An Israeli soldier aims his gun at a Palestinian mother and child.

This image was one of several photographs displayed during the slideshow portion of “Palestine 101,” a presentation in the Gallery Room of the Memorial Union on Tuesday.

The slideshow drew parallels between the deaths of Palestinians resulting from violence in the Middle East and the genocide of the Holocaust by presenting explicit photographs of murdered Palestinians and concentration camp victims in Poland.

“Palestine 101,” organized by the ISU Muslin Student Association, was designed to educate the ISU community about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It also featured traditional Palestinian folk songs, art and poetry, as well as political cartoons by contemporary Palestinian cartoonists Naji Al-Ali and Emad Hajjaj were also presented.

The highlight of the evening was a discussion panel composed of Palestinian students and Iowa residents.

Betsy Mayfield, an Ames resident and educator who has taught in the Middle East, encouraged people to become aware of the volatile situation in the Holy Land.

“As Americans, we can become complacent to what is happening elsewhere in the world,” Mayfield said. “We’re afraid to admit our own culpability and not worry about people in other countries.”

Mayfield said Americans should take responsibility for their actions by “electing officials who refuse to support violence.”

“We should not, through the arrogance of power, choose leaders for other people,” Mayfield said.

Osama Saba, graduate student at the University of Iowa, relayed his experiences about growing up in the Middle East. Saba said living in Palestine was like living under “apartheid rule but worse.”

“Our level of normalcy is different than yours,” Saba told the audience of approximately 75. “Hopefully through these stories of differences, we can find some similarities.”

At least one member of the ISU community felt the presentation would have been more complete with dialogue from both Palestinians and Israelis, however.

“I just think it would be a lot more objective to hear both sides,” said David Eggert, an ISU campus minister. “There should be a campus-wide discussion with both sides represented.”