Conflict in the Middle-East: Levels of awareness vary among students

Violence between Israel and its surrounding states is a burning issue for virtually every person with the slightest sense of global awareness. Students at Albany High have mixed opinions on the subject. Some with families in the region are very passionate. Others “just don’t really care.” A number of students favor Israel, while others sympathize with Arab countries. But generally, students agree that all the bloodshed there is wrong.

It is a worldwide hope that peace treaties will end the violent rivalries between these conflicting states. But some students at Albany High School, such as junior Ohad Gilberg, who has lived in the areas involved and has heard the attitudes of the country’s people, feels that, “Arabs hate the people of Israel, and deep down, Israel doesn’t really want peace with their neighbors either… they both want each other out.”

Other students, such as junior Kamal Ghammache-Mansour who is of Lebanese ancestry, feels that peace is the only way to solve the disagreements there, and “has no problem with the people of Israel.”

Many students that side with one country or the other aren’t narrow minded about the matter, like Junior Daniel Cohen who, “definitely doesn’t side with Hezbollah, being Jewish and all, but (does) see where they come from…(and) can definitely understand an argument from either side.”

Although most Albany students didn’t have a personal involvement, they did “care about the problem, and feel for the people, but …don’t really know much about it.”

Ms. Mansourian, who teaches World Problems, noticed that a few kids “have very strong views” while most other students, “…(are) either not sure how to feel, or (are) a little intimidated if someone has a strong opinion.” She noticed that the majority of her students are just,“trying to learn about everything that’s going on (over there), so a lot of times they’re asking more factual questions, rather than having strong opinions.”

Many students at Albany are unaffected by the war, but like Daniel Cohen, they generally “don’t support people who support violence” regardless of ideology.

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