As I walked into Chapman’s interfaith center one late afternoon for a conversation between a Palestinian man and a Jewish woman, I was unsure of what to expect. In recent months, the conflict of Israel-Palestine has become more and more divisive, leading to an uptick in polarity, hate speech, and misinformation. Even on Chapman’s sheltered campus, tens of thousands of miles away from Gaza, hostilities against Arab and Jewish students have arisen. As a peace studies student, conflicts like these are the bread and butter of our curriculum, but I wondered, how would other people in the Chapman community react? 

This question was answered as the room flooded with more and more people, new chairs being added at the ends of rows to fulfill the demand. Regardless of personal stance on the issue, those in attendance were there to learn from two experts in the field, and for the next hour and a half, we learned about a friendship that persevered because of a shared desire for understanding. Mira Sucharov had an interesting perspective as a Jew from Canada, who although is not an Israeli citizen, feels a deep personal connection to the country. Omar Dajani is an American born Palestinian whose father fled the country after Israeli occupation. Together these scholars have traveled to Israel-Palestine, teaching one another about their own perspectives on the region and sharing personal experiences. 

As Omar and Mira talked, I was surprised with their friendly repertoire with one another. It was obvious that although they are coworkers, they have a friendship beyond their work. This makes it all the more interesting that at times, they are forced to call one another out on issues in which they disagree. For example, Mira told the story of a recent New York Times article reporting on sexual violence against Israeli’s by Hamas. While Mira saw this as a legitimate source, Omar viewed the article as a potential catalyst for Palestinian hate, and questioned the validity of the claims within the article. It is moments like these in which Mira and Omar’s differing backgrounds shape their context and opinions. Although for some these conflicts could splinter a working relationship and friendship, Omar and Mira took the time to reflect on a middle ground, and how they could agree on legitimate sources in the future. To me, this serves as a prime example on the way to peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict. First, the acknowledgement of differing experience, and then finding what facts or emotions can be mutually agreed upon. 

Throughout the discussion, I was left with the impression that Omar and Mira wanted to clarify they had a unique position within this conflict. While they are both individually affected, they are also a degree of separation from the conflict- neither of them currently residing in Israel-Palestine or experiencing the horrors of war. This allows them to come to mutual understandings that others in the line of direct fire may not have the chance to. Regardless of this separation however, they are experiencing the pain and fear that Jews and Palestinians are feeling across the world. Omar’s fear of what comes tomorrow, and how long suffering will continue. The pain of hate speech within their own communities, where Mira’s children have expressed a fear to show their Jewishness. While these tensions remain, the friendship between Mira and Omar serves as a hope for what tomorrow could hold, a world in which everyone can see their shared humanity.