VO 1: THIS IS NOT AN OPINION PIECE, THIS IS A TRUE STORY OF SOMEONE’S EXPERIENCE. THIS IS A WAY TO ALLOW OTHERS TO SHARE THEIR STORY WITH THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON THROUGH YOU ARE HERE. I AM NOT HERE TO BE THEIR VOICE BUT TO PROJECT THEIR VOICE FROM A PLATFORM SO OTHERS MAY HEAR IT.

VO 2: ACCORDING TO REUTERS, ONE OF THE LARGEST NEWS AGENCIES IN THE WORLD, THE ORIGIN OF THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR IS ROOTED IN ISRAELI DEMANDS FOR SECURITY IN WHAT HAS BEEN LONG REGARDED AS A HOSTILE MIDDLE EAST AGAINST PALESTINIAN ASPIRATIONS FOR A STATE OF THEIR OWN. IN 1947, THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AGREED ON A PLAN TO PARTITION PALESTINE INTO ARAB AND JEWISH STATES. THIS WAS FOR THE SAKE OF INTERNATIONAL RULE OVER JERUSALEM. JEWISH LEADERS ACCEPTED THE PLAN GIVING THEM 56 PERCENT OF PALESTINE'S LAND. THE ARAB LEAGUE REJECTED THE PROPOSAL.

VO 3: DAVID BEN-GURION, THE PRIMARY NATIONAL FOUNDER OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND THE STATE’S FIRST PRIME MINISTER, MADE THE MODERN STATE OF ISRAEL ON MAY 14, 1948. A DAY AFTER ISRAEL WAS CREATED, TROOPS FROM FIVE ARAB STATES ATTACKED. 700,000 PALESTINIANS, HALF THE ARAB POPULATION, FLED THEIR HOMES OR WERE DRIVEN OUT. IT WAS KNOWN BY PALESTINIANS AS THE ‘NAKBA’, OR CATASTROPHE. THE FIGHTING STOPPED IN 1949 BUT THERE WAS NO FORMAL PEACE.

VO 4: MAHMOUD EL-RIFAI– PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN, RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY, AND MUSLIM CHAPLAIN AT BOSTON COLLEGE– SHARED HIS PERSONAL STORY.

SOT 1: “YEAH. I MEAN, I'M GONNA TRY TO SHARE MY PERSONAL STORY HERE JUST FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND I THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL. I LIVED WITH MY GRANDMOTHER FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS IT WAS WITH HER AND THE ONLY THING THAT SHE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT IS PALESTINE– WHAT HAPPENED IN PALESTINE. SHE WAS FORCED OUT FROM PALESTINE, ON 1948 WHEN SHE WAS NINE YEARS OLD. SO SHE'S A SURVIVAL OF NAKBA. WE CALL IT NAKBA. IT'S A CATASTROPHE. WHEN IN 1948, MORE THAN 850,000 PALESTINIANS WERE FORCED OUT OF PALESTINE AND THEY HAD MY, MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY FAMILY. THEY WALKED, YOU KNOW, MILES AND MILES RUNNING AWAY FROM THE WAR IN 1848. THERE'S A LOT OF GENOCIDE, ETHNIC CLEANSING, AND THE FEAR WAS DOMINATING EVERYBODY. AND THEN WHEN SHE TELLS ME ABOUT THAT, SHE REMEMBER SHE TOLD ME THAT EVERYONE WAS OKAY, LET'S JUST GO A COUPLE OF WEEKS UNTIL THINGS CALM DOWN, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK 75 YEARS LATER, THAT DREAM STILL EXISTS. MY GRANDMOTHER PASSED AWAY TWO YEARS AGO, AND UNTIL SHE DIED, THAT WAS HER DREAM. YOU KNOW, HER WHOLE LIFE. HER DREAM IS TO GO BACK. AND SHE NEVER FORGET, YOU KNOW, SHE ALWAYS TELLS ME ABOUT THE OLD TREE ABOUT THE SCHOOL SHE USED TO GO TO ABOUT HOW YOU KNOW HER DAD, HE WAS A WELL KNOWN FIGURE IN THE COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME AND ANY VISITOR COME TO THE TO SUFFER SUFFER IS THE CITY WHERE THEY USED TO LIVE. HIS NAME IS MIKE SCHIFF. HE WAS NO OTHER PEOPLE GO TO HIS HOUSE AND THEY WERE YOU KNOW, GENEROUSLY YOU KNOW, HE'S HE'S WELCOMING THEM AND TREATING THEM AND THE SLEEPOVER EATING HERE THE SPACE FOR THEM. HE WAS DOING WELL. AND FOR HER, WHAT SHE LOST AND WHAT ALL OF US LOST. THE MOMENT OF 1948 IS SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND. SO SHE, SHE BECAME A REFUGEE. RIGHT? MEANING THAT SHE BECAME A REFUGEE, MY GRAND DAD, MY GRANDFATHER AS WELL. SAME THING WAS FROM THE SAME CITY. AND HE'S ACTUALLY A RELATIVE TO MY GRANDMOTHER. HE ALSO LEFT TO LEBANON. SO BOTH OF THEM ARE REFUGEES, THE MARRIED AND SHE GAVE BIRTH TO MY DAD IN A REFUGEE CAMP. MY DAD MET MY MOTHER IN HER REFUGEE CAMP, AND THEY GAVE BIRTH TO ME IN A REFUGEE CAMP. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A REFUGEE IN LEBANON? BECAUSE WE WEREN'T A LIBYAN REFUGEE IN LEBANON AS SOMEBODY THAT IS STATELESS. THAT'S THE LABEL. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION. YOU DON'T HAVE A PASSPORT. YOU DON'T BELONG TO AN OFFICIAL COUNTRY. SO THE FIRST THING THAT YOU LOSE AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, YOU LOSE YOUR PRESENTATION. AS ANY AMERICAN GO AROUND THE WARD NOW, THE FIRST THING HAPPENED TO YOU AND OUTSIDE ONLY CALLED THE EMBASSY. I'M AMERICAN. I HAVE COUNTRY YOU KNOW PEOPLE LUNO GONNA COME HELP ME. THE PALACE PALESTINE REFUGEES LOST THAT AND THEN PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON. THEY LIVE IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS, LITERALLY. A VERY CONFINED SMALL AREAS WHERE THE CAMP I WAS BORN IN AND MY PARENTS WERE BORN IN COLD IRON AND HELLO, ISN'T INSIDE OR OUTSIDE ON AS A CITY WHERE WE WERE. IT'S ONE SQUARE KILOMETER. WERE AROUND 80,000 PEOPLE RESIDE THERE. IT'S INSANELY DENSE. YOU KNOW, JUST TO UNDERSTAND HOW DENSE IT IS AND HOW HOUSES ALL OVER EACH OTHER. THERE IS HOUSES THAT PEOPLE GENERATION THROUGH GENERATION LIVE IN THIS HOUSE. AND THEY NEVER SAW THE SUN FROM THE HOUSE. BECAUSE THAT HOUSE IS BURIED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN YOU START BUILDING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER, AND IT'S SO, SO DENSE, IT'S NOT EVEN A NORMAL CONDITION FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE. AND THEN SUCH DENSE AREAS, INCREASED RISK OF DISEASES, INCREASED RISK OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, INCREASED RISK OF SOCIAL ISSUES. AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON CAN'T WORK ANY JOB IN LEBANON THAT REQUIRES A LICENSE, WE CAN DO IT YOU CAN BECOME A DOCTOR, YOU CAN BECOME AN ENGINEER, YOU CAN BECOME A LAWYER, YOU CAN BECOME YOU KNOW, WORK IN THE IN THE MEDIA. YOU CAN DO ANY OF THESE THINGS. AND THEN YOU CANNOT OWN LAND WHEN YOU CANNOT OWN HOUSE AND THEN YOU CANNOT EVEN BUY A CAR. SO WHAT I WANT THE LISTENERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN LEBANON THERE IS AROUND 450,000 PALESTINIAN REFUGEES LIVING IN 12 REFUGEE CAMPS AND THE SURROUNDING AREA IN THESE CONDITIONS. RIGHT. AND THAT TYPE OF LIVING IS UNBEARABLE. BECAUSE WHAT YOU LOSE AND THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS THING I'VE EXPERIENCED MYSELF UNTIL I CAME TO THE US AS YOU LOSE HOPE. BECAUSE IMAGINE YOU'RE LIVING IN A PLACE WHERE THE BASIC MEANINGS OF FREEDOM ARE ABSENT. YOU CAN'T TRAVEL. YOU CAN'T WORK. YOU CAN'T LEAVE. YOU CAN'T EVEN BE REPRESENTED. YOU CAN EVEN DEMAND RIGHTS. RIGHT. AND THAT IS THE EXPERIENCE OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON, IN WEST BANK, AND GAZA IN THE SURROUNDING, YOU KNOW, COUNTRIES LIKE SYRIA AND JORDAN. AND WE'RE TALKING HERE ABOUT 7 MILLION PALESTINIAN REFUGEES, THAT THAT IS THEIR DAILY EXPERIENCE. AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT TOOK PLACE 1948 THE TIME THAT ISRAEL EXISTED, SO THE DAY THAT ISRAELIS CELEBRATE THEIR INDEPENDENCE OR CELEBRATE THE CREATION OF THEIR HOME AND CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, THE TIME WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A COUNTRY IS THE CATASTROPHE FOR PALESTINIANS. RIGHT. AND THIS CATASTROPHE IS ONGOING. AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM WHERE NO ONE UNDERSTAND WHEN SOMEONE JUST SAY SIMPLY, ISN'T IT ENOUGH? I MEAN, WHY ARE YOU STILL FIGHTING BECAUSE THE SUFFERING IS STILL ONGOING. YOU KNOW, THAT HAS MANY CONFLICTS AROUND THE WARD WHERE YOU KNOW, 80 YEARS AGO SOMETHING HAPPENED AND THEN AFTER EIGHT YEARS, THAT'S IT. I MEAN, PEOPLE MOVE ON OR DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ESTABLISHED AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO SUFFER EIGHT YEARS AGO NOT SUFFERING ANYMORE RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR PALESTINIANS. RIGHT? AND WHEN SOMEONE AND THIS I'VE HEARD IT SO MANY TIMES AND UNDERSTAND KNOWING AND GOING SOMEONE KEEPS SAYING, OH, IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE. IT'S NOT REALLY COMPLICATED. WHAT IS COMPLICATED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE LIKE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOME LIKE, FOR ME, I MEAN, YOU, YOU DO KNOW WHERE YOUR GRANDMOTHER LIVED?”

