflict forum drew over 100 members of Washington University and the St. Louis community to Ursa’s Fireside on Monday, where an Israeli and a Palestinian discussed why they favored peace over militancy.
The forum, hosted by Students for a Peaceful PalestinianIsraeli Future [SPPIF], featured Shimon Katz, an Israeli, and Sulaiman al-Hamri, a Palestinian, both of whom led a frank discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“It made me really happy to see all the people here. It’s good to know that people want peace,” said Andrea Ginsburg, a senior who attended the forum. “We’re taught to be scared [of the conflict], and it helps to see real Palestinians and Israelis to break that down.”
Junior Aviva Joffe, co-president of SPPIF, was impressed by the nature of the discussion.
“I was really pleased by the event because people asked challenging questions. A lot of what SPPIF tries to do is ask the hard questions,” said Joffe. “All attitudes should be shared and discussed, even those which disagree with us. The important thing is to sit and talk about it.”
Al-Hamri and Katz presented unique views on the conflict, given their personal involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian situation. Al-Hamri spent four and a half years in Israeli prisons for his involvement in protests and demonstrations, before resolving to use non-violent methods to resolving the conflict.
“My family has spent a total of 25 years in Israeli prisons. We have paid the price in the conflict, yet I remain committed to peace,” said al-Hamri.
Katz acted as an officer in an elite Israeli Defense Force combat unit, until he also became interested in non-violent ways of living. Service in the army for an Israeli citizen is compulsory, however, which presents a predicament for Katz.
“I do believe that as an Israeli citizen I am obliged to go to the army, just like I am obliged to pay taxes,” said Katz. “So, I work to find a middle path that will allow me to remain true to my values.”
Though the two come from starkly contrasted backgrounds, both espoused the importance of peaceful cooperation.
“It’s a duty to retaliate against an occupation-whether for national motives or religious motives, but it is also a duty to do so peacefully,” said al-Hamri.
For the most part, the attendees of the forum appreciated the diverse backgrounds of the two speakers.
“It was nice to hear directly from the [combatants] involved, instead of the media,” said Tyson Meyer, a member of the local community who attended the forum.
Not all present agreed with the way in which the Combatant’s message was framed. Following the presentation, Sophomore Michael Safyan handed out a pamphlet entitled “Big Lies: Demolishing the Myths of the Propaganda War Against Israel.”
“Historical revisionism is lying about things of the past,” said Safyan. “Revising the past by impugning my ancestors is not an acceptable grounds for a sustainable peace.”
Safyan’s pamphlets were not sanctioned by any campus organization, and while he was allowed to hand them out, he was asked to stand outside Ursa’s.
The event was sponsored by Combatants for Peace and Brit Tzedek ViShalom, The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace. Amnesty International, Wash. U. Students for Israel, Sakina, Model UN and the Muslim Student Association also co-sponsored the forum.
Al-Hamri is the Palestinian coordinator for Combatants for Peace. He co-founded the movement in April 2006, and is currently on a 22-city tour throughout the United States. He has a master’s degree in American studies from Al-Quds University and a bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology. Katz will be beginning studies for an M.A. in clinical social work at the Yeshiva University in New York to pursue his goal of non-violent service for the state.