10 Students Travel to Israel and Palestine as part of Dr. Levin’s ‘Fault Lines in Israel and Palestine’ Course

On April 25th, ten students, including myself, went to Israel and Palestine for a 10-day trip to learn about the ongoing conflict in the region. The trip was part of a political science class taught by Dr. Jamie Levin. The course aimed to foster empathy, curiosity, and a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Students in the program had to write an essay to earn their spot in the program and then attend pre-departure lectures to prepare. The hope is for the program to continue bi-yearly, so those interested should contact this year's participants with any questions about their experience!

Some participants in the course had prior knowledge of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whereas others had little. Before departure, students had to finish several readings and lectures. Regardless of pre-departure ability, all students can now agree they have a much deeper, personal connection and understanding to Israelis and Palestinians. Kyra Campbell, a now StFX graduate, says that when she heard about the course, she knew she wanted to learn more through Dr. Levin's Fault Lines Israel-Palestine course.

Mejdi Tours was the company that led the students across the region. This type of tour was particularly unique because it had a dual narrative approach, meaning we didn't just hear from Israelis or Palestinians. We heard from both sides, thus understanding both viewpoints rather than just one. Katherine Starr, a fourth-year PGOV student, expands on this, "The goal of the trip was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the conflict and the fault lines that separate Israelis and Palestinians. This was achieved through a dual-narrative approach, conducted by our tour guides (one Israeli and another Palestinian) and by the different people we met along the way." Ms. Campbell continues, "The importance of narratives was central to our studies on the ground, as we got to hear perspectives from illegal settlers, activists, businesspeople, and more, who we could tell each cared for the region immensely. The ability to be in Jerusalem allowed us to see the divide between right and left firsthand, as many of us got a once-in-a-lifetime experience to observe pro and anti-judicial overhaul protests, with both sides protesting in the name of democracy."

The trip consisted of ten jam-packed days. Students began in Jerusalem, stayed in the Sea of Galilee, and ended in Tel Aviv. There were many more stops along the way, from visiting the Jordan River to the Masada desert, and students saw a bit of everything. Although the trip was educational and for course credits, this class differed from a regular, boring class in Mulroney Hall. From visiting and floating in the unsinkable Dead Sea to going out in the markets and bars, class dinners, walks on the beach, meeting unforgettable people, and even getting tattoos for some, the trip was something students will never forget. Ms. Starr says, "Some of my favorite moments on this trip included speaking with locals from various backgrounds, religious and political affiliations about their views, hopes, and opinions on life in Israel, the conflict, and prospects for peace more broadly. Each day was jam-packed with visits to holy sites, renowned markets, political institutions, and neighborhoods where we met with locals, community leaders, peace activists, and journalists, each with their own stories to share." Katherine added that the food deserved an honorable mention, saying, "it was some of the most delicious food I have ever had. From homemade hummus and baba ghanoush to kebabs and shawarma to baklava and halva, the food in Israel was unmatched."

By the end of the trip, many students could agree their outlook and perspective had changed. Many of us can relate what we learned in Israel and Palestine to here in Canada. We look down on Israelis for occupying lands and committing human rights violations, yet, we do and have done the same here. Kyra expands on this when discussing one of the speakers we listened to, a Jewish woman who lived in the West Bank, saying, "a settler in the West Bank believed it was her right to live there based on religious and historical grounds and hoped for a one-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians would live together but that Palestinians would not have equal rights such as voting. Coming from Canada, a settler-colonial nation, and as a settler trying to work towards reconciliation, it was heart-wrenching to see Palestinians living and dying in refugee camps still with the hope of returning to their family's homes."

This article could be pages and pages long if every thought, experience, and lesson was listed from this trip. I am thankful, as well as the rest of the class, for the opportunity to go on this trip, the lessons learned, and our changed outlook. The lessons from this trip will follow us wherever we go, whatever path we take, thanks to the Mulroney Institute and the Tanenbaum Foundation, who heavily subsidized this learning opportunity and once-in-a-lifetime trip for all ten of us.