
The morning I left for America, I finally had my interview with my friend Olivia Damm, who volunteered with Project Hope for three months in Palestine. I know I've been promising this interview for a while, and here it is! It was such a pleasure interviewing her because she is so passionate and educated about the subject, and she said she hopes to someday become a diplomat to the Middle East in order to reduce prejudices toward the Middle East by "bringing the beauty of the history and cultures of the Middle East closer to people in European societies"--and in this case North American ones too. She has certainly done that for me, so it is an honor to help her further her work. And did I mention that she is a total sweetheart?
I'm sad to say that the situation in Palestine has worsened, but the world is becoming more and more critical of Israel's actions, as you can read here. The events of the past few weeks have been awful, according to the Huffington Post, as of July 26th, over 1,000 people died in 19 days, hundreds of whom were children. In addition, this situation has impacted both Israeli and Palestinian people that I personally know.
Though the suffering of these people is terrible, this could be the event that helps bring the Palestinian cause into a more sympathetic light for the rest of the world, thus tipping the scales slightly more in their direction. However, their deaths will be meaningless if we don't educate ourselves about the situation, and that's where this video comes in. Just by educating yourself about the conflict, you make a difference, because you can listen to debates and commentary on the situation more critically. That's what we need before anything else can happen, a knowledgable mass of people.
I'm sad to say that the situation in Palestine has worsened, but the world is becoming more and more critical of Israel's actions, as you can read here. The events of the past few weeks have been awful, according to the Huffington Post, as of July 26th, over 1,000 people died in 19 days, hundreds of whom were children. In addition, this situation has impacted both Israeli and Palestinian people that I personally know.
Though the suffering of these people is terrible, this could be the event that helps bring the Palestinian cause into a more sympathetic light for the rest of the world, thus tipping the scales slightly more in their direction. However, their deaths will be meaningless if we don't educate ourselves about the situation, and that's where this video comes in. Just by educating yourself about the conflict, you make a difference, because you can listen to debates and commentary on the situation more critically. That's what we need before anything else can happen, a knowledgable mass of people.
Here is a list of the organizations Olivia mentioned in the video. If you click on the links, they will take you to their websites.
Project Hope This organization provides Palestinian children with opportunities to learn English, music, art, technology and sports.
BDS The movement's name stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. Their goal is to put international pressure on Israel through grassroots participation. De Paul recently divested in pro-Israeli companies because of a student BDS group.
Jewish Voice for Peace Their missions statement says "JVP seeks an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem; security and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians; a just solution for Palestinian refugees based on principles established in international law; an end to violence against civilians; and peace and justice for all peoples of the Middle East."
Medical Aide for Palestine They do exactly what the name of their organization says they do. You can donate to them, 90% of the money goes directly to the medical projects in Palestine. This is especially important right now, because there are so many civilians who are wounded or dying.
Ilan Pappe He is an internationally renowned Israeli historian and Activist.
I am aware that I might sound naive when I say that through international pressure, change in this situation is possible, however I truly do believe it. I'm not saying that it will be instantaneous, but I think that we can gradually change it, just as the Apartheid regime in South Africa changed. I know that the situation there is complex, and there is a history that goes beyond the last century, but if the Palestinians have a real voice, then true peace negotiations can begin.
Alright, well I hope you enjoyed/learned something from that interview. If you have any more questions for Olivia, just let me know and I will do my best to get some answers for you.
Thank you so much for your time, Olivia!
Rachel
Project Hope This organization provides Palestinian children with opportunities to learn English, music, art, technology and sports.
BDS The movement's name stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. Their goal is to put international pressure on Israel through grassroots participation. De Paul recently divested in pro-Israeli companies because of a student BDS group.
Jewish Voice for Peace Their missions statement says "JVP seeks an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem; security and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians; a just solution for Palestinian refugees based on principles established in international law; an end to violence against civilians; and peace and justice for all peoples of the Middle East."
Medical Aide for Palestine They do exactly what the name of their organization says they do. You can donate to them, 90% of the money goes directly to the medical projects in Palestine. This is especially important right now, because there are so many civilians who are wounded or dying.
Ilan Pappe He is an internationally renowned Israeli historian and Activist.
I am aware that I might sound naive when I say that through international pressure, change in this situation is possible, however I truly do believe it. I'm not saying that it will be instantaneous, but I think that we can gradually change it, just as the Apartheid regime in South Africa changed. I know that the situation there is complex, and there is a history that goes beyond the last century, but if the Palestinians have a real voice, then true peace negotiations can begin.
Alright, well I hope you enjoyed/learned something from that interview. If you have any more questions for Olivia, just let me know and I will do my best to get some answers for you.
Thank you so much for your time, Olivia!
Rachel