Tensions may be too intense right now to implement a successful solution. But we can take steps to improve the situation and then a solution can be successful. There needs to be a focus on improving tolerance and acceptance of the other side and I believe this should start with the children.
If the Children living in Palestine and Israel are only told the stories of how the other people have done their people wrong, the conflict will never improve. This only encourages the “Us vs Them” mentality that is why I think tolerance programs need to be emphasized in classrooms. Hands in Hands are schools that focus on bilingual education and the school has an equal number of Arab and Israeli students with one Israel teacher and one Arab teacher. Students learn side by side and play with one another. Arabs have sleepovers at Israelis and vice versa. This is a link goes to a Youtube video that explains the school’s setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seblkkKosXk
To the Isreali children, the Arabs are their friends with many similarities to them. The same is felt by the Arab children. Below is an excerpt of an article entitled Peace Studies: The Children of Israel:
Two members of the fourth-grade class, Yazid Ershed, the Arab boy, who asked about the drinks machines, and Aviv Pek, the Jewish girl, who asked about the library, have grown up together in the school having been at the kindergarden together. Discussing what the school means to them yesterday, they completed each other's sentences several times. "I like the school and I really like the teachers," says Aviv. "I have lots of Arab friends. One of my best friends is an Arab girl and, of course, she comes to my house."
The point is echoed by Yazid: "I have Jewish friends too," he says. "We go to each other's houses. We play football, we play with computers or we just talk."
My thinking is that if kids begin to see the enemy as people with feelings and many similarities, acceptance will increase. The more people stop focusing on the differences and get to know people from the other side, I believe the focus will shift to how to deal with how to improve the situation. According to the students at Hands in Hands:
Conscious that outside the school Jewish and Arab children remain segregated, Yazid says: "If they all went to school together there would be no war. They would live next to each other in peace and not fighting each other." What did their friends from segregated school think about them coming here? "When I tell them I go to a Jewish Arab school, they are very surprised," says Yazid. "They don't understand it." Aviv recalls: "A woman who is a neighbour started shouting at my father: 'Poor girl, what is she going to learn from the Arabs?' She doesn't understand that Arabs have a life, they are nice people and not the monsters of the city."
The students understand and know their friendships are not accepted but this does not stop Israelis and Arab children from becoming friends at this school. These children will grow up with the memories of these friends they made at this school. Even though their lives may end up going in separate directions, these children will still have the understanding the other side is not that much different. Then maybe, they can take the steps to improve life in Jerusalem.
I like your idea Britany. But, can you ever humanize a thief? a killer? a criminal? For me i was taught by my parents and family to respect others, that i can coexist beside others, and to look at others not only as enemies, but as humans in one way or another, but i as human being cannot tolerate what the occupation forces are doing to my people and country, i cannot forget neither forgive. I think history is history, and no one will ever lie to his/her children regarding history and stories from real ground just to take the chance of teaching tolerance, based on no ground.
ReplyDeleteWhat i think of a solution is JUSTICE and EQUALITY, once these are given to Palestinians, then peace can take place.
I agree Amer, one cannot forget what their families have suffered, but history is not history, history is in the perspective of narrator. Also, the students who go to this school understand the conflict around them, and they have to deal with neighbors and friends who don't understand this type of bilingual setup, yet they continue to befriend the opposite side. I believe this is hope that people can some day look pass the past.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is as simple as you are saying. But history is the experience that we faced, passed through, suffered, and are facing. This is the history that no one (from both sides) can forget.
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