Entry Two: The Threat of Gaza to Israel

The Threat of Gaza to Israel was the title of one of the break out sessions I was to attend on Monday. It was about the conflict, and realistically how much damage Gaza could do. I had been looking forward to learning about it, however, Monday morning we woke up to the news that Gaza had fired a rocket 20 miles outside of Tel Aviv.

This theoretical discussion had suddenly become very real. Israel is one of the biggest moral conflicts I struggle with. I think about it every day, and I am at a loss of what to do. The Jewish side of me believes that Israel should have a state, that there is a long history of discrimination, and that there is no question on the matter. The human rights activist side of me has some serious issues with the country.

In the break out session, we talked a lot about life in Gaza. The strip is extremely over populated, left without any water, and half of the citizens are under 25. They live in unbearable conditions, and need to be treated better. They are lead by a recognized terrorist organization, and Israel refuses to negotiate with them. Additionally, Hamas believes that Israel does not have the right to exist.

There is no simple fix here, and there is no question as to why the rockets started flying on Monday. This oppression has to stop, but there is not a clear way on how to solve it. These conversations are so important to have, because the hypothetical situation can turn real very quickly.