SOT 2: “I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T. AND THIS IS THE GRANDMOTHER EXPERIENCE HER STORY. SHE TELLS ME THAT THE MEMORIES SHE HAD IS SOMETHING I CANNOT RELATE TO, BECAUSE I'M PREVENTED FROM DOING SO. AND SHE LIVED 75 YEARS, NOT IN A BETTER PLACE AND A REFUGEE CAMP. SO OF COURSE, SHE WILL NEVER FORGET THE FIELDS. THEY HAD THE OLIVE TREES THEY HAD THE MEMORY SHE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY SHE LIVED THEN HOW COULD SHE FORGET THAT? BECAUSE WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE HERE? AND SO IT'S REALLY NOT COMPLICATED WHY PALESTINIANS ARE STILL STRUGGLING, WHY PALESTINIANS ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, ONGOING ON THIS COURSE BECAUSE THEY GENUINELY WANT TO BE FREE. RIGHT? AND I THINK FOR AMERICANS, THE COST OF THE FREEDOM IS SOMETHING SHOULD BE VERY EASY TO RELATE TO AND TO UNDERSTAND. SHOULDN'T BE A COMPLICATED MATTER.”

SOT 3: “AND I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, WHICH IS I WAS PERSONALLY SHOCKED. YOU KNOW, LOOK AFTER HER LEAVING PALESTINE FOR OVERLOOK 65 YEARS. YOU KNOW, SOME FAR RELATIVES THAT BECAME AMERICAN CITIZENS, THEY MANAGED TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO VISIT SAFFORD WHERE SHE'S FROM AND THEY HAD A VIDEO AND THE SOMEHOW SOMEONE IN THE VIDEO ENDED UP WITH US AND AND WE SHOWED IT TO HER. UNTIL THIS DAY, I NEVER I CANNOT FORGET HOW SHE WAS WEEPING. SHE WAS CRYING. AND I WAS I WAS I KNEW HOW MUCH SHE LOVED, YOU KNOW SUFFERED AND HOW MUCH MEMORY SHE HAD. BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. AFTER 65 YEARS, IT WAS STILL SO FRESH. THE SUFFERING SHE ENDURED THE LOSS SHE SAW SHE SAW THE INJUSTICE SHE HAD TO LIVE THROUGH WAS SO FRESH THAT SHE WAS WEEPING SHE WAS CRYING FOR HOURS. AND SHE WAS TELLING ME THAT I REMEMBER THIS MOSQUE I USED TO GO THERE REMEMBER THIS EARLIER BECAUSE IT WAS STILL NOT DIDN'T CHANGE MUCH. AND THAT IS WHAT EVERY PALESTINIANS IS STILL LIVING THROUGH THE MEMORIES OF THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR PARENTS. RIGHT BECAUSE THE SUFFERING NEVER LIFTED. AND THAT'S SOMETHING PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAR DIDN'T GIVE US ANY OTHER OPTION. DIDN'T GIVE US ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE. WE'RE JUST FORGOTTEN. AND ONCE VIOLENCE ERUPTS, SOMETHING HAPPENED.”

VO 5: EL-RIFAI NOTED ONE OF MANY POINTS OF INFLECTION FOR NOT ONLY YOU BUT THE WORLD.

