By Mark Fleming, MSFS’13
A group of 24 MSFS students completed MSFS’s first student-run Spring Break trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The ten-day trip, organized by second-year International Relations and Security (IRS) concentrators Richard Priem and Fernando Heredia Noguer, introduced students to many different aspects of a region with an important role in international affairs.
“When I looked at the itinerary and saw the high-level contacts we were going to meet, I realized this was a rare opportunity,” first-year International Commerce and Business (ICB) concentrator Paloma Lopez Diez said. “I really liked the idea of meeting people from both sides of the conflict and learning different perspectives on the issue.”
The group had an ambitious goal for the fact-finding trip: to learn as much as possible about the history, politics and culture of Israel and the Palestinian Territories in nine days. To do this, they met politicians, NGO workers, businessmen, students and journalists to hear about their experiences and their predictions for the future.
“We spoke to Israeli and Palestinian government officials, politicians and activists with varying viewpoints,” first-year ICB concentrator Sean Walsh said. “It gave us a balanced view of the situation.”
The activities began shortly after the group arrived in Tel Aviv. The first event was an evening reception at the home of the Dutch Deputy Chief of Mission. There, the group mingled with young Dutch, American, Spanish, Russian and Colombian Foreign Service officers stationed in Israel to hear about their experiences as young diplomats in the region.
The group headed north from Tel Aviv to Haifa and Galilee, where they learned about Israel’s high tech industry and visited the campus of Technion, or the Israel Institute of Technology. They also made stops at the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum, a site allegedly containing not only the home of Saint Peter but also an ancient synagogue.
On top of Mt. Bental, overlooking the Quneitra crossing to Syria in the Golan Heights, IDF Liaison to the UN Disengagement Observer Force Major Jonathan Konrikus spoke to the group about the effects the Syrian conflict had on Israel’s security and the Golan Heights.
“Seeing the area firsthand gave us a better view of the security situation,” Walsh said.
Next, they made their way to Ramallah, the current administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority. There, they met with representatives of the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department to learn about the history of the negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel and the obstacles that peace negotiations face now. They also spoke to businessmen, Palestinian government officials and peace activists to gain a broader view of the situation.
From Ramallah, the group headed south to Jerusalem to meet Israeli and US government officials and also to see the historic and religious sites of the Old City. They spoke to well-known Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh as well as Gabriel Bach, a former Israeli Supreme Court judge who was the prosecutor for the Adolf Eichmann trial.
“It was amazing to see the mix of cultures and religions you could find in such a small city,” Lopez Diez said. “It was very interesting to listen to locals talking about how they perceive their current situation, their daily obstacles and their ideas about what the solution might be.”
To wind down after a week of non-stop travel and meetings, the group headed to the Dead Sea to float and enjoy the mineral mud and salt water, known for its health benefits. The side trip also represented a new record for MSFS: the largest MSFS gathering at the lowest point on the planet, more than 400 meters below sea level.
Ultimately, the trip taught MSFS students a great deal about a region that many had not previously visited and exposed them to its history and culture. Additionally, it contributed a lot to the sense of MSFS community by building strong bonds between students.
“I believe that I gained some real friendships on this trip, and that is what matters as part of the MSFS education,” first-year IRS concentrator Kathy Yao said.