Searching for Empathy in Israel and Gaza

Finding Common Ground

The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict trace back centuries. Israelis and Palestinians have cultural, religious, and social differences, but have shared space for a long time. In 1948, Israel became an independent state, creating a refugee population of Palestinians as Israel expanded its borders. Certain areas in Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza, are occupied by Palestinians, while some areas like Jerusalem have both Israelis and Palestinians living among each other. The result has been segregation between the groups within Israel and a lack of empathy for others. Listen to hear the different opinions among Israelis and Palestinians.

Listening Comprehension Questions

• What do Israelis and Palestinians disagree about?
• Do all Israelis agree with each other about the conflict with Palestinians? Do all Palestinians agree with each other?
• Why are certain areas blocked off to either Israelis or Palestinians?
• Why do some people believe that the conflict is made worse by a lack of empathy?
• What does Tamar Hermann mean when she says that her kids "imagine things" about Palestinians?

Classwide Discussion Questions

• Who is in favor of segregation?
• What are their reasons for supporting it?
• Who is against segregation?
• What are their reasons for opposing it?
• Do you think segregation is necessary to keep the peace?

Discussion Themes

• What do you think could be consequences of this segregation for the Middle East?
• What advice would you give people in Israel if you could?
• Do you think there are generational differences in your society? What are they?
• What is the impact of making generalizations about an entire group of people?

Republished with permission form Listenwise.