[MES Forum] Draft statement on Israel/Palestine for comment

[McClimans, Melinda]

Dear MES Forum,

MESC is drafting a statement in response to the unfolding war and could use your feedback. Please review and comment on the following draft statement:

“As members of an academic community with deep interest in the Middle East and North Africa region, we extend our sympathy and concern for all our fellows and people impacted by the violence in Israel and Gaza. The Middle East Studies Center remains committed to providing academic spaces for learning and discussion while we also recognize the devastating nature of the acts of violence and the humanitarian crisis we are witnessing as the war unfolds.

Grief and revenge sweep through our beloved region.  We are grieving here on campus and many of us are feeling helpless as we watch the events unfold. Ohio State values of Inclusion & Equity, Care & Compassion, Integrity & Respect https://www.osu.edu/shared-values) have the power to create safe haven with in the current cacophony if we put them into practice. To express our solidarity, we exhort you to reach to others in our OSU and MESC community to model and practice acknowledgement and conciliation. You might:

  1.  Reach out to a MESC community member; ask how he/she/they are doing.
  2.  seek someone with another perspective; offer support for how he/she/they are impacted, especially If you feel strong sympathy with the opposite position.
  3.  Assume the positive intent of MESC community members and affirm that you do so.
  4.  Express the value of an engaged MESC community with diversity of people and perspectives and a commitment to support each other’s physical and mental health as fundamental to our growth and strength.
While there will be acknowledgements and statements and webinars, and experts, in the weeks to come, we the staff at MESC (Director, Assistant Director, Communications Lead Intern) ask you to put these values to practice right now.”

If you feel called to make a public comment using our podcast as a platform, please let us know!

We invite you join our online communities on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/mesc.osu> and X<https://twitter.com/MESC_OSU> (formerly Twitter), and listen to the podcast we did with John Quigley on “Jerusalem Since 1947<https://u.osu.edu/keys2mideast/2022/06/17/2022-06-16-quigley-on-jerusalem-since-1947/>” and the podcast with Naomi Brenner on “How Israeli Film Deals with Israeli Society and Diversity<https://u.osu.edu/keys2mideast/2021/06/17/2021-06-16-how-israeli-film-deals-with-israeli-society-and-its-diversity-w-professor-naomi-brenner/>” – we hope to model productive conversation both online and in person.

Thank you! Please feel free to hit reply and comment to the whole list or to reach out to us individually.

Sincerely,

The MESC Team



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