Campus Conflict
How do we talk about Israel and Palestine?
BY SOPHIA GOETZ
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The slogan, typed in bold on what seemed to be more than a hundred flyers taped up across a wall in the Nicholson building, loudly proclaimed Palestine’s outcry against the violence happening in the Gaza Strip. Only a few blocks away, outside of Hillel, the university’s Jewish student organization, displayed names and pictures, and asked for aid in returning home six of the many Israeli civilians pronounced missing in the wake of the terror attack on Southern Israel.
Following the ongoing conflict within Israel and Gaza, the most prevalent inquiry amongst American talk programs, commentators, and partisans seems to be the emotional state of college students. While certainly, the Western response to the conflict is relevant, the excessive focus on college campuses exacerbates the challenges faced by students attempting to understand the complex situation in the Middle East. Amidst the prevailing instances of severe violence occurring abroad, the emphasis placed on collegiate pursuits serves as an indication of the self-centered nature of American egotism. If anyone actually possesses a desire to get insight into the experiences of American college students, I assert that it is imperative for students themselves to narrate their own stories.
At the University of Minnesota, as is the case at a multitude of American universities, academic classes have proceeded as scheduled, social gatherings have persisted, and student organizations continue to distribute promotional materials across campus. The experiences of Palestinian and Israeli students have been disrupted, deviating from their typical routines. During lectures, many utilize WhatsApp in order to assess the well-being and whereabouts of their loved ones to determine whether they are alive, deceased, missing, or subject to torture. They endeavor to engage in social activities, wondering whether or not it’s apparent to others that their minds are thousands of miles away. And of course, it is important to note that there exists an abundance of protests, “hot takes,” and analysis on various social media platforms that are always available to engage in.
As a student during this time, I myself have consistently encountered a sense of dissatisfaction with organizations that espouse propagandistic ideologies and assert their entitlement to unwavering backing for their respective “side.” The primary objective of higher-education institutions should be to foster the growth and cultivation of ideas and solutions. It is no wonder that students here on campus are not exempt from the dissemination and platforming of certain abhorrent points of view that have arisen at the behest of a biased self-education on the matter.
However, no college student should be made to feel uncomfortable on campus because of their opinions or convictions. Every viral soundbite and rally video that appears on our screens creates the impression that college campuses are extremely unfriendly to any student who dared to express support for the Israeli people during their most difficult time. Even though some students may be ignorant or misinformed in their analysis, I think that most students truly care about all citizens harmed by the terror attack on Israeli soil and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
As a college student living during the age of information, I believe that the dissemination of harmful ideas is not halted by intimidation. People are significantly more prone to give in to biased tendencies when they feel threatened. College students who are bullied into silence run the risk of having their opinions reinforced rather than being receptive to argument. The result is doubling down firmly, and the cycle keeps going. Simultaneously, most students, driven by compassion and curiosity to learn, are frequently hesitant to look for knowledge on sensitive subjects or participate in any kind of meaningful conversation. Every pupil feels less comfortable in an environment like this.
We are all learning how to survive in a brutal world where horrors like these are allowed, and we are all in need of compassion but college students now more than anyone else. As a university community, we need a space of our own where we can grieve and offer prayers for our fellow human beings.