October 7, 2023 marked a turning point for these young people. Without knowing it, their lives would become completely different.
ADI EFRAT
Israeli Student
I have family that's been affected by the 7th of October. I have many friends that have been killed. My house was hit by a rocket and destroyed. And my home, my whole business that my family worked for years was burnt to the ground.
ARLENE
Palestine Student
I have prayed for them to stay alive, and I know now they're still suffering from all of the politics that is happening. But what I see in their eyes and the stories, and when I talk to them, it's something I never felt; that it is hope.
They are two of the more than 33 young Israeli, Palestinian and American students who participated in the interreligious meeting organized by the Scholas Foundation in Rome.
JOSÉ MARÍA DEL CORRAL
President of the Scholas Ocurrentes Foundation
At the time when Father Jorge Bergolio and I were young, it was said at the Sunday table before starting to eat: “Watch out, here you can't talk about politics, soccer, or religión”. Thank you, because you dared to talk about politics, soccer and religion.
While these meetings were taking place in Rome, in the United States, President Trump held a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. There, he announced his interest in taking control of Gaza. These statements caused various opinions.
TAYLOR THINGPEN
American Student
I am very excited to see the United States stepping in to support, but I don't think it is fully fleshed out, and it needs a lot of work because human lives are at risk.
ARLENE
Palestine Student
I had a dream. And we have a dream. We have a dream to build Gaza again. We have a dream of two state solution. We have a dream of equality rights in the Israel for the Arab Palestinians who live there. We have a dream of real peace and we're going through hoops to make it happen.
ADI EFRAT
Israeli Student
Trump likes to make very extravagant proposals. And I, you know, you need to see like what happens at the end. But for me, I think Gaza is such a really hard situation. I, I don't have a solution, and I don't think he does either.
This event was the conclusion of a week full of shared testimonies, which were also sent to the Pope. At the general audience, they handed him a letter, further proof that dialogue is possible despite different points of view.
BAM
TR: GS