SOT 4: “WE ALWAYS QUESTION THE MOMENT AND HERE IS SOMETHING I REALLY WANT US TO REFLECT ON. FOR A SECOND. AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CONCEPT FOR EVERYONE TO THINK ABOUT. YOU KNOW, EXPLAINING IS NOT JUSTIFICATION. WHEN THINGS HAPPEN WHEN VIOLENT ERUPT, EXPLAINING WHY IT'S HAPPENING, EXPLAINING WHAT'S GOING ON. ASKING WHY THIS CONFLICT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SO MANY YEARS IS NOT NECESSARILY BELITTLING OR JUSTIFYING WHAT'S HAPPENING. BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO ASK WHY WHY? WHY IS THIS PROBLEM GOING ON FOR 75 YEARS? HOW COME? RIGHT AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GO AFTER THIS. TIME. WE CAN JUST FOCUS ON ONE EVENT AND MINIMIZE THIS CONFLICT INTO ONE SINGLE EVENT. AND THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND IS DOING DISSERVICE TO EVERYBODY. SO YEAH, I THINK THIS THIS WHAT I HOPE THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTAND AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT I REALLY DO, BECAUSE AS A REFUGEE, THIS WHAT MY GRANDPARENTS WENT THROUGH, MY PARENTS WENT THROUGH AND I PERSONALLY WENT THROUGH. I LIVED IN A REFUGEE CAMP UNTIL I WAS 18. BEFORE COMING TO THE US, RIGHT? SO I LIVED I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT FEELS FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHEN YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE CAMP OR ENTER THE CAMP TO BE PHYSICALLY SEARCHED BY THE LEBANESE ARMY. YOU KNOW, WE ARE EVEN THERE IS MOMENTS WHERE THERE IS SOME VIOLENCE ERUPTED IN THE CAMP. THE CAMPS HAVE GATES THE CLOSE THE GATES OF THE CAMP, AND YOU'RE LEFT IN LIKE IN A PRISON. IMAGINE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW. SO WHEN YOU ASK WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE WENT OUT WHEN I WENT TO WHEN I HAVE PALESTINE FREE? WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE WANT TO GO BACK TO PALESTINE? WHY CAN WE WHY CAN WE MOVE ON? THAT'S WHY I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT AND THIS IS WHAT I EXPERIENCED MYSELF AND GO BACK TO HERSA WHEN THERE IS 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN A PLACE WHERE THERE IS GATES ARE CLOSED. THEY DON'T HAVE THE FREEDOM TO LIVE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE FREEDOM TO EVEN LIVE NORMAL LIFE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE FREEDOM TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT. THEY DON'T HAVE THE FREEDOM RIGHT NOW EVEN TO EAT AND DRINK. RIGHT? HOW WAS THAT FINE. HOW WAS IT ACCEPTABLE? AND THE WORLD WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY? THAT'S AND THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE REFUGEES, BUT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE BECAUSE EVERYONE WHO DOES THAT IS UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW. AND THAT'S WHY EARLIER WHEN WE WERE TALKING I TOLD YOU THIS IS NOT ISRAEL, HAMAS WAR GOOD. IT'S NOT BECAUSE THIS SPORT IS NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ANYBODY. YOU KNOW, NOW IN GAZA, MORE THAN FADY BAKERIES WERE ATTACKED AND DESTROYED. WHY? IF YOU GO TO THE INTERVIEWER, THE UNITED NATIONAL AGENCY FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES THERE'S THAT'S WHERE I WENT TO SCHOOL AND THAT'S THE CLINICS. I WENT TO WHEN I WAS SICK AND THEY TAKE CARE OF US. THE LAST SO FAR 100 MEMBERS OF THEIR TEAM MEMBERS HELP BY ATTACKING THE SCHOOLS AND THE INSTITUTIONS AND THE CLINICS AND THE HOSPITALS THEY WORK AT. THAT'S A PROMISE. NOW WHEN YOU STARVE THE PEOPLE OF HAZZARD 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE STARVING LITERALLY. THIS IS WAR AGAINST PALESTINIANS. AND THEN LET'S, FOR A MINUTE, IMAGINE WHAT'S GOING ON IN REZA AND WEST BANK WHERE THERE IS NO HUMMUS IT'S STILL IT'S IT'S THE SAME I MEAN, UNTIL TODAY, THERE'S ABOUT 180 PALESTINIANS KILLED SO FAR SINCE OCTOBER 7 IN WEST BANK, YOU KNOW, PALESTINIANS IN WEST BANK, WE ARE IN THIS SMALL ENCLAVES WHERE THEY CAN'T LEAVE THE YOU CANNOT GO FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE THE CITY OF A CITY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH AN INSANE INTENSE LEVEL OF MILITARY CHECKPOINTS AND SEARCHES AND AND STOPS THE ATTACKS OF THE SUTLERS IS NONSTOP EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF FLUFF IS THAT? AGAIN, THESE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR US TO ASK. YOU KNOW, AS AMERICANS AS PEOPLE WHO GENUINELY BELIEVE OF FREEDOM OF PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT FREEDOM IS PEOPLE WHO ADVOCATE FOR FREEDOM. IS THIS ALIVE? ANY OF US CAN BEAR BUT ACCEPT TO TAKE PLACE? I DON'T THINK IT'S VERY COMPLICATED TO ANSWER THAT. RIGHT..”

VO 6: EL-RIFAI EXPRESSED HIS FEELINGS ON WHAT HE IS SEEING IN PALESTINE AND THE AMERICAN REACTION.

