All of our speakers were directly or indirectly touched by the violence. After listening to only a few, it was apparent that the middle east conflict is quite complex and heavily nuanced. A good deal depends on your point of view and personal experience. The Palestinian point of view is quite colored by the military occupation of their homeland. The Israeli point of view is heaving colored by the Holocaust, anti-semitism and their belief that God promised them this Holy Land.
All of our meetings had impact, along with the daily conversations with our guides, but a few stand out:
Dr. Rabbi Daniel Roth, an American Israeli, is the Director of the Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution, who has lived in Jerusalem since 1990. Rabbi Roth's presentation focused on parsing "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Is it all neighbors or only neighbors who look and believe the same? Rabbi Roth clearly preferred a broader definition but spoke to the more narrow definition perceived by many. He also spoke of his personal concerns for safety and the safety of his children.
Iman Yusuf Abu Sneineh is the cleric responsible for administration at Al Aqsa Mosque. Just as Rabbi Roth was visibly shaken, Iman Sneineh was clearly angry. Muslims feel entitled to worship at Al Aqsa, just as Israelis feel entitled to pray at the wailing wall. He felt, quite strongly, that the limitations on Muslims seeking access to Al Aqsa, was a serious threat to religious freedom.
Mrs. Gilat Baram works in the Israeli diplomatic service. She is Director of Palestinian Affairs and Regional Cooperation. Our lead guide, a Jerusalem Palestinian, knew her well and respected her. She was clearly limited in her candor by being part of the current Israeli government. She deplored the violence, could see both sides of it, but was also concerned for the safety of her young son. She did her best to put a good face on the Israeli right to security but, I believe, recognized that was often at the expense of Palestinian's freedom of movement and access to services.
Mr. Husam S. Zomlot was Executive Deputy Commissioner, Fatah Commission for International Relations, the number two executive at the equivalent of our State Department for Palestinians. Fatah is the more moderate of the parties representing the Palestinians; the other being Hamas, described as "terrorists" or "less moderate," depending on who is speaking. Mr. Zomlot was previously a professor at the University of London and at Harvard, as well as, an employee of the UN. His background focuses on peacemaking. He, too, was quite angry but more balanced than one would expect. He certainly cast the Israelis as the bad guys but would agree that the Palestinian leadership has not always acted in the best interests of their people. At 44, he looked liked he might have a future as a significant Palestinian leader if the current 80 year-old leadership could make way for a younger leader.
Mrs. Rena Quint was a Holocaust survivor. She spoke to us on the day we visited Yad Vasem, the Holocaust museum. She was a very young child at Bergen-Beisen when it was liberated. She was ultimately adopted by a Jewish family in the States. She told a harrowing story of being rounded up with others in her neighborhood, taken from her parents, who she never saw again. In the camp, she passed from "mother" to "mother" as the women protecting her died. Once rescued, she was found to be seriously ill. She recovered and went on to have what she described as a "good life."
Mr. Oded Revivi was mayor of Efrat, the Jewish settlement in the "occupied territories" closest to Bethlehem. He was an attorney and former tank commander. A no-nonsence guy, I thought he spoke frankly. When asked if could ever see Israel disbanding the settlement movement, he said he could, that he was in Israel because he had freedoms there, such as the freedom to seek a certain kind of education for his children, that he would not have elsewhere. Yet, he was also a committed member of the settlement movement.
We also visited Ein Gedi kibbutz where a long-term resident spoke to us about the kibbutz movement, brought to Israel from Russia, when Israel was in its infancy. The communal kibbutz allowed disparate folks to live and work together to build the new country. The moment has changed a good deal over the years but still exists, albeit with a bit of individual ownership and privatization.
Kamal, a retired Druze member of the Israeli police, spoke to us over lunch at his home. The Druze are a sect of Islam and known to be fierce warriors, due, at least in part to their belief in reincarnation. Kamal and his wife, Salma, had lost two sons to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict many years ago. Still quite sad, Kamal focused on the need for peace and understanding among all peoples. A member of the Bereaved Families network, he spoke about loss on both sides and the need for bereaved parents to come together in forgiveness. His presentation was deeply affecting.
Our last speaker was Dr. Beverly Goodman, a geo-archaeologist working at the Harbor at Caesarea, which she believed her been destroyed in ancient times by a tsunami. Her physical findings support written records of the times. She walked us along the shoreline of her dive sites and explained how she and her team worked.
We constantly marveled at the reach and extent of the network that our guides, Husam Jubran, Yuval Ben Ami and Aziz Abu Sarah, were able to access. We were blessed by their camaraderie and their ability to speak frankly and from the heart.
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