“No matter how much we debate the situation here, it is important to hear the narratives of those who lived the experience,” said Richard A. Johnson, president of HLS Justice for Palestine.
Eric R. Trager ’05, a member of Harvard Students for Israel who also attended the event, said it was refreshing to hear from Palestinians within academia looking for a peaceful future with Israel.
But he said he disagreed with aspects of the panelists’ presentations.
“Israel’s policies are designed for self-defense from terrorism and not for encumbering Palestinians, though that was the unfortunate result,” Trager said.
In addition to sharing their experiences, the visiting students sampled some of life at Harvard. The panel presentation capped off an entire day of events, including a welcoming lunch, guided tours, and an evening reception.
Continuing on the next leg of their tour, the trio will make a stop at Columbia University today.
—Staff writer Ying Wang can be reached at yingwang@fas.harvard.edu.