SOT 5: “NOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AGAIN AND IT IS IT TO RELATE TO THE TO THAT PUSHING THE PEOPLE OF REZA TO RELOCATE AGAIN AND TO EXPERIENCE THE CATASTROPHE THAT TOOK PLACE IN AT THE END FOR EIGHT AGAIN. IT'S ANOTHER DILEMMA THAT WE'RE ANOTHER CATASTROPHE THAT THE WARD SHOULDN'T ALLOW TO HAPPEN ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE NOW AND I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE I KNEW I COULD JUSTIFY THIS. OH, LET THERE BE RIVERS THAT GO TO THE SINAI DESERT TO DESERT YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? GUYS ARE NOT COUPLE MILLIONS, BECAUSE WE ALREADY IN GAZA BY THE WAY 97% OF THE WATER IS IS POLLUTED. 70% OF PALESTINIANS ARE UNEMPLOYED. 40% OF PALESTINIAN WORKERS ARE ANEMIC. AND AS IMAGINE IF YOU GO PUT THEM IN A DESERT, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS AND AGAIN, HOW ARE WE JUSTIFYING THIS ONE MORE TIME? HOW COULD THE WORLD WATCH THAT THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN ONE MORE TIME. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S THAT RAISE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR OWN VALUES. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WAR, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ISRAEL RIGHT NOW, DEFINITELY, LOSING LIFE IS A CATASTROPHE IS IS IS THE BIGGEST LOSS. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE IS ANOTHER LOSS THAT I THINK IT'S IT'S AS DANGEROUS AND AS CATASTROPHIC IS THE LOSS OF OUR OWN VALUES. YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE FREE WORLD THERE'S SOMETHING I JUST CAN'T GET OUT OF MY MIND, STAND AND PUBLICLY QUESTIONED THE NUMBERS OF THE PALESTINIANS WERE KILLED AND OH, I DON'T TRUST THE NUMBERS. SO SAYING THAT 11,000 PALESTINIANS KILLED SO FAR. SOMETHING YOU DON'T TRUST IS 6000 GOOD NUMBER IS 7000. GOOD NUMBER. SO IT JUST ABOUT NUMBERS. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE GET KILLED OR NOT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW MUCH AND THAT'S REALLY IT'S, IT'S I THINK EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD BE SHOCKED AND SHOULD BE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WORRIED. WHEN OUR PRESIDENT SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S DEHUMANIZATION YOU KNOW, TO ITS FULLEST, FULLEST EXTENT BECAUSE PALESTINIAN LIFE DOESN'T MATTER. PALESTINIAN FREEDOM DOESN'T MATTER. PALESTINIANS DON'T MATTER. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HEARING AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING. AND THAT'S SUCH THAT'S SO PAINFUL TO HEAR. YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, ON PRESIDENT BIDEN OR ANYONE OR ANY OF THE LEADERS OR EVEN THE USE OF COLLATERAL DAMAGE AS AS AS CASUAL AS, AS IT COULD BE ODDS. YEAH, WE EXPECT COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO HAPPEN TO TAKE PLACE. I REALLY WANT EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BEFORE THEY THE THEY SAY WHETHER THEY ARE WITH PALESTINIANS OR THE ISRAELIS WHICH SIDE YOU ARE, I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT YOUR OWN VALUES. AND QUESTION YOUR OWN VALUES. WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT YOU RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT ABOUT PALESTINE. IT'S NOT ABOUT ISRAEL. YOU KNOW, WHERE DO YOU STAND FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT'S BASED ON THE VALUES THAT YOU HOLD? YOU KNOW, AND YOU CHERISH? RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENED BECAUSE WHEN NOW, AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FREE WORLD STAND PUBLICLY SAY, NO CEASEFIRE. I DON'T WANT THE WAR TO STOP. WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? WHEN YOU ARE SEEING 1000S OF PALESTINIANS ARE DYING OR KILLED? MORE THAN SEVEN 700,000 ARE DISPLACED. THE UNITED NATION SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEING ATTACKED HOSPITALS ARE BEING ATTACKED. BAKER IS BEING ATTACKED, YOU KNOW, WATER DISTILLATION, STATIONS BEING ATTACKED, AMBULANCES, EVERYTHING'S BEING ATTACKED. THEN THEN, THEN, NATURALLY, AS HUMANS, AS PEOPLE WHO CARE AND CHERISH ABOUT HUMAN LIFE WE WHEN IS IT YOU KNOW THAT WHAT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR US TO FEEL? OH, NO, NO, WE NEED TO STOP FOR A MINUTE. BECAUSE CLEARLY NONE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING MATTER. AND, AND FOR ME, I FEEL BECAUSE THEY ARE PALESTINIANS. THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T MATTER. AND THAT'S AGAIN, I WANT EVERYONE TO THINK ABOUT THAT. IT'S NOT ABOUT PALESTINIANS. WHAT YOUR VIEW IS THAT THE VALUE OF THE FOUR IS THAT THE FREEDOM THAT YOU FEEL, YOU WANNA, YOU WANNA, YOU WANT TO LIVE UP TO? ARE THESE THE VALUES AS AMERICANS, WE HAVE THIS WE VALUE LIFE, AND EVERY LIFE MATTER? AND AFTER WHAT WE WENT THROUGH AS A NATION, FROM CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT UNTIL UNTIL UNTIL TODAY, ARE WE PROGRESSING OR GOING THE OTHER WAY? AND I AGAIN, THESE QUESTIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO REFLECT AND THINK ABOUT AS AMERICANS TODAY, AND OF COURSE, AS OPPOSED TO ANYONE. IT DOES AFFECT ME AT DIFFICULT THE DIFFERENT LEVEL OR EVEN MORE. I FEEL IT'S IT MAKES ME I DON'T KNOW, FEEL CONCERNED. AND AND REALLY A LOT OF PAIN WERE WHAT I THOUGHT THE VALUES I CAME HERE TO, TO ADOPT AND TO LIVE FOR AND AND, YOU KNOW, COMING TO THE STATES WAS WAS THE BIGGEST RELIEF IN MY LIFE BEFORE COMING AND BECOMING THE UNITED STATES CITIZEN. I WAS STATELESS. I DIDN'T KNOW I DIDN'T HAVE HOME I DIDN'T HAVE CITIZENSHIP. RIGHT. SO COMING HERE, I FELT YOU KNOW, THIS COUNTRY IS CHERISHING VALUES THAT I HOLD NOBLE TO ME. BUT NOW I SEE WHEN IT COMES TO PALESTINE, THESE VALUES DON’T MATTER ANYMORE, AND THAT’RE ALLY SA FOR ME TO WATCH, YOU KNOW.”

SOT 6: “AND THE UNITED STATES YOU KNOW, AS AS A STRONGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AS AN INFLUENTIAL YOU KNOW, COUNTRY SUPERPOWER. WE SHOULD HAVE DIFFERENT POSITION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WAR THIS IS NOT A NEW THING, AND THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. YOU KNOW, WAR HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE FOREVER. AND COME TO THIS IS THE SIXTH WAR. RIGHT. WHEN IT COMES TO OCCUPATION, IT'S BEEN ONGOING SINCE 1967. I YOU THINK WE REALLY NEED TO GET TO THE POINT TO START UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS APPROACH IS NOT WORKING. YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT. PALESTINIANS, THEY LOVE LIFE AS MUCH AS ANYONE LOVE LIFE. PALESTINIANS HAVE DREAMS AS MUCH AS ANYONE HAVE DREAMS. PALESTINIANS ASPIRE TO LIVE A BEAUTIFUL, COMFORTABLE LIFE WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES AS MUCH AS ANYONE LOVE. RIGHT. AND THE PICTURE THAT BEEN PAINTED ABOUT US, THE DEHUMANIZATION? THAT'S TAKEN PLACE FOR PALESTINIANS NEED TO END. AND THERE IS THE WARNING RIGHT NOW HIGHLIGHTED THE UGLINESS OF THAT APPROACH. ME NOW IN ISRAEL. IT'S THE MOST EXTREME GOVERNMENT EVER. LET'S FOR A SECOND, HEAR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. I MEAN, THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE OF THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR, HE SAID, PUBLICLY, NO FOOD, NO WATER, NO ELECTRICITY. WE'RE FIGHTING HUMAN ANIMALS. RIGHT. DID ANYONE IN THE WHOLE WARD QUESTION THAT? NO, IT'S FINE. YOU KNOW, NETANYAHU IS SAYING WE ARE FIGHTING HE BROUGHT A TEXT FROM FROM FROM TORAH, TALKING ABOUT COMPARING WHAT'S HAPPENING AS A FIGHTING THEY ARE THE GIANTS. AND YES, HE SAID KILL THEM BECAUSE THEIR BABIES DESTROY THAT HOUSES. HE SAID THAT ON PUBLIC TV. DOES ANYONE CARE? NO, IT'S FINE. AND THEN WE HAVE LATELY, A MONSTER AND THE GOVERNMENT. THAT SAYING DROPPING A NUCLEAR BOMB ON HERSA IS AN OPTION. AGAIN, I MEAN, HOW? HOW COULD YOU? YOU KNOW, LIKE, I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO IMAGINE THAT. WHEN YOU SAY, THIS WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS, I THINK YOU'RE REALLY MISTAKEN. BECAUSE THE STATEMENT OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS TELLING US SOMETHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, AND BEING A FEAR AND, AND AND SMARTBRIDGE, THE FINANCE MINISTER IN ISRAEL WHAT HE SAID, AND THIS BEFORE BEFORE WHAT HAPPENED IN ANVISA HE SAID, THE PALESTINIANS HAVE THREE OPTIONS. LEAVE LIVE OR LIVE UNDER OUR CONTROL, SUBJUGATED TO OUR LAWS, FORGET OUR FREEDOM, OR DIE. THAT'S A MEMBER OF THE ISRAELI CABINET. RIGHT. NOW IN WEST BANK, THERE IS MORE THAN 25,000 FIREARM, A PIECE THAT BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO ALL SETTLERS. FOR WHAT REASON? WHY ANY ANY OF THESE THINGS ARE QUESTIONED. RIGHT? WHY ARE THE PALESTINIANS YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT OKAY FOR THEM TO LIVE UNDER INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION AND FOR THEM TO BE KILLED? THAT'S FINE. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE WARD IS DOING. THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW, I AGAIN, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. I MEAN, NETANYAHU AND HIS GOVERNMENT NOT JUST EVEN ATTACKING PALESTINIANS AND DEHUMANIZING PALESTINIANS, THEY ARE ATTACKING THEIR OWN INSTITUTIONS BY THEM TRYING TO YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE SUPREME COURT, YOU KNOW, LAWS AND AND TAKE CONTROL OVER OVER THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN ISRAEL. EVEN HALF MORE THAN HALF OF ISRAELIS UNDERSTAND HOW DANGEROUS DANGEROUS THIS PERSON IS. RIGHT? SO ARE YOU REALLY AGAIN WANT US WHEN WE JUDGE SITUATIONS, WHEN WE JUDGE PEOPLE, WHEN WE JUDGE GOVERNMENTS, TO LOOK AGAIN AT OUR VALUES, DO THESE PEOPLES WITH EXTREME VIEWS, EXTREME VIEWS WHERE THEIR EXTREME LEVEL OF DISCRIMINATION, EXTREME LEVEL OF, OF, YOU KNOW, THE DEHUMANIZING OF OTHERS? DO THEY ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES AS AMERICANS AND I WANT EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN BEFORE THEY STAND AND, AND BLINDLY SUPPORT TO QUESTION THAT. RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY UPHOLD, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. WHEN I SEE THIS. THERE'S UNQUESTIONABLE SUPPORT FROM A LOT OF LEADERS IN OUR COUNTRY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT ARE WE SUPPORTING HERE? WHAT ARE WE JUSTIFYING HERE?”

