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To Ramallah and Back: A Student's Take on Israeli Security
(Jewish News of Greater Phoenix) Mollie Adatto - This past month, I went on a trip to Ramallah with J Street. After we passed through a checkpoint, some students said they believed these checkpoints were unnecessary and caused emotional harm to the Palestinians. I said that I am extremely grateful for these checkpoints which ensure my safety and the safety of every Israeli. In Ramallah, I noticed how modern and beautiful the city was, as we drove past sushi restaurants and five-star hotels. Probably the strangest part of the entire trip was going to the PLO Headquarters to visit Yasser Arafat's memorial. I did not want to be disrespectful, but I in no way wanted to be mistaken as honoring him. I felt chills as I stood at the monument of the man who was thought of as a hero to the suicide bombers who killed so many Israelis over the years. On the way back to Jerusalem, we debriefed. The other students continued to speak emotionally rather than realistically. Taking down a checkpoint because you are "scared" is only going to make riding a public bus even scarier. What I found most upsetting was the reactions from my fellow students who were so out of touch with the Israeli reality. Too concerned with the feelings of the Palestinians, these students completely took for granted the safe environment the Israeli government and military has established. The writer, a student at American University in Washington, is an intern with the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs in Israel.