The division runs deep through bloodlines, crossing oceans and leaving Israeli and Palestinian students in Maryland to grapple with conflict in their homeland as Israeli forces advance deeper in the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of civilians in their path to weaken Hamas militants.
“Every time something like this happens, we expect a backlash toward Israel,” said Omri Arens, 21, past president of the Pro-Israel Terrapin Alliance at University of Maryland, College Park.
“Our goal is to have a unified voice as students and bring together people that are pro-Israel and pro-Palestine to clear up any misunderstandings and work toward peaceful events.”
Arens said he wants Israeli and Arab students to put deep-rooted sentiments aside and organize a joint prayer for peace on the campus Mall when classes resume at the end of this month.
Arens, who was born in Tel Aviv, said he worries for his family members in the Israeli police force and friends in the Israeli military reserves who are waiting to be called for combat.
“It’s such a small country that everybody’s affected by it, and some Hamas rockets can reach more populated cities now, putting about 1 million Israelis in range of these rockets,” he said.
“It’s scary. They’re just attacking civilians and the rockets are so inaccurate, they can cause damage to the infrastructure.”
More than 900 Gazans, including more than 300 children, have been killed, according to the United Nations, but Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has vowed to push forward as long as Hamas continues launching rockets into southern Israel.
Both sides have rebuffed negotiations for a cease-fire, refusing to agree on the terms. Israel’s conditions include a stop to Hamas rocket fire and weapons smuggling from Egypt, whereas Hamas wants Israel to open all border crossings with Gaza and implement an international border to monitor the crossings.
The bloodshed comes at a time when thousands of Jewish-American students, including dozens from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Johns Hopkins University, Towson University and Goucher College, have planned birthright trips to explore their culture in Israel with the Taglit-Birthright Israel organization.
School officials were inundated with safety concerns from worried parents after Israel launched its offensive this past month, but Taglit-Birthright Israel officials notified them of security precautions and most students kept their reservations.
The group left this past weekend and plans to avoid areas of the West Bank, Gaza or East Jerusalem, according to Taglit-Birthright Israel’s Web site.
Since Hamas rockets have reportedly reached the city of Ashkelon, Baltimore’s sister city, the group also is expected to skip that stop and carry Global Positioning System devices tracked by Israeli government authorities.
Johns Hopkins University Rabbi Etan Mintz, who accompanied the students, could not be reached by e-mail Wednesday for updates on the group’s location.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
