ISRAEL/PALESTINE: YOUNGSTERS UNITE

2002, Another Israeli military incursion into the West Bank city of Ramallah to ultimately surround Arafat’s compound and hold him under siege for 36 days.

Meanwhile, I was part of a small TV news crew trying our best to get the story out, while Israeli soldiers would continue to catch journalists and escort them out of Ramallah telling them the old line of “this is now a closed military area.”

I had a small early digital camera, whenever it wouldn’t encroach on my proper task of security advisor and field producer, I would snap away at anything that caught my interest.

Well this photo tells a great story. Around Ramallah, parked cars had been so flattened by tanks and other Israeli armour that they looked like pages from a book, as flat as they could be and no way of telling what kind of car it is. After the incursion was halted early due to world pressure on the Israeli Government, a group of Palestinian artists took about 8 of these flattened cars and piled one on top of the other and painted them each a different bright colour, a cool piece of art to show resistance.

More importantly for me is the photo above. It shows Palestinian kids and youths offering sweets to young Israeli soldiers. They spoke in a mix of Hebrew and Arabic. Played around and laughed. And eventually the Israeli soldiers put down their guns and played football with the young Palestinians!

They became to realise that they were all the same, kids wanting freedom and fun, and the chance to meet on equal terms and be one.

But sadly it didn’t last long. The elders (Israeli IDF senior ranks and Palestinian fathers) put an end to it.

Less than an hour later, the Palestinian kids were burning tyres, throwing stones, and the Israeli kids in uniform were ordered to respond…with rifle fire.

This was 2002…over 20 years ago now…there was a chance of peace…I watched it with my own eyes, but it was extinguished very quickly by those under orders from above…how sad.

If there could ever be a showing of solidarity, it’s right here in the USA. Many university students are holding demonstrations to show their support for either side…yet sadly given that they are both young and bright, they are not uniting.

I would urge and like nothing more than to see these students put down their flags…even just for 5 minutes to start with, cross the divide, form a circle holding hands…and send around the world, and especially to the people of Israel, Palestine and the region, an awesome message of unity and peace.

It can be done, you are the people to do it, and you can get the older people’s bigotry and hatred eradicated for good. You can elect student leaders from both sides…yes here in America, and decide the fair and best way forward to work with one another, by using truth, reconciliation, respect and dignity.

Get brainstorming, the Israel students’ team, and the Palestinian students’ team. Once you have a format for peace and the best way forward, then sit with one another…the Israeli and Palestinian teams together. Brainstorm again…together. It’ll be tough, really tough, but in my view young bright minds at great universities receiving a great education can do this. Show that you’re all better than the old guard. Obtain media coverage while you’re doing it…embarrass the hell out of both governments, and the US government for their long term one sidedness.

Once done, present your case for peace and reconciliation as your Israel and Palestine joint student forum to the UN…and ask them if you can present it to the world from there.

It will never happen inside the territories, there is too much hatred, and it’s only getting worse. A military strike of Gaza in the name of revenge solves nothing, it only inflames the Greater Middle East for longer. So those of you from both sides who have the added luxury of a great education in the USA, use the time and the place to make it happen. Don’t continue the same old bigoted “my club is better than your club!” that some of your parents and grand parents still hold.