VO 7: EL-RIFAI REVISITED THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW WE, AS PEOPLE, SHOULD BE LOOKING AT ONE ANOTHER.

SOT 7: “LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AS HUMANS. THE MOMENT AND THIS IS REALLY SO DANGEROUS. THE MOMENT WE DEHUMANIZE EACH OTHER IS THE SAME EXACT MOMENT. WE LOSE OUR OWN HUMANITY. BECAUSE THE MOMENT I LOOK AT SOMEONE ELSE AS LESS HUMAN I WILL JUSTIFY INHUMANE ACTIONS TOWARD THEM. WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT ME? AND HERE WE DON'T FORGET, YOU KNOW, SIX YEARS OLD WHEN THAT WAS TAPPED 26 TIMES IN ILLINOIS. WHY? BECAUSE HE WAS PALESTINIAN. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE SHOCKING PART OF THE STORY THAT JOSEPH, THE ELDERLY GUY, IT WAS THE LANDLORD OF THE HOUSE. WHAT THEY USED TO CALL HIM GRANDPA. JOE USED TO BUY TOYS. FOR VIDYA. HE BUILT A TREEHOUSE FOR VIDYA. WHEN HIS FATHER SAID, THE TOYS THAT JOE USED TO BUY WITH AS TOYS I CANNOT AFFORD MYSELF AND WHEN SUCH A TOXIC RHETORIC, AND, YOU KNOW, DEHUMANIZING PROPAGANDA TOOK PLACE AND THAT'S WHAT JOE WAS EXPERIENCING AND LOOKING AT. IT TRANSFORMED THIS LOVING GRANDPA INTO A MONSTER. AND THAT'S THE SCARY PART. YOU KNOW? HE YES, HE DID JUSTIFY FOR EXAMPLE KILLING WHEN HE AND HIS MOTHER BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY ARE EVIL KILLING JEWS, RIGHT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN HE WAS KILLING WITH HE HE'S NOT HUMAN ANYMORE. YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID AS AS AS AS STABBING 26 TIMES SIX YEAR OLD BOY. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING A HUMAN BEING WOULD DO. AND THAT'S THE DANGER. THAT'S WHY I KEEP SAYING WHEN WE JUSTIFY THINGS WHEN WE SUPPORT THINGS. REALLY RECHECK YOUR OWN VALUES BECAUSE YOU ARE LOSING SOMETHING THERE AND THAT'S SO DANGEROUS. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADING RIGHT NOW. WE'RE JUST JUSTIFYING WHAT'S GOING ON. AND BELIEVE ME, THAT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING. WHEN YOU JUST CASUALLY JUSTIFY THE KILLING CASUALLY YOU JUSTIFY THE STARVATION CASUALTIES BY THE DESTRUCTION. WE NEED IN MOMENTS OF DIFFICULTIES, A MOMENT OF SUFFERING, WE NEED TO RISE WITH OUR EMOTIONS RISE WITH OUR RESPONSES. AND THIS IS WHERE AGAIN, THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES THE ROLE OF THE COUNTRY, AND YOU KNOW, THE LEADER OF THE FREE WARD AGAIN, IT'S IT'S HIS ROLE TO TO RISE AND MAKE EVERYONE RISE WITH HIM AND THEIR RESPONSE AND, AND, AND REACT TO IT IN A WAY THAT YOU KNOW, DOES NOT DEHUMANIZE ANYONE AND DOES NOT CAUSE MORE CATASTROPHE OR MORE DESTRUCTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT HELPING ANYBODY OR HELPING ANYBODY AT ALL. AND THAT'S WHAT THE HOLOCENE HAS BEEN SUBJUGATED TO THEIR WHOLE LIFE 75 YEARS. THEY ARE NOT TREATED AS A HUMAN. YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN UNDER YOU KNOW, SUFFOCATING SIEGE FOR 16 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR EVERYBODY. NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE CARED. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF CANCER PATIENTS DIED BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER PERMITTED TO LEAVE GAZA TO SEEK TREATMENT? HOW MANY 1000S OF DREAMS PEOPLE HAD DREAMS ABOUT THEIR FUTURE, THEIR EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, TO CHANGE THE LIVES WAS BURIED, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO LEAVE. AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING NOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HUMANITARIAN PAUSES FOR OUR TODAY. IT'S INTERESTING I WAS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE FOUR HOURS, WHAT THESE FOUR HOURS ARE TELLING THE POLICIES AND VERSA. THEY ARE TELLING THEM THAT YOU'RE GONNA DIE BEFORE THE FOUR HOURS AFTER THE FOUR HOURS. THAT'S THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS FOUR HOURS GONNA MAKE FOR THEM. YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO QUESTION OUR STAND THERE. WE NEED A COMPLETE CEASEFIRE. THE WAR NEEDS TO STOP BECAUSE NOW WE'RE NOT JUST DELAYING THE KILLING OF PALESTINIANS. WHAT'S THE POINT? WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS KILLING AND THIS DESTRUCTION AND THIS WAR, IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. BUT AND IF IT IS EVEN TARGETING A SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, SIDE OR GOING AFTER ONE GOAL, THE WAY IT'S BEING CARRIED ON PROVE OTHERWISE, DEFINITELY PROVE PROVE OTHERWISE, THAT THIS IS A WAR AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS. AND NO ONE CARES. THAT'S WHAT YOU HEAR. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING EVERYWHERE. NO ONE CARES ABOUT PALESTINIANS, EVEN IF THE NUMBER IS GOING OFF. 15 20,000 BELIEVE ME, IF WE DIDN'T DO SOMETHING IF WE DON'T RAISE OUR VOICES, IF WE DON'T GO BACK AND RECHECK WITH OUR OWN HUMANITY AND VALUES, NOTHING CAN HAPPEN. AND THIS IS WHERE IT'S ON EVERYONE. IT'S ON US ALL TO RISE AT THIS MOMENT AND TO REACH BACK WITH OUR OUR OWN VALUES. AND THIS IS WHERE THE PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER RIGHT NOW. RIGHT AND THAT'S WHY FOR US TO DEMAND CEASEFIRE IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD NOT STOP WE SHOULD NEVER QUIT ON THIS DEMAND. NO MATTER WHAT. I THINK THAT THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD ALL COLLECTIVELY ASK FOR IT NOW.”

