/>Middle East Delegation Travellog – Justice For All
As part of our Middle East delegation 2011 travellog, Joani Reid reflects on a an unexpected image of unity.
It’s easy to look at Israel and Palestine through the narrow prisim of the confilct; to define the people and their communities as being on one side or the other.
What I’ve found most surprising since arriving here, albeit less than 24 hours ago, is that the hot issue off the press isn’t a recent explosion or failed peace talks but rather an explosion of social protests.
Jewish and Arab Israelis alike recently united in their demand for social justice, better housing, better prospects and an end to hardship. It seems to be a demonstration which involves the middle and upper classes, but classes across the community divide. It may seem ironic or crude but I find the idea of over 430,000 people coming together, some Rabbis and some Israelis Arabs, in their outrage at lack of affordable housing, over priced health care and sub-standard education, promising, even romantic.
Joani Reid is a member of the Young Fabians and a delegate on the Young Fabian Middle East Trip 2011.
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