To buck the trend of political conflict between Israel and Palestine, UNC’s relevant campus organizations should work together to draw attention to this conflict’s humanitarian issues — outside of the politics.
In light of last week’s political rally about the conflict, it might seem as though student organizations are too starkly opposed to find a common cause.
However, the sometimes — but not always — stark differences in policy stances are all the more reason for interested UNC campus organizations to foster their already positive relationships by publicly coming together around the loss of life on both sides of the conflict.
Hillel’s national policy states that campus chapters can’t co-sponsor events with political organizations that have differing policy views on certain issues, such as supporting divestment from or sanctions against Israel.
This applies even to events where co-sponsoring organizations have the same views about the purpose of the event, such as fostering respectful dialogue or honoring lives lost, regardless of which side they were from.
UNC’s chapter of Hillel should lobby Hillel’s national organization to adjust policy to allow for decisions about co-sponsorship to be made on a case-by-case basis.
This could allow organizations like J Street, Hillel and Students for Justice in Palestine to work together on those issues where they do have common ground.
If organizations can adamantly oppose each other’s views on a conflict currently raging continents away but can mourn the deaths on both sides as one, they would prove UNC students to be more capable of mature and compassionate relations than most international political leaders.
