Dear Birthright Israel, I was wondering if I may come along on the extensive tour of Israel this year. I believe I do fit the qualifications…I’m a reasonable young woman, was born there, am one of the current generation born of two families that were all born there and have lived there for a few centuries. Not years, centuries. The only issue that might pose of a problem is that I’m not Jewish. I’m a Palestinian from Gaza. I don’t think that would be too much of an issue, would it? I believe I would be quite the resource and should come along to really give you an extensive tour of Israel. How extensive is a tour, if you don’t want to visit less than 22% of the total area? Maybe I can take you to my birthplace in Gaza, where you would have tea in my grandparents’ house. Afterwards come along and pray beside me at my uncle’s grave, who this past summer was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier at the age of seventy. Or maybe I can take you to a refugee camp, where we can visit one the homes and see how wonderful life is being one of ten cramped in one room with no running water? I guess you don’t have to worry about water, I’ve heard some settlements have pools; you can take a dip there. I’ll wait outside, for I’m sure the armed soldiers would love my company. I might have a disease, and we don’t want anyone catching any Palestinian germs.

It’s unfortunate that trips like these choose to ignore the real situation. See the splendor of Israel, go to your religious site, but prevent me from going to mine; marvel at the wonders and power of the Israeli army, but ignore the squalor that the Palestinians are forced to live in, the situations that no human should be forced to live in.

Before I close I’d like to make a request of you if I’m denied to go. Please say hello to your armed guards…maybe one of them was the one who shot my uncle. Please tell him that he may take one of our own, but he will never take our dignity.

-Yasmin Khayal CAS ‘O3 International Relations