My Position

As I've indicated in previous posts, I have absolutely no knowledge on the Arab-Israeli conflict and what it entails, so I did not have a position or a stake in the matter.  After taking this class, I have become more aware of the situation and it has broadened my thoughts as well as making me more aware of what is going on around the world, and not just what affects me and my life.

It was really eye-opening to listen to the speakers that we had.  I enjoyed learning about the different perspectives of the people who are actually living through this conflict, as well as those who have extensively studied the topic.  I also think that the Karen Armstrong book gave me a better history of Jerusalem and the constant conflict that surrounds the city, even though I still may not understand all of it.  I also found it eye-opening to listen to my classmates thoughts and ideas about the conflict.  Most of you have some sort of background or identify with one group or the other, or you may have extensive knowledge about the conflict. Some of you have even visited Jerusalem.  I think that listening to my classmates was the most rewarding part of this class.

So after this semester, I still do not have an opinion or position on the conflict, but I did walk away with much more knowledge and awareness of this struggle.  I have learned to think about these issues in a different way and it has also made me become more aware of the other struggles that are occurring daily around the world.