Organized by Global Scholar Mady B. on February 26th, Polytechnic hosted a panel of three distinct religious experts. The inter-religious dialogue about the intricate dynamic of religious people in Palestine gave valuable insight into the impacts of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the lives of Palestinians. Mady's tactfully chosen representatives gave the audience at Poly a more complete perspective. Having spent several months in Israel her junior year, Mady found that contextualizing and analyzing the religious conflict in Palestine through direct conversation would be a very effective way of enriching the Polytechnic community's understanding of the role of religion in a historical context.
After providing facts and history about the origin of religious tension in Palestine, Mady introduced her panelists:Â Marium Mohiuddin, Eliana Kaya, and Bishop John Taylor. Marium Mohiuddin, a Pakistani-American Muslim, was able to speak to the Palestinian conflict through her trip there and experience as a Muslim. In contrast, Eliana Kaya is an American-Israeli Jew with background in the Israeli army and a past in inter-cultural dialogue. Additionally, Mohiuddin and Kaya are both affiliated with the Jewish-Muslim alliance organization called NewGround. Completing the Palestinian religious representation, John Taylor provided much historical and political insight as the Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
All contributing distinct perspectives, the three panelists were able to create a remarkably non-confrontational environment through which they expressed their varying opinions. While differing in religious affiliation and