Q&A with professor Shai Tamari

The strip of land known as Gaza has been at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in recent years.

Hamas, viewed by Israel and the U.S. as a terrorist organization, has been embroiled in violent conflict with the Jewish state. After facing repeated rocket attacks from groups in the strip, Israel responded with air strikes against Hamas-controlled targets before a ceasefire was implemented.

The Daily Tar Heel spoke with professor Shai Tamari, associate director of the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, about his thoughts on the conflict.

Daily Tar Heel: Are you personally familiar with the conflict in Gaza?

Shai Tamari: I was born and raised in Jerusalem and served in the Israeli military from 1994 to 1997.

Prior to becoming the associate director of the Middle East Center after getting my master’s degree in global history from UNC, I was a foreign policy adviser at Capitol Hill on this issue, among other things, and now I teach a course on it.

During the last surge of violence between the Israeli army and Hamas, I had the sense of deja vu. In 2006, when the Israel army and Hezbollah fought, I found myself calling and writing friends and family in northern Israel and in Beirut to check they were alright.

This time around, I found myself calling and writing friends and family in Israel and Gaza. This conflict would be much easier for me to deal with if I was one-sided.

DTH: Who do you know that has been affected by the conflict?

ST: I have family and friends on both sides — a sister in Jerusalem and a grandmother near Tel Aviv, and friends and family of friends in Gaza.

DTH: What are your thoughts on the rocket attacks and the air strikes?

ST: This conflict is not a military conflict but rather a political conflict that requires political solutions and not military solutions. Both sides are convinced they can provide military solutions but they will fail with that mindset. The political solution is dialogue.

I’m hoping in the future, rather than firing at each other first and talking after, they’ll talk first and not fire.

DTH: What do you think about the international response?

ST: Usually, we have a similar response to what goes on in that region — from the U.S., European Union and Arab countries. The U.S. replies with unconditional support to Israeli policies; Arabs are critical of Israel and support Palestine; the E.U. is divided between being critical of Israel or supportive of Israel.

I think the U.S. should support direct and indirect dialogue between Israel and Hamas as both sides have proven they can do that.

DTH: What do you think is the future of this conflict?

ST: The only way that this conflict is going to be resolved is if all sides are brought into the conversation — that includes both Hamas and Fatah (a Palestinian political party in the West Bank).

Unless there is reconciliation between two main parties within Palestinian society, Israel will have to deal with two separate entities, and will therefore be unable to come to a resolution.

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.