VO 8: EL-RIFAI NOTED HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THE TIME WE ARE ENTERING.

SOT 8: “BECAUSE WE'RE ENTERING THIS THIS I DON'T KNOW PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE FEEL IF WE AGAIN, I THINK THIS WAS HAPPENING. WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CERTAIN LIVES. AND CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, SOME LIVES WORTH MORE THAN OTHER LIVES. RIGHT? AND THAT AS LONG AS WE ARE OPERATING LIKE THAT, THE PROBLEM WILL PERSIST. THE MOMENT WE ALL COLLECTIVELY SEE THAT EVERY SINGLE LIFE MATTER. EVERY SINGLE CHILD AT DEMAND EVERY SINGLE WOMAN EVERY SINGLE ELDERLY EVERY SINGLE MEN EVERY SINGLE WOMAN THAT DIES, IS VALUABLE IS ALLAH AT ONE DEATH IS A LOT NO MATTER WHAT SIDE NO MATTER WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND, NO MATTER WHAT'S YOUR RELIGION, UNTIL WE WE SEE IT LIKE THAT. WE HAVE A PROBLEM. AND I THINK IF WE GENUINELY LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PLAYING AND ASKING AND BEGGING FOR CEASEFIRE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, AGAIN, THE LIFE FOR PALESTINIANS DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH. THAT'S BEEN THE CASE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. AND UNTIL THE PALESTINIANS ARE RECOGNIZED AS HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE RIGHTS, WHO HAVE RIGHT TO RIGHTS TO TO TO BE FREE, THE RIGHTS TO BE TREATED AS A HUMANS. THIS ISSUE WE WILL PRESENT IS NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED NEVER GOING TO BE SOLVED. THAT'S WHAT I REALLY HOPE. PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHAT'S AT STAKE. YOU KNOW, IT'S EITHER PEOPLE LIVE AS A HUMANS OR DON'T. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HAPPENING IN PALESTINE. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN REFUGEE CAMPS AROUND THE WORLD. AND TOLD ME AS AN AMERICAN WHO CHERISH FREEDOM, WHO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE WHAT FREEDOM IS THE HIGHEST THING AND THE MOST VALUABLE THING WE HAVE. HOW CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IS WHAT'S WHAT WHY IS IT SO COMPLICATED FOR US TO RELATE TO PALESTINIANS? I REALLY SOMETIMES I JUST LIKE FEEL LIKE WHY, WHY CAN'T YOU? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU GO INTO A NEW HAMPSHIRE AND YOU READ THE LICENSE PLATE THE CAR AT THE END, RIGHT? WHAT DOES IT SAY?”

SOT 9: “LIVE FREE OR DIE. YEAH, LIVE FREE OR DIE. THAT'S HOW PROUD WE ARE OF OUR FREEDOM. BECAUSE LIFE IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT FREEDOM. SO WHEN I TALK TO SOMEONE WHO IS PROUD OF THAT SLOGAN, WHY DON'T YOU GET THAT PALESTINIANS ARE REFUSING TO LIVE WITHOUT FREEDOM.”

SOT 10: “SO THAT'S WHY I REALLY FEEL THIS IS WHAT AS AMERICANS, WE NEED TO I KEEP SAYING THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT'S OUR VALUES AT STAKE HERE. RIGHT WHERE DO WE STAND? WHEN THERE IS INJUSTICE TAKING PLACE? WHERE DO WE STAND WHEN PEOPLE ARE LIVING AND DEHUMANIZED, DAY IN AND DAY OUT? THAT'S WHAT I WANT EVERY AMERICAN TO THINK ABOUT. AND THEN YOU SUPPORT WHOEVER YOU WANT, BUT SUPPORT THEM BASED ON YOUR VALUES THAT YOUR CHURCH AND I KNOW WHAT CHURCH VALUES THAT ARE NOBLE, YOU KNOW, VALUES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE TO PURSUE A LIFE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, FULFILLING FOR EVERYBODY. BUT I DON'T I FEEL THAT PROPAGANDA IS STILL STRONGER THAN OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, NATURAL INSTINCT TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND AND TO FOLLOW WHAT'S RIGHT. AND THAT SAID, THAT SAID TO WATCH THE MEDIA AND TO WATCH HOW THE MEDIA IS, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTING PALESTINIANS AND REPRESENTING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SUCH A DISTORTED WAY, IN SUCH A WAY THAT IS FLIPPING REALITY. WAY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SWITCHING STORIES AND I WONDER, YOU KNOW, WHERE DID YOUR VALUES GO WHEN YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING? AND THAT'S, AGAIN, IT'S A BIG QUESTION MEDIA AND HOW MEDIA BEEN FOREVER. BUT I DO ACKNOWLEDGE THOUGH THERE IS A CHANGE, THERE IS A SHIFT RIGHT NOW. AND THAT'S, I THINK, I HOPE THAT THIS SHIFT AND THIS AWARENESS AND THIS AND THIS EYE OPENING MOMENT FOR OTHER PEOPLE, I HOPE, THIS MOMENTUM WON'T DIE. YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY SOON AFTER THE CONFLICT IS OVER, AND WE'LL KEEP GOING TO DO SOMETHING GENUINE AND TO DO SOMETHING THAT EVERLASTING HOPEFULLY THAT WILL SOLVE THIS. THIS CONFLICT.”

VO 9: EL-RIFAI NOTED HIS STANCE ON HOW THE MEDIA IS PORTRAYING THIS CONFLICT.

SOT 11: “BUT THE THING WITH MEDIA THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ZERO OBJECTIVITY OF ANY ANYTHING? I DON'T SEE ANY OBJECTIVITY IN ANY OF THE CHANNELS TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.”

SOT 12: “GAIN, AS YOU KNOW, PALESTINIAN AMERICAN THAT WHEN I SEE THE ONE-SIDED NARRATIVE THAT'S TAKEN OVER FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS CONFLICT IT SADDENED ME BECAUSE IT'S REALLY BELIEVE ME, IT'S THE SERVICE FOR EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW, WE NEED AGAIN, AS SOMEBODY THAT IS, LUCKILY FOR THIS FAR FROM THE WAR, WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND LOOK AT BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY AND ALLOW FOR BOTH NARRATIVES TO EXIST, AND HOPING THAT THE EXISTENCE OF BOTH NARRATIVES WILL ALLOW US TO FIND COMMON GROUND BUT TAKING ONE SIDE AND AND, YOU KNOW, SPREADING ONE SIDED NARRATIVE. IT'S NOT GOING TO BRING US ANYWHERE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA PRESS A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA REACT TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND THIS WILL GET US NOWHERE. AND YOU SEE THAT FROM ALL THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES, WHAT'S HAPPENING ON ALL THE LETTERS AND THE EMAILS BEEN SENT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL AND PRESIDENTS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BOSTON? I REALLY THINK THIS IS LACK OF LEADERSHIP. AND THAT'S AGAIN, I HOPE, THE LEADERSHIP OF THESE INSTITUTIONS, STOP, STOP FOR A SECOND AND ASK THEMSELVES, WHAT ARE THE VALUES THAT THEY HOLD? MOST VALUABLE? WHAT ARE THE VALUES THAT THESE INSTITUTIONS ARE TRYING TO SPREAD? RIGHT? I'M TELLING YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR NOBLE VALUES. BUT THE QUESTION IS, ARE THEY ACTING ACCORDING TO THESE VALUES NOW? NO, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T DENY OUR EXISTENCE. BECAUSE THIS STORY ABOUT OR THERE WERE NO ONE LIVING THERE. THERE IS NO PALESTINIANS. I SADLY PEOPLE STILL SAY THAT STORY AND I WANT TO TELL THEM, NO, WE EXIST. AND WE HAVE FAMILIES AND WE HAVE STORIES AND WE HAVE HISTORY. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE PALESTINIAN FLAG FOR EXAMPLE, AND ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM IS BANNED, YOU WILL GO TO PRISON IF YOU RAISE A PALESTINIAN FLAG. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? WHEN TODAY, RAISING THE FLAG IN SOME SOME SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IS SOMETHING THAT BEEN LOOKED AT AS, OH, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M SAYING LIKE, IT'S NOT LIKE A SYMBOL OF HATE. IT'S JUST A COUNTRY'S FLAG. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? RIGHT? LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO OUT, AND BRITAIN, THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR'S, SHE SAID, RAISING THE PALESTINIAN FLAG IS ILLEGAL. YOU KNOW, IN FRANCE, BUT HE'S HAD PROTESTS AND GATHERINGS SUPPORTING OF PALESTINIANS ARE ILLEGAL. IN GERMANY, PEOPLE ARE GETTING ARRESTED FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS YOU KNOW. AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS, REMIND YOU IF YOUR VALUES WHAT ARE THE VALUES OF FRANCE AND BRITAIN AND GERMANY HOLD MOST DEAR AND CHERISH THE MOST? ARE YOU ACTING ACCORDING TO THAT? THAT'S REALLY MY CONCERN. MY QUESTION HERE. YOU KNOW, I'M THAT REQUIRE FROM US AND HOPEFULLY THE AUDIENCE, TO TAKE A MOMENT AND REFLECT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT EVEN REACTING ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN VALUES, THEIR OWN LAWS. WHY? BECAUSE PALESTINIANS, PALESTINIAN LIVES DO NOT MATTER. THAT'S THE REALITY, YOU KNOW, AND UNTIL THAT, THAT REALITY CHANGES THE PROMO THE PROBLEM WOULD PERSIST BUT YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY THE WARD AND AND A LOT OF PEOPLE AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM WHETHER DC, YOU KNOW, RALLY OR VERITAS TOOK PLACE IN BRITAIN OR GERMANY OR FRANCE, THE 1000S AND 1000S AND 1000S OF PEOPLE THAT MERCER STREET, HOPEFULLY GOING TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS WHAT I'M HOPEFUL THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.”

VO 10: EL-RIFAI NOTED WHERE HE SAW THE BIGGEST FACTORS OF CHANGE.

SOT 13: “I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGING FACTORS AND WHAT'S HAPPENED AND THE US AND OTHER COUNTRIES IS THE AMAZING AND WONDERFUL STANDARD, A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE JEWISH COMMUNITY ARE TAKING, AND I PERSONALLY BEEN IN TOUCH WITH WITH PROFESSORS FOR, YOU KNOW, JEWISH, OR COLLEAGUES OR PEOPLE THAT I KNOW AND WE'VE HAD AN AMAZING INTERACTION, REFLECTING TOGETHER AND MORNING TOGETHER AND AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND I THINK THAT IS THIS GENUINE CHANGE, YOU KNOW, I HOPE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS, THIS IS ABOUT HUMANITY, ABOUT RELIGION. IT'S NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ETHNICITY. IT'S NOT ABOUT CULTURE. IT'S NOT ABOUT COUNTRY. IT'S ABOUT ARE WE DO WE SEE EACH OTHER AS A HUMAN OR NOT. AND I THINK THE MORE PEOPLE LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THE MORE WE AGREE ON, THERE IS HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY TO APPROACH THIS AND I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, THAT IS HOW COULD I BE AN ISAAC? ROBIN IS THE PRIME MINISTER, WHO, WHO MADE THE OSLO ACCORD WITH THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY WITH ARAFAT. HE SAID, THIS CONFLICT AND HE SAID THIS AFTER YEARS, FOUR YEARS OF CONFLICT, YEARS OF VIOLENCE, HE SAID, THIS CONFLICT WILL NEVER BE SOLVED BY MILITARY POWER. YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT LED HIM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE INITIATIVE FOR THE PEACEFUL COURSE. BUT THEN HE WAS ASSASSINATED A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER THAT BY ISRAEL EXTREMIST GROUP. NOW, FORTUNATELY, THIS GROUP IS LEADING TODAY. SO I'M REALLY COUNTING ON THE GROWING AWARENESS EVEN WITHIN ISRAEL ITSELF, THE GROWING AWARENESS WITHIN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT THE INTERNAL AWARENESS THAT'S GONNA PUSH BACK AND SAY, WELL, WE NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY. AND I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT PALESTINIANS. AS I SAID, EARLIER, PALESTINIANS LIKE ANY OTHER NATION, ANY OTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE, THEY WANT TO LIVE, THEY WANT TO LIVE IN PEACE AND PROSPERITY AND THEY WANT TO HAVE FUTURE AND THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR KIDS GRADUATING, AND THEY WANT TO SEE THE GRANT, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN AROUND THEM AND THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR BEAUTIFUL HOUSE AND THEY WANT TO DRINK THEIR COFFEE IN THE MORNING AND THEY WANT TO WALK AROUND IN A PEACEFUL AREAS. THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT. SO IF, IF THEY KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GETTING, THEY WILL NEVER SAY NO TO THAT. RIGHT. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH TREATING PALESTINIANS AS THEY DON'T EXIST, AS THEY DON'T MATTER, AS THEY ARE NOT TO HUMANS, WHAT TO EXPECT FOR THEM TO DO. YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M COUNTING ON THAT THIS SHIFT AND THE WAY THEY LOOK AT US AS PALESTINIANS. AND I HAVE TO BE HOPEFUL THIS IS I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WHAT I TRIED TO TELL MYSELF, I TRY TO TELL MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS AND EVERYONE AROUND ME THAT I WILL NEVER LOSE HOPE. I THINK THE FUTURE WILL BRING SOMETHING BETTER. IT COULD BE LONG IT COULD BE PAINFUL TO GET THERE. BUT I REALLY I'M REALLY OPTIMISTIC. FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, AT LEAST FROM THE AWARENESS THAT I NOTICED IT'S GROWING. SO THAT'S, I HOPE THAT'S I HOPE I'M RIGHT. I HOPE THIS IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, BUT WE'LL SEE.”

VO 11: EL-RIFAI NOTED THAT WE ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS, AND THAT OUR HUMANITY’S LEADERSHIP IS VITAL TO SOLVING THIS CONFLICT.

