This past summer, three GW students received a fellowship to go to Israel sponsored by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a non-partisan think tank.... By Erica Finkle
From October 2003
Adam Conner and Jeff Azarva, both sophomores, and senior Tyler Rounding spent two weeks observing Israel as a case study for democracy fighting terrorism.
Among the most memorable experiences of their trip, was visiting an outpost on the Lebanese border near Hezba. They recalled finding out that a 16-year-old teenager had been killed at the outpost the day after they were there. All three described south Lebanon as a haven for terrorism.
Other field trips led the GW students to a Gaza Strip checkpoint and Haifa Naval Base, which patrols the coastline for terrorism. They were in Israel during two suicide bombings as well.
The students participating in the program had ample security, including guards at all times. The guys described this as only a small taste of what Israelis go through every day; providing precautions that we don’t take in America.
Conner recalled the strong security presence at each place they visited. “There are security guards at every door,” said Conner. “They save a lot of lives.”
All three students agreed that the most important filed trip they took was going to Jerusalem on their last day in Israel. According to the guys, seeing all religions living so close together helped them understand how the one place really is the “dealbreaker” of the Middle East conflict.
“What impressed me the most,” said Rounding, “was the strong resolve they had to fight terrorism.” He found that the Israelis are effective in stopping many attacks every day.
“You ask an Israeli what they want,” said Azarva, “and they’ll say ultimately they want peace.”
Conner, Rounding, and Azarva were all very appreciative of the staff members who helped them gain access to many places they would not otherwise have been able to go. They learned from people, who they described as very experienced in the field of combating terrorism, including legal advisors who helped explain how many human rights violations can be justified legally.
The three GW students were joined by 49 other students from 25 schools around the nation. The program is run through Tel Aviv University’s International Programs Department.
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