Week to visit peace in Middle East

In response to a conflict born on another continent that has led
to debate and clashes between different groups at UCLA, students
have planned a week of events in what they call an attempt to shed
light on the dire situation that Palestinians are currently facing
in Israel.

The week of events, titled “Israel and Palestine:
Obstacles to Peace,” will feature speakers, a film screening,
performances and discussions that organizers say will examine the
issues that stand in the way of peace.

With a cultural dance and food celebration put on by Students
for Justice in Palestine and the United Arab Society kicking off
the week of events, organizers said they hope to give the UCLA
community a taste of Palestinian history and culture ““
something they said is often absent in the media.

“There has been a mask established by the media,”
said Norah Sarsour, vice president of SJP who helped organize the
events. “People tend to think of violence and suicide bombers
when they think of Palestine. Hopefully Monday will expose
something greater than that ““ … (that Palestinians) do have
something to live for,” she said.

Sarsour said the group would present “dedke,” a
Palestinian dance, and serve food as part of the festivities.

In the 58 years Israel has existed as a state, it has
experienced almost nonstop conflict over borders and land. Tensions
between Israelis and Palestinians have escalated because of suicide
bombings on the part of the Palestinians and violence perpetrated
by Israelis against Palestinians, as well as unilateral security
actions the country has taken in recent years, such as setting up
checkpoints on roads leading into Israel and building a fence
between Israel and the West Bank.

Sarsour said she views the Israeli presence in historic
Palestine ““ which includes present-day Israel, the West Bank
and the Gaza Strip ““ as an occupation and said she considers
this as the largest obstacle to peace.

“With the many components that make up the occupation,
such as the checkpoints, the wall that has surrounded the West
Bank, limited financial resources for Palestinians, … hopefully
the students will understand why the Palestinians react the way
they do,” she said, referring to the election of Hamas to the
Palestinian Legislative Council, which has raised concerns because
Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel and the use of terrorist
tactics.

But the obstacles to peace are not so easily defined by
everyone.

Leeron Morad, vice president of Bruins for Israel, said the
nature of events such as the ones planned act as a barrier to
peace.

“The obstacles to peace are events like the ones put on
this week, because the speakers that are being brought to campus
this week insight hate, insight violence. … There’s no
place at UCLA for such hateful, racist weeks,” he said,
referring to Amir Abdel Malik, a Mulsim speaker who supports Hamas
and is planning to speak on campus Thursday.

Morad said events promoting peaceful coexistence would carry
more significance for the UCLA community.

“If they bring speakers who want to live side by side with
Israel, that would be the most powerful statement they could
make,” he said.

But organizers of the events said the goal, rather, was to focus
on the issues that they feel are preventing the two groups from
reaching peace.

“(Terrorism and violence) is the first thing that comes to
mind usually when people think of Palestinians. We will show that
suicide bombings are a result of the oppression and the
occupation,” Sarsour said, adding that Palestinians would not
resort to such acts if they were not living in the poor conditions
she said are caused by Israeli policy.

Morad said Hamas, the current governing body of the Palestinian
people, is another obstacle to peace, as it does not recognize
Israel’s right to exist.

“The Israeli government is hoping for a partner for peace
so there will be two states living side by side, but Hamas
doesn’t even want to recognize Israel, … (and) because of
that, Israel has no partner for peace,” he said.

Members of the groups organizing the event said one of the
things that must be done is to eliminate some of the false
perceptions plaguing the Palestinian community.

“The misconceptions that are portrayed against the
Palestinians are standing in the way to peace in the

Holy Land,” said Adam Elsayed, vice president of the
Muslim Student Association, adding that peace is a universal goal
that can only be achieved through the elimination of these
obstacles.

Organizers said the speakers and activities of the week will
present a view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is often
not portrayed in the media.

Monday will feature a video presentation of various
students’ views of the situation, which will be followed by a
discussion moderated by a speaker.

The video shows a “diverse response from UCLA
students” and the presentation will address “why we as
Bruins should care; what our role is in the occupation; what we can
do to educate the community; and what the U.S. has to do with
it,” Sarsour said.

Norman Finkelstein, a professor at DePaul University and a
scholar of the conflict, plans to speak to UCLA students on Tuesday
and will provide students with an opportunity to listen to views
that are otherwise not accepted, Elsayed said.

Thursday’s planned event will feature guerilla street
theater, which will depict a typical day under the occupation
through the eyes of a citizen, Sarsour said.

The show will “give a course in the obstacle that Israel
has established that is hindering the process to peace,” she
said.

Organizers said they expect students to object to material
included in the presentations, but they want to give UCLA students
the opportunity to experience various viewpoints.

“We hope people will challenge us with academic
discourse,” Elsayed said.

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