They spent equal amounts of time in Israel and Palestine and met with people from all persuasions and walks of life.
Thursday night, they shared their experiences to hundreds in a campus forum titled “Beyond Stereotypes: Faces and Voices of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.”
UCI has had a history of tension between Jewish and Islamic groups on campus, including allegations of anti-Semitism from speakers and threats to student safety.
But the members of the Muslim Student Union, Anteaters for Israel, Hillel, Society of Arab Students, Middle Eastern Studies Initiative and other groups didn’t raise the $60,000 for the trip just to trade accusations; they were changing their lives together.
From sitting in a cab and hearing the driver speak “Ara-Hebrew,” to going to the city of Hebron and seeing Jews and Muslims praying separately at the tomb of Abraham across a barred window, students poured out anecdotes that had shocked and surprised them.
One remembered seeing two roads splitting off in the same spot: one for Jews, and one for Muslims. Another, however, remembered a famous restaurant owned by a Jew and a Muslim that had outlasted being bombed and kept bringing people together.
The students, who on their own asked questions of business leaders and politicians and other residents, made an impression wherever they went, professor Manuel Gomez said.
Most memorable to him was the mayor of an Israeli settlement who said: “I’m impressed with you guys. I invited Condoleeza Rice here and she was afraid to come here. You guys had the courage to come here and look with your own eyes.”
