Daniel May, director of the student-led J Street U, and Uri Zaki, the U.S.A. Director for B’Tselem, emphasized the issues plaguing Israel and Palestine in a joint discussion to a packed room Thursday night.
“Israel cannot survive unless it lives next to a Palestinian state,” May said. “We have to ask ourselves how to harness the power we have, the political prowess we have, to address this circumstance.”
After May’s introduction to the evening, Zaki went on to discuss the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which he said was one of the most prominent yet undermined issues surrounding Israel.
“I don’t think that people realize how serious the issue of the settlements is,” said Danielle Fultz, a sophomore studying French and history and a co-founder of Ohio University’s branch of J Street U. “It’s a big obstacle Israel faces, and I’m glad Uri (Zaki) covered it.”
Zaki urged students and faculty to get involved and educate themselves on the facts surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as he provided the audience with statistics.
“I have a whole new understanding on possible two-state solutions and appreciation for the human rights efforts occurring in the Israeli and Palestinian areas,” said Kim Peshek, a junior studying psychology. “I would love to keep up with J Street’s activities and evolution on OU’s campus.”
