What did you do this summer? I've heard and asked this question innumerably in my first month back at UW-Madison. People responded with ""I worked,"" ""I volunteered"" or ""I took classes."" So, what do I answer to the most popular ice-breaker? I went to Israel. In response, I frequently am asked, ""Didn't you feel unsafe?"" ""Weren't you scared?""
The truth is, I felt safe in Israel. My trip to Israel was, in general, similar to experiences in other countries: days packed with traveling, visiting historical sites, eating delicious food, learning a foreign language and diving into another culture.
This is not, however, the Israel portrayed in the news—a place wrought with constant violence. Politicians, newscasters, pundits and many college students draw conclusions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without developing a comprehensive understanding of the issues. With the ""Arab Spring"" influencing world politics and garnering endless international attention, many UW-Madison students have been skeptical about my experiences in Israel.
I challenge students to develop an understanding of Israeli-Palestinian relations and conflicts before blindly believing media spins and myths.
Israel longs for peace as much as any other nation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to the US Congress in May stated, ""all six Israeli prime ministers since the signing of the Oslo accords [in 1993] agreed to establish a Palestinian state, myself included.""
The peace process in the Middle East is dependent on the cooperation of both Israelis and Palestinians. Israel has invited leaders of the Palestinian Authority to peace negotiations and made many generous offers. However, even when offered complete military control of the Gaza Strip and 97 percent of the West Bank, the Palestinians consistently refuse to recognize Israel. Last week, the Palestinian Authority began seeking unilateral statehood recognition at United Nations. Their hope is to delegitimize Israel as a country by attempting to isolate it on an international stage. With no intent to enter into any conversations with Israel, the Palestinians are undermining all Israeli efforts toward peace.
""Palestinians and Israelis should sit down together and negotiate an agreement of mutual recognition and security,"" said Netanyahu in a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama on Sept. 21. ""This is the only way to get to a stable and endurable peace.""
Since its foundation, the State of Israel has offered an outstretched hand to achieve peace with its neighbors. Supporting peace through direct negotiations is the only way to obtain true and lasting peace in the Middle East.
So take a minute and educate yourself on the issues facing Israelis and Palestinians. And, if you have the chance, visit Israel. The country's natural and cultural beauty may inspire you, as it did to me, to learn the truth in pursuit of peace.
Natanya Russek is a sophomore majoring in biology-neurobiology and modern Hebrew. Send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
