Events to focus on Middle East

By Peijean Tsai
Daily Bruin Contributor

The escalation of violence in the Middle East over the past few
weeks has resulted in many rallies near campus, but UCLA students
are now shifting the focus from chants and signs to discussions and
debate.

Two events Thursday ““ a “speak out” sponsored
by UCLA’s Peace and Justice Coalition and a “Palestine
and Non-violent Resistance” forum put on by the off-campus
Muslim Public Affairs Council ““ will focus on raising
awareness and educating students about the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict in the Middle East, event sponsors said.

The events follow after a weekend of rallies at the Westwood
Federal Building. On Saturday, an estimated crowd of 2,000 people
held a pro-Palestinian rally, while a similarly-sized group
defended Israel’s actions and condemned Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat Sunday.

Students need to be educated so they can think critically
instead of only believing what the media reports, Mohammad
Mertaban, a third-year psychobiology student and publisher of
Al-Talib newsmagazine, said of the events later this week.

The speak out will feature various leaders of the groups from
the Peace and Justice Coalition as well as speeches about the
Middle East conflict.

The Peace and Justice Coalition is a union of student groups,
including Muslim Student Association, MEChA, African Student Union,
Samahang Pilipino, Asian Pacific Coalition, Vietnamese Student
Union, Concerned Asian Pacific-Islander Students for Action, United
Arab Society, Iranian Student Group, and Pakistani Student
Association.

“If only one person is educated, we will have met our
goal,” Mertaban said.

Students should be aware of what might not be shown by the media
regarding the conflict in the Middle East, said Mostafa Mahboob, a
fourth-year history student and editor of Al-Talib.

Some students have different ideas about what it means to be
educated.

Justin Levi, a third-year political science and history student
and president of JSU, said the best way for students to be educated
is to keep an open mind from prior conceptions.

Most people understand the Palestinian side of the debate
““ that the Palestinians are trying to claim their own state
““ but few have tried to understand why Jews are defending
Israel, Levi said.

“We view Israel as the most important extension of Jewish
survival,” Levi said.

But while some believe Israel is defending itself, others
associate Israel with oppression.

“Students should try to make a difference because our tax
money is sent to Israel to oppress the Palestinians,” Mahboob
said, referring to the United States’ financial support of
Israel.

Mohamed Jukaku, a third-year computer science student and a
member of MSA and the Peace and Justice Coalition, supports overall
peace in addition to taking a “pro-Palestine”
viewpoint.

While he supports Palestinian resistance, Jukaku does not agree
with Palestinian’s “killing of innocent
children.”

Maraam Haddad, a second-year psychology student and a member of
the UAS, advocates “justice for both peoples,” saying
that both Palestinians and Israelis should have the right to defend
themselves on their homelands.

Thursday’s events are not meant to focus on taking sides,
but to call for an end to world injustice, Mertaban said.

“We are protesting for humanity. People who are standing
up against Palestine need to realize this,” he said.