When people ask me what my position is in regards to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict I am always reluctant to answer.  It is a sensitive, complex issue that involves two incredibly different cultures. Over the summer break I traveled to Turkey for a month or so where I met a young Palestinian named Daniyah Alamein.  She is a nineteen year college student who had recently emigrated from the West Bank. Daniyah and I quickly became friends and she was kind enough to share her story with me. In my understanding that the Palestinian conflict was an issue of territory but Daniyah gave me a gripping personal account that shed light on the human aspect of the situation.

During her time in the West Bank, Daniyah lived with her eldest brother. Her father was killed after it was discovered that he was a member of a Palestinian terrorist group and her mother died the year after from cancer. She wanted to continue her education but her family could no longer afford it. “It’s like the world has forgotten about us” she said, “every day we look for a reason to live” Poverty runs rampant in the region and unemployment is one of the major issues discussed by the Palestinian National Authority or the Palestinian government. 

The scarcity of water is another major issue. With the limited supply, Israel has reserved for its own use a large percentage of the water in West Bank aquifers. As a result, many terrorist organizations were formed. Israel responded to Palestinian violence at the beginning of the Oslo accords, the negotiations, by limiting the flow of Palestinian workers to Israel to prevent infiltration of terrorists, and by strict checks at border checkpoints. The border closing drastically reduced the Palestinian standard of living. Palestinians who did come to work were often subjected to humiliating searches and very long waits at checkpoints. For many of the youth living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, terrorist attacks have become a major form of expression. They are symbolic of the internal upheaval and repression within the region. Daniyah told me at one point she considered joining one of these group. “I wanted to make an impression” she said, “I wanted a purpose.” Despites the effort made by the Palestinian government and the UN to provide financial aid, the system is failing the Palestinian youth. Their resources are limited and education is becoming some what of a luxury. They are left with an uncertain future and the responsibility of resolving the conflict. “We just can’t seem to agree” said Daniyah, “I feel helpless at times.” Those in a position in a power, especially the UN have a responsibility to those living under the occupation and we have to be conscious of the messages we send by allowing the occupation to continue.

Last year, Daniyah created My Palestine, a blog asking people what Palestine means to them. I directed the same question to her and she simply responded,  

“It’s my heritage, it’s my identity.” Daniyah is currently a political science major and hopes to return to her native West Bank to help mediate discussions with the Israeli government. I think the conflict has elevated, it has become more than a territorial issue. If we can look past the politics and understand that behind this conflict there are every day people paying the price on both ends. “It’s not about winning or beating them, it’s about the future of Palestine”, said Daniyah. We need to approach the conflict with that exact mentality. With out mutual respect and understanding a resolution cannot be reached and an independent Palestine cannot be developed.