conversations

I've had so many conversations with people since I've been here. With Palestinian students, Bahjat, Saneen and Ashraf I've discussed their situation a bit. With Ashraf, about the ignorance of the Palestinian situation and the misinformation provided by the U.S. news media. How can these people, in good conscience, present a situation so that everything is turned upside down? How is it that they can try to make people feel that they want to be on the side of the Israelis when so much of the problem lies with the Israelis themselves? It is baffling and the injustice and damage that it does to the Palestinian plight is so painful. I asked him if there were tensions between Christian and Muslim Palestinians and he mentioned that there probably would be more, but that they are united by their mutual oppression. They both suffer under the Israeli rule.

With Bahjat and Saneen, discussing the Christian-Muslim situation was interesting. The vast majority of Middle Eastern Christians I've spoken to (thinking back to Egypt) has been dead set against Islam. They are firmly unconvinced that inter-marriage does not work which, in their context, is definitely true. The Christian will always be forced to convert. Such a marriage would cause – and has caused – a riot within the village. If the other person does not convert to Islam, they could possibly be killed!
The thing is, though, it seems as though each side thinks that things can only be good if it goes their way and I have to wonder if they are simply two sides of the same coin. I mean, from his perspective, the Christians (currently) are not nearly as violent and I hope he's right, but both sides are so unmoving. And, it's been this way for so long...it just seems as though one might try a less staunch approach. Or, at least, a non-violent one. But, I suppose that this is easy for me to say, not having had to endure 8 hours at various checkpoints to get around, having to apply for a passport in a neighboring country in order to study somewhere...right now, a Palestinian nationality is an albatross around one's neck. But, I do sort of understand why they keep it there. I suppose hope is always an option.