Maher Farraj

The Palestinians and the Israelis have been living side by side, in good and in bad for the last 60 or more years. Both systems, especially the educational system have nothing in common, not even a breath of cooperation.

Both nations have lived through out the years of war and peace-to come- in a political turmoil, and due to a serious dividing conflict about land and identity, they became closer to their religions and to their respected cultures which in turn had an effect on their education. Education became the weaker link among their national agendas; the political conflict, religion and culture.

Thus, the two sides have applied a close-minded approach towards another. In this, education was the only resource that showed a light at the end of the tunnel in its potential to break the cycle of the conflict, violence and whose religion is better without destroying another nation?

Politics of negotiations is suffering a grid-lock of setbacks in failure of government negotiators trying to reach a comprehensive Peace. As for religion and culture, they both interject their social fabric of both societies. At the end, education provided a beacon of hope to experiment understanding next-door neighbor, simply by studying them as people, not enemies.

In the middle of all that, neither the education of women, nor her presences were even present at the table for discussion. The situation between the Israelis and the Palestinians is described as a political conflict. Israeli and Palestinian women represent half of the demographics of the society in that region. In modern and developed worlds, the measure of progressive societies and their modernity is in their educational system. Hence, neither the Israeli nor the Palestinian society is more developed than the other one. This is an area which we will know in this research study, thus, the measure of development would be the area and opportunity for education given to women in each respected society.

There are huge differences between the Israeli and Palestinian educational systems in regards to women's education. My research study will highlight the similarities between these two systems? And what are the necessary steps that should be taken to reinforce the removal of obstacles that prevent similarities?

Education, in general, is vital for all members of the society, but it's a double edge sword; at one side, education is a tool for developing the societies, on the other hand, the hidden side is when education is abused to strengthen the religious position and culture which in turn obstructed the development of women. In turn, education is used to strengthen the influence of religion and culture, which minimize or demine the role of women in their societies. Politically speaking, if women have a reasonable equality in policy making, they would have made our world free of weapons of mass destruction and instead made a more beautiful world with quality, not quantity which is the cause of all wars, i.e. Greed! A woman is a mother to be, a mother who wants a better life for her children be or to be to live happily among happy children and an equal society. A good policy makes a good politics!

In my selected region of study, there is a conflict that is soul searching for a solution which will positively reflect its fruits on education in general and women's education in particular. Women's education suffered the most because of different reasons, among which:

• Religious-Stereotyping of women; Muslims dealt with women according to Quran's scripture, Israelis dealt with her according to the Torah vision, as for the Christian women on the Israeli and Palestinian sides, the effect was less destructive since secularism represented a modern approach. Muslim and Jewish women have put forth religion when dealing with one another.

• Political and national identity: Whereas the Israeli and Palestinian women followed a nationalistic approach. This cause has turned sisters into enemies.

In this case, education was used as a tool to embrace and engrave fighting each other. Women were sent to religious institutions as an encouragement to study religion and be educated. This is an education that carries a religious agenda per male's preference.

 

Maher Farraj: An independent writer