I have moved to Bethan McKernan’s article in his time as Jerusalem in Guardian equivalent to the past four years (‘I worry I can start finding it normal. But I didn’t do anything ‘- what did I learn as the Camrewent in Jerusalem, 29 could). Her experience of feeling a “maddening cognitive dissonance” in Tel Aviv / jaffa from seeing people “out and about, doing pilates, as if everything was fine – when just 50km down the road, was an open-air prison” is exactly how I felt when I first Visited Jerusalem in 2018 after spending time in the West Bank.
I had decided to take my young family there to show them where my palestinian father grew up under the British mandate and see if we could find the home he was also keen to ensure my children who were a balanced view, educating the whole story, educating them about the Jewish People had been through.
I am from Jordan by Bethlehem and Ramalonlah and have been deeply moved by Palestinians, despite difficult conditions, involving my family to chat and share the taste of home. But when the Lush Jerusalem came from the bar West BankWhere Palestinians are treated like cattle, written on the wall and many checkpoints, an impressive difference. After walking a few steps in the center of Jerusalem with flowing shops, surrounded by people living the best life, I broke injustice all.
Growing up in London, sometimes tell people they’re going to holiday to speech. “You happen?” they will ask. “It’s great.” They didn’t know my background, but I left it surprised to see them only one side.
My favorite part of Bethan’s article was that in the last four years he immersed himself in life there and felt the positions of the Israelites and Palestinians. If we make progress and get to a fair result, we need to put ourselves in each other’s shoes and understand each other’s experiences.
Alexandra Lucas
London
Jonathan Balaysan describes Hamas’s actions on 7 October 2023 “killing”, while Israel’s bombing of Gaza since the “killing” of Palestinians (A biblical hatred rounded both sides of the Gaza conflict – and blinded them to reason, 23 May). The difference in hostility shown in these words reflects the lack of equality between the life of a Israel and a palestinian present at the center of conflict since the conflict ever since the start.
Chris Matthews
London
