Allegations in a recent lawsuit filed on behalf of a Jewish student at a Seattle high school hit close to home. The student’s parents allege their daughter was subjected to months of anti-semitic harassment after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent retaliatory strikes on Gaza.
That girl’s situation, though not as severe, is happening to numerous Jewish- and Palestinian-American students throughout our community. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
We are Jewish-American and Palestinian-American high school students. We are also friends, classmates and next-door neighbors. After Alex returned to the United States from Israel a few days after October 7 attack, he noticed the tension here regarding Israel and Palestine was in many ways as intense as it was in Israel.
Kenan observed that, at least online, many people were quick to insult, but slow to actually talk about the Middle East. We both saw people calling others stupid or wrong (and often much worse) instead of trying to engage with them solely because they had different perspectives. Dialogue about Israel and Palestine had broken down.
This lack of constructive dialogue about Israel and Palestine has been, and continues to be, a problem. Honest and open discussions can reduce animosity by humanizing “the other,” breaking down stereotypes and fostering understanding. Thoughtful exchanges on any difficult issue encourage critical thinking, humility, empathy and the recognition that multiple perspectives can coexist without violence or hostility.
Young people, especially today, need to learn how to listen and process ideas different from their own. That assertion is especially true in the age of social media, where talking and listening is further constrained, and groupthink runs rampant.
But constructive interactions, especially on the topic of Israel and Palestine, are difficult. To create good dialogue, listening skills, guidance from facilitators and the presence of an open mindset must guide the interaction. To assist with these vital discussions, we started Voices of Understanding, a non-profit that organizes facilitated, confidential video conversations between high school students who may have different opinions about Israel, Palestine and the Middle East.
By facilitating meaningful group and one-on-one discussions, Voices of Understanding aims to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes and build bridges of empathy and compassion. And, so far, it’s working. Participants have consistently said that these conversations have increased their understanding of a different perspective and built empathy and understanding around those divisive issues.
Of course, there are critics of dialogue programs like Voices of Understanding. Some say that there is no need for dialogue on Israel and Palestine because other ideas are not worthy of respect. But without discussion, no change will happen, and mistrust, violence and destruction will continue.
Other critics argue that dialogue can lead to “normalization.” In the context of Israel and Palestine, that word refers to initiatives that are seen as minimizing or ignoring the realities of injustice, occupation or violence by creating a superficial sense of normalcy or false equivalence between the two sides.
Yet merely engaging in respectful conversation does not mean accepting the status quo or normalizing injustice; nobody who is willing to listen to another should ever give up their desire for justice, however they define it. And what is the alternative? We know that the failure to talk and listen leads to distrust, stereotypes, dogmatism, groupthink, frustration, anger and hatred, results that should be unacceptable to all.
Others say that conversations between American high school students about Israel and Palestine will not change anything. Even though these difficult conversations surely will not end the violence in Israel and Palestine, these interactions remain important. By humanizing and trying to understand those who hold opposing perspectives, we can build a generation less susceptible to misinformation and hatred, and a world better equipped to build bridges toward a more peaceful future.
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