Thursday marked the end of events for Palestine Awareness Week
at UCLA, and though for some it was a week of politics and debate,
for Deena Rasheed it was an opportunity to let others know about
her heritage.
“Being Palestinian is kind of like a stigma; for me it was
almost a “˜coming out’ kind of a thing,” said
Rasheed, a third-year political science student and native
Palestinian.
“I wanted to let students know that we are around you. We
are your equals. It was nice to be out there,” she added.
It remains unclear though, whether the weeklong array of events
on campus will continue in the future or whether Thursday marked a
decline in momentum of Palestine-oriented activities.
The events this week included presentations by speakers, a
representation of the Israeli security barrier that was erected
through the West Bank and a reenactment of an Israeli military
checkpoint.
Currently, most of those who sponsored the week’s events
say the future of Palestine Awareness Week will depend on next
year’s student group members and their ability to coordinate
different events.
“In the past, MSA has done different activities about
Palestine, but this year we are working in coalition with other
groups trying to reach more people,” said Khadeeja Abdullah,
second-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student
and member of the Muslim Student Association.
Jameelah Shurki, a third-year political science and history
student and MSA member, said the events this week will lead to more
visibility of Palestine issues on campus.
“It will lead off toward more during the year to continue
promoting education on campus,” Shurki said.
Allyson Mills, a third-year world arts and cultures student and
co-president of the Progressive Jewish Student Alliance, also said
the events this year will serve as a stepping stone toward
encouraging dialogue between different student groups on
campus.
“I definitely think that this week increased the level of
awareness over various perspectives and issues, and increased the
visibility of Palestinian students on campus,” Miller
said.
“I don’t think it’s a week event, I think it
will have a ripple effect and spread dialogue on campus,” she
added.
While the PJSA as a group didn’t cosponsor any of the
events that were happening this week, many PJSA members volunteered
their knowledge and time on an individual basis.
Like Miller, many organizers said more events will be planned
throughout the year, though none have been scheduled yet.
Rasheed, a member of Students for Justice in Palestine, said her
group will definitely show Palestine-related movies throughout the
year and maybe organize a Palestinian cultural awareness night.
“We are getting more support now, so it’s easier to
organize events,” Rasheed said.
“I know from people on other campuses that following such
events, Palestinian groups can become very successful,” she
added.
Others were more critical of the week’s events and their
validity to the school, saying the way by which the
Israel-Palestine issue was represented did more harm than good to
the campus.
“This week promoted a single point of view to the
detriment of the other side,” said Rabbi Chaim
Seidler-Feller, director of UCLA Hillel.
He added that this focus on one side might be due to the simple
nature of politics in which a winner and loser have to be clearly
defined.
“Generally the tone of politics is a zero-sum game,”
Seidler-Feller said, adding that a more cohesive event is needed to
promote the Middle East issue.
“I would like to see a daring presentation that attempts
to push both sides toward a common ground,” Seidler-Feller
said.