Egyptian-American and Tel Aviv University's Valedictorian, Haisam Hassanein, made a heartfelt speech about his experience in Israel as an Arab earlier this month — and suffice it to say, it surprised some people.
It's rare to find a person in the Arab world that has something positive to say about Israel, and is willing to defend it as a country. Egyptian attitudes toward Israel are still largely rooted to the Arab-Israeli War, even though Egypt was one of the rare countries in the region to achieve a peace treaty and to closely cooperate with Israel.
Tensions exist beyond the Middle East as well; Israel's standing in the international community is often rocky, despite support from its powerful allies that include the US and Germany.
One year after the Gaza war, reports by human rights groups have placed Israel under major scrutiny. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement against Israel's economy is gaining traction in individual organizations around the world.
So maybe it's difficult to agree with Israel's policies. But a simple speech, made by one man with Arab roots, can remind us a nation will never be a monolith; peace starts with individuals, willing to interact and learn from each other.
Here's the full video:
By Hayat Norimine