SOT 14: “NOT JUST POSTING FOR ANY OTHER NATION, ANY OTHER COUNTRY ANY OTHER PLACE ON THIS EARTH FOR US TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER'S AS A HUMAN ZOA WHAT YOU'RE REALLY FINE AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT EXERCISE THAT WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER AND WHAT WHAT WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON IS WAY MORE THAN WHAT WHAT YOU KNOW, KEEP US APART BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE NARRATIVE, IT'S, IT'S THE EMOTIONS THAT TAKE OVER. SOMETIMES IT'S THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. IT'S THIS THE LACK OF THE VOICE THAT'S TRYING TO UNITE US THE VOICE THAT'S TRYING TO BRING JUSTICE FOR EVERYBODY. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LACKING. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE NEEDING SO, DIFFICULT TIMES NEED GREAT LEADERS, AND WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF LEADERS ON EVERY SINGLE SIDE. AND I THINK, I HOPE THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY, DIFFICULT TIMES BRING STRONG PEOPLE AND FROM YOUR BRAIN, YOU KNOW, STRONG LEADERS. I HOPE WHAT EVERYONE IS DOING RIGHT NOW IS DEFINITELY A DIFFICULT TIME. I HOPE IT WILL BE A MOMENT WHERE COURAGEOUS LEADERS WILL RISE AND BE LIKE, NO, THERE IS ANOTHER WAY AND WE GET TO DO IT. THIS WAY. I HOPE, I ONLY HOPE. BUT UNTIL THEN. WHAT WE NEED TO AGREE ON IS THE BASICS AND THE BASICS IS WE NEED TO STOP KILLING PALESTINIANS WE NEED TO HAVE A CEASEFIRE IMMEDIATELY. WE NEED TO STOP THIS WAR BECAUSE THIS WAR IS ONLY KILLING PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS. YOU KNOW, IT'S MAKING CLOSE IN A SUFFER. AND THAT'S NEED TO STOP IMMEDIATELY. YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT SOLUTIONS. WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT ANYTHING ELSE? BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WHAT WE NEED TO DO. RIGHT NOW.”

VO 12: EL-RIFAI LEFT US WITH ONE FINAL MESSAGE.

SOT 15: “I ATTEND AND DO MY MASTER'S IN PSYCHOLOGY AND I'M ATTENDING THIS CLASS. AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING BOOKS I'VE EVER READ. AND GOING THROUGH THIS, THIS READING AND GOING THROUGH UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HOLOCAUST AND THE SUFFERING THAT PEOPLE ENDURED DURING THAT TIME. AS A PALESTINIAN, WEIRDLY ENOUGH, I WAS RELATING TO THEM BECAUSE MY PEOPLE SUFFERING YOU KNOW, MY PEOPLE BEEN EXPERIENCING ETHNIC CLEANSING AND COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT. MY PEOPLE BEEN DEHUMANIZED TOO. AND IT WAS SO INTERESTING HOW BOTH YOU KNOW, NATIONS, BOTH GROUPS OF PEOPLE SUFFERED THE SAME THING, RIGHT. AND IT'S JUST SO WEIRD THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO USE THE SUFFERING AND USE THESE MEMORIES TO GET EACH OTHER TO A BETTER PLACE. WAS SO, YOU KNOW, IS INTERESTING, AND I WOULD SAY, FROM THAT MY MESSAGE WAS THIS IS FOR US ALL. TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER AS HUMANS FIRST. DEHUMANIZING IS THE WORST THING WE CAN EVER DO. YOU KNOW, DENYING THE EXISTENCE FOR EACH OTHER IS THE WORST THING WE CAN DO. AND THAT'S CAN ONLY BE DONE THROUGH AN INTERNAL CHECK ON OUR VALUES. AND WE NEED NO MATTER WHAT THE PAIN IS, NO MATTER WHAT THE SUFFERING IS, NO MATTER WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH. WE SHOULD NEVER LET OUR EMOTIONS AND OUR SUFFERING TAKE OVER. RIGHT AND LET US ACT AGAINST OUR OWN PRINCIPLES AND VALUES. IF WE GENUINELY, YOU KNOW, CHERISH THEM AND BELIEVE IN THEM. AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE. THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO DO TO BE SUFFERING. AND YET, HOLD US YOURSELF UP TO A HIGHER STANDARD. AND THAT'S WHAT MY MESSAGE TO EVERYONE CALLING FOR THIS WAR TO KEEP GOING EVERYONE CALLING FOR VENGERS TO TAKE OVER EVERYONE CALLING FOR YOU KNOW, ENDING RATHER THAN LIVING IN ROSA AND KILLING PALESTINIANS AND AND THROW THEM AND END THEM AND FINISH THEM TO JUST STOP FOR A MINUTE AND THINK ABOUT IT ABOUT WHAT WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW. AND CHECK WITH YOURSELF. BECAUSE THE MOMENT YOU CARRY ON WITH THIS NARRATIVE, YOU ARE NOT JUST DEHUMANIZING OTHERS, YOU'RE LOSING YOUR OWN HUMANITY AND THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT I DON'T WISH IT TO ANYBODY TO START LOSING PART OF YOU. RIGHT BECAUSE OUR HUMANITY AND OUR FEELINGS AND OUR THE WAY WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER, SHOULD SHOULDN'T BE PICKING AND CHOOSING. THAT'S NOT WHAT PRINCIPLES AND VALUES ARE. RIGHT? AND AGAIN, MOMENTS LIKE THIS WAR LIKE WHAT WERE ENDURING, KILLING AND WAR AND FIGHTING AND LOSSES THAT EVERYONE IS EXPERIENCING SHOULD BE A MOMENT THAT WE'RE WE REFLECT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR SADNESS THROUGH OUR, YOU KNOW, MISERY AND ASK THESE QUESTIONS WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? RIGHT. SO I HOPE I HOPE EVERYONE LISTENING AND EVERYONE WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE'LL TAKE THIS MOMENT WHETHER YOU ARE INFECTED DIRECTLY OR NOT. I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT EXERCISE FOR US TO DO AND TO BE WARY OF HOW SUSCEPTIBLE ARE WE FOR THIS NARRATIVE TO CHANGE US AND HOW MALLEABLE WE ARE? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IF THESE ARE VALUES THESE PRINCIPLES SHOULD BE INGRAINED IN OUR MINDS AND HEART. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, A CRISIS LIKE WHAT WE'RE WITNESSING AND PALESTINE IS TELLING ME THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE JUST THINK SLOGANS, BUT WE NEED TO WORK ON OURSELVES. THAT THE THINGS WE SAY IS SOMETHING WE REALLY BELIEVE AND WE LIVE BY. AND THAT'S WHAT I HOPE, YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP IN OUR COUNTRY AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY TAKE THESE EXERCISES, MAYBE TAKE A MOMENT AND CHECK WITH THEMSELVES. AND WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO DO, I'M SURE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVERYTHING THEY DO IS CALCULATED BASED ON ELECTIONS AND STUFF AND I HOPE FOR ONE SECOND THEY GO BEYOND THAT AND CHECK WHAT IS WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT. WINNING ELECTION AND LOSING YOURSELF, OR WINNING YOURSELF AND LOSING ELECTION. I THINK THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO. BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S AN IMPORTANT MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT IT.”

VO 13: FOR YOU ARE HERE, I’M BIRDI DIEHL.