In the 61 years since the establishment of Israel, the region has seen constant conflict, several all-out wars and countless military and civilian deaths, on both sides. Politics have failed this tiny but crucial strip of land: politicians both inside and outside Israel/Palestine have consistently put their own interests before those of the Israeli and Palestinian people. It is, therefore, up to the people themselves, particularly the younger generation, to bring about the peace which the vast majority of them want. They can achieve this through working together, realizing that the factors which unite them are greater than those which divide them, and trying to dismantle the culture of hatred which exists on both sides of the all-too-literal fence.

Israel/Palestine is far more important in international politics than its size would suggest: it stands at a geographical, political and cultural crossroads between America and Europe and the Middle East, and the fires of conflict are fueled by money from outside. The West clings to Israel as its only true regional ally, first against Communism and now against Islamic fundamentalism; certain Arab leaders and, more recently, Iran publicly support the Palestinian cause (while cynically perpetuating the Palestinian refugee status in their own countries), in order to further their regional influence or divert attention from the problems their own countries face. Internal politics is no better, being more closely linked to external political and financial support than it is to the needs of the people; it is for this reason that the youth of both Israel and Palestine have such a crucial role to play if the conflict is to be resolved.

Further adding to these problems is the indoctrination - it is not too strong a word - to which Israelis and Palestinians are subjected from the earliest moments of their childhood. In religious services, at school and, even in the family home, children are taught only one side of a very complicated story. Read about the same topic in an Israeli and a Palestinian history textbook, and you could be forgiven for thinking you were reading about two completely separate things: both tell the truth, but neither comes close to telling the whole truth. Similarly, ask Israelis and Palestinians about their view of the Western press and both will overwhelmingly say, "They are against us." The fact is that there are valid arguments on both sides, but very few Israelis or Palestinians are familiar with those of the other side because any sort of support or even sympathy for the "enemy" remains taboo and unable to be discussed.

Shared Experience

Despite all of this, those young people who have the opportunity to meet their counterparts on equal terms, such as at summer camps, coexistence villages and groups, such as the East-West Divan Orchestra, all leave with a greater understanding of the people on the other side and often form friendships with those whom they had previously hated. Despite being so geographically close, Israeli and Palestinian young people have very little meaningful contact with each other¹. The first responsibility of young people who wish to be involved in the conflict should therefore be to actively seek knowledge and understanding of the other side by participating in projects such as those mentioned above. For example, at the Canadianbased Peace It Together camp, young Israelis and Palestinians are first paired off with each other to live together with families for two weeks² and then the whole group is brought together for a three-week camp, where they participate in activities such as making films about the conflict. In this way, the participants can see not only the humanity of the other side, but also the other view of the conflict and the effects of their own country's action. Their shared experience and the friendships which result also counter any prejudices which they may have had.

Unfortunately, the young people who are fortunate enough to have such opportunities remain a tiny minority in both Israel and Palestine; most other people are limited to the one-sided information described above. For this reason, those who are given that rare opportunity have an obligation to share what they have learnt and to bring home the knowledge and openmindedness which they have acquired through contact with their "enemy" counterparts. There are a large number of ways in which they could do this: to give a few examples they could give presentations at universities, write articles for local newspapers, or lead regular discussion groups with their peers.

While these accounts would undoubtedly be very useful, there is no substitute for first-hand experience and, if these young people feel that they have benefited from their experiences, then they would naturally want other people to have similar opportunities. They can make a difference simply by encouraging their friends to participate by recruiting for the organizations which run these programs, or even by setting up programs of their own. Such programs do not necessarily need to have a political motive - in fact, it might be better that they do not - but rather simply to bring more people together and allow them to benefit from contact with each other. The East-West Divan Orchestra is an example of how one man, Daniel Barenboim, took his own passion for classical music and applied it to the principle of bringing Israeli and Palestinian youths³together. While few people have the resources and prestige to operate on the same scale, it serves as an excellent indicator that just about anything which can be done, can be done under the aegis of bringing people together - the cornerstone of a meaningful peace. Whatever their passion, be it the arts, sport, travel or an infinite number of possibilities, young Palestinians and Israelis can use it to further the prospects for peace.

Finally, young people committed to achieving peace must realise that they face an uphill battle against the institutionalization and normalization of the status quo which pervades every level of their societies, from Farfour Mouse, the Hamas-created television character who urges jihad to his juvenile audience4, to the compulsory military service which all young Israelis face and during which their duties will often amount to nothing more than manning checkpoints in an occupied land. Those who would prefer to talk meaningfully about peace, rather than simply vilifying those on the other side, must take every reasonable step, provided that it does not put them in danger, to resist and protest against this situation. They might, for example, protest against compulsory military service, campaign for a more balanced history curriculum at schools, or advocate the removal of all political discussion from religious services and children's television, where a teacher or presenter with his own political agenda can preach to a captive audience. If young people were not forced to participate in the conflict against their will, the problem would be half solved and so it is even more important for those young people who have escaped the cycle of indoctrination to do everything in their power to see that future generations are not also subjected to it.

There is hope for a peaceful resolution to the Israel/Palestine conflict and that hope is the younger generation on both sides. And more and more youths are challenging the traditionally held views of "us" against "them" and seeking to find a solution together, through mutual respect and understanding - the only valid path forward, as the fates of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples are inextricably intertwined. By learning about the other people and spreading this knowledge, by encouraging and enabling others to do the same, and by confronting the institutions which would prevent them from doing so, this generation of Palestinians and Israelis can work towards a future in which they might coexist peacefully.