Let Us Lead the Conversation
By Nadiv Yonah Brenner Ballin
This essay received an Honourable Mention in the Global Changemakers Essay Competition 2020.
As a Jewish American teenager living in Israel, the whole experience of meeting and befriending Arabs was alien to me, as it would be for most Jews in Israel. On the second of February, I went on a Model UN delegation to the United States of America consisting of four Arab and four Jewish teenagers from Israel.
For the past few years of my living in Israel, I have participated in numerous programs, all attempting to bring together Jewish and Arab students. Although, it was solely through this delegation that I feel like I truly connected with my Arab peers, and began to learn about their experience living in this country. Throughout the trip, itself, we had the opportunity to meet with many different people, all doing important work relating to politics on a global scale. At the Model United Nations conference, members of the delegation presented their prepared speeches and participated in debates. However, the most substantial moments, to me, were the few, unoccupied, minutes of the trip where our casual conversations led to greater understanding of the other’s perspective.
As a diverse group of teenagers of mixed backgrounds, arguments and differences of opinion were to be expected. Nevertheless, we were able to address even the most polarizing of topics with civility and respect towards all parties. Following a meeting with a Synagogue in Baltimore, where the Hamas organization was brought up, their history and actions were discussed on the way back to the hotel. A Jewish boy and a Muslim girl began the discussion by explaining that Hamas, at least, didn’t start out as a terrorist organization, and are the de facto governing body of the Gaza Strip. Additionally, one of the Muslim girls made the case that Hamas were previously viewed as freedom fighters. This knowledge was, largely, unbeknownst to most of the Jewish delegates, and helped inform us on the historical politics of an area so close to our home.
Such experiences are indicative of a fundamental aspect of the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as other political and cultural disputes around the world: an informed youth. The most important facet of this solution is to allow the youth to converse freely. In order such an idea to work, the topic of discussion, as well as its content, must be unrestricted. Yes, politeness should be maintained, but if the courtesy is imposed by adults and other external forces, the endeavor is self-defeating. I recall the organizer of the delegation remarking that he had no intention of neutrality or mediation. His intentional lack of control over our conversations, only participating to provide his own thoughts and beliefs, and not claiming their superiority, felt liberating. The fact that there was no pressure to self-constrain established a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere for the very weighty subject matter.
Various other programs may make use of fun games, icebreakers, or exercises to bond youth. While these programs are well intentioned, and this is a step in the right direction, no conflict can be solved by avoiding the conflict. An additional measure that must be taken is to encourage the youths to begin their own dialogue, and bring forth what they believe. Only after the underlying and controversial issue is presented in full, can the youth truly find a way to bond.
Allowing our conversations to flow freely, our views could be fully expressed, thus leading to an environment where an answer could be extracted from discord. To achieve a full peace, where all parties have their voices heard, the youth have to take part in conversations that are not watered down or mitigated, lest the overarching moral of peace building becomes lost. What I would like to encourage supporters of programs that attempt to unite two sides of a conflict is to continue their work of bringing young people together, and consider the necessity of open dialogue between us young people. As future leaders, it is in the world’s best interest to make sure that we familiarize ourselves with the diverse opinions, views, and positions of our peers. If an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian Muslim can become friends, then Israel and Palestine can find peace.
Global Changemakers has an unshakeable mission of supporting youth to create positive change in their communities. A global pioneer in supporting youth-led development, they have trained youth from over 180 countries and provided grants to over 360 youth-led projects, which have had a combined impact on over 6,2 million people. www.global-changemakers.net
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or Global Changemakers.
