Following the outbreak of protests against the pending evictions of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem this past May, my Instagram feed exploded. Observers were quick to take sides on the conflict in the form of conflicting, and sometimes false, narratives.
Home to several generations of Palestinian families displaced during the 1948 war, Sheikh Jarrah, which was under Jordanian jurisdiction between 1948 and 1967, has been the site of increasing tensions in recent years, with both Israeli claims and Palestinian counterclaims over ownership of the land. Today, Palestinians who face eviction have few options for relocation, many becoming refugees once again.
Growing up in the D.C. area, with its 24-hour news cycle, I was not surprised to see classmates and friends turning to virtual outlets to express their opinions or share those of others. I have often done the same. In the age of social media, this is what our generation does, but that does not mean it’s advisable. There’s a risk that in the haste to be spontaneous, timely, and relevant (or so we think) our reaction is emotional rather than objective or analytical and contributes to the absolutism we may think we are confronting. Having been exposed to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through my father’s work and having both Palestinian and Israeli friends, I found myself struggling to understand how I could contribute meaningfully when positions appear rigid and immutable. Over the course...
Read Full Story: https://georgetownvoice.com/2021/09/11/international-activism-israel-palestine/
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