Yitz and Ishmael: A Drama in One Very Long Act
102 Pages Posted: 2 May 2019
Date Written: 2019
Abstract
Yitz and Ishmael, attend an International LL.M. program at a good university in Philadelphia. They also share an apartment. Both received their initial law degrees from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Ishmael grew up in Arab East Jerusalem and holds an Israeli resident permit, but not citizenship. Yitz was born in Philadelphia but grew up in Tel Aviv after his family immigrated to Israel when he was three years old. He is an Israeli citizen. Both Yitz and Ishmael are political moderates with liberal tendencies. They are friends. But they don’t acknowledge the blood they share.
In their flat, the roommates debate some of the rights and wrongs of the Israel/Palestine. They touch on historical claims to the land, the growth of Zionism, the advent of Palestinian nationalism, violence perpetrated by each side, cultural biases, human rights, and international law. They want to agree on a solution to their country’s dilemma—but deep feelings of hurt and injustice make trust difficult. While each of them has real affection for the other individually, their inter-community distrust goes deep. Their dialogue reveals right on both sides, wrong on both sides, and overlapping claims that demand compromise.
Keywords: international law, Israel, Palestine, Zionism
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