Israel Reflections 2013–American Perspectives on the Middle East
Earlier this week was the last day for our International Conflict Resolution class and, to close, I thought I would post some overarching comments. Particularly as the new Secretary of State, John Kerry, embarks on what I hope will be a successful quest to learn more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and encourage the parties to reach resolution, it is always useful to remember that newspapers cannot possibly convey the nuances and complexities of conflict. Here are two different reflections on how American perspectives of the Middle East are shaped:
From Amber Ragonese:
Almost everything the average (non-Jewish) American hears about Israel is in some way related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Almost everything the average (non-Middle Eastern) American hears about the Middle East is in some way related to war. Until participating in the Conflict Resolution course, I was no exception. We hear of suicide bombers attacking crowded markets and public transit. We hear of rockets crossing over the southern borders and of Palestinians being targeted by Israeli military forces. Given this background, I was a bit surprised to find myself around day three of our eight-day escapade suddenly realizing that not a moment had passed in which I felt unsafe or worried about my security or overall well-being.