The March 6 campus presentation “Israeli-Palestinian dialogue: We refuse to be enemies” by Israeli and Palestinian “peace activists” was grossly distorted, one-sided and counter-productive for advancing peace.

The speakers by and large failed to address the many stumbling blocks to peace (terrorism, refugees, borders, settlements, Jerusalem, water rights, etc.) and barely offered any positive suggestions for resolving the conflict. Instead, their presentations focused on besmirching Israel, hurling outright lies, half-truths and so-called “facts” crippled by crucial omissions.

The Israeli speaker belongs to a tiny fringe group called “Women in Black,” notorious for its nonconstructive self-hatred. She presented a long tirade of charges against various facets of Israeli society, mostly unrelated to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She offered not one positive remark about Israel.

The Palestinian speaker’s extreme charges against Israel were detached from the backdrop of Palestinian terrorism.

Neither speaker criticized Palestinian terrorism, which over the past 2 1/2 years has claimed the lives of hundreds of Israeli civilians and terrorized Israeli society on a daily basis.

Nor did they relate to the Palestinian educational system that preaches hate, advocates killing of Israelis and designates suicide bombers as role models for Palestinian youths; nor to the widespread corruption practiced by the Palestinian Authority; nor to the many Palestinian terrorist organizations sworn to the destruction of Israel; nor to the broader context of the Arab world’s rejection of Israel’s right to exist and multiple attempts since 1948 to destroy it by military force.

By presenting a grotesque, one-sided view of the conflict laying the blame solely on Israel, the two “peace activists” rendered themselves not credible and ineffective. Such activists, rather than offer a dialogue that might advance the cause of peace, strengthen animosity between Palestinians and Israelis.

Dr. Pnina Luban

Alumnus