Hillel, SAS Hold Brunch Discussion on Conflict in Lebanon

Approximately 20 students attended a brunch discussion in the Lowell House private dining room yesterday to talk about the current conflict in southern Lebanon.

Despite the tensions that have flared between Arab and Jewish communities, participants described the meeting as civil and constructive.

The event was designed by its organizers, the Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel and the Society of Arab Students (SAS), to facilitate an open exchange of views on the contentious subject while avoiding heated debate.

For the most part, students stuck to these guidelines, although the moderator, Assistant Professor of Government Eva Bellin, twice had to defuse discussion when it threatened to become confrontational.

Students addressed the possibility that Israel's has gone too far by bombing Lebanon's infrastructure, the impact of Israeli domestic politics on the military operations, the growing uncertainty among Arabs as to Israel's commitment to peace and the often forgotten impact of Israeli operations on the Lebanese people.

Participants asked why Lebanon would still want to make peace with Israel, whether Hezbollah's activities in southern Lebanon were legitimate and if the destruction of Israel was still part of Hezbollah's political platform.

Disagreements formed almost entirely along ethnic lines about how much Israel had already given to Palestinians and what the results of an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon might be.

Participants seemed united in characterizing the brunch as a successful and civil exchange of opinions.

"I think people were emotional at times in discussing the causes of the problems," said Shahm M. Alwir '98. "But, all in all, people tried to be very scientific about it."

"I'm very impressed with the civility and empathy that students showed to each other despite their deep loyalties," Bellin said.

The brunch was the second in a series of discussions between the Hillel and SAS. The first brunch focused on more abstract and scholarly themes, such as political and economic development in the Mideast.

Students requested a shift to a more controversial subject for this event, according to co-organizer David J. Andorsky '97, chair of Hillel's coordinating council.

The change in topic increased the chance that heated debate might ignite at the brunch, said Andorsky and Ramy M. Tadros '97, the other organizer, who is president of SAS.

"We risked the whole thing being explosive, but we felt it would be superficial to talk about anything other than the situation in Lebanon," said Tadros.

"I was a little nervous. I thought all hell could break loose," Andorsky added.

But both agreed that the discussion proved civil and their fears unfounded.

Students seemed to agree that the concept of the brunch itself showed how much progress has been made in the Middle East in recent years.

Laura B. Mutterperl '97 said, "I don't think it gets recognized enough that what's happening today couldn't have happened a few years ago.

Students seemed to agree that the concept of the brunch itself showed how much progress has been made in the Middle East in recent years.

Laura B. Mutterperl '97 said, "I don't think it gets recognized enough that what's happening today couldn't have happened a few years ago.