J Street UNC hosts a conflict discussion

J Street UNC’s public discussion about the Israeli and Palestinian conflict Wednesday welcomed anyone, even those with no prior knowledge of foreign policy.

“This is an event that is meant to reach a lot of people in the beginning of the year in two folds: to educate people about the conflict and the other being, in the beginning of the year, we want to be able to reach a lot of people,” said senior J Street UNC board member Brian Gaynor.

J Street is a student activist organization advocating for dialogue and education about the Israeli and Palestinian conflict.

Attendees heard personal accounts from J Street members, shared their own accounts and opinions and asked questions.

Sophomore board member Jessie Winfree shared her own personal experience of traveling to Israel for winter break in 2014.

“I was caught in the face of a dilemma when I got back to the U.S. What could really be done?” Winfree said.

Winfree said she stumbled across J Street in the Pit one day after she returned to the U.S. and felt compelled to join.

“I have an obligation as someone who is pro-Israel, as someone who cares about human rights — I need to take a stance,” Winfree said.

The array of attendees at this event ranged from students from the Middle East to students from the U.S. who had no idea there was conflict overseas.

Senior geography major Jack Largess shared his experience of traveling to Israel.

“I came here ’cause I’m really excited to see all of these people here,” said Largess.

“And I wanted to see what the response was in the group: how people were feeling, what people were saying and what J Street was up to.”

Largess said having the conversation about the two-state conflict is difficult most of the time and it is not a conversation he enjoys having.

“I reflect on the way police are treating people in the West Bank and compare it to the way police forces are treating people in the United States,” Largess said.

Senior board member Anna Ballasiotes said that she joined the group with no prior knowledge of Israel, Palestine or foreign policy.

“It didn’t really matter that I didn’t have a direct connection,” Ballasiotes said.

“What mattered was that I was bothered enough to take action and that I was bothered enough to devote time to working on this issue and trying to find something that will help it or fix it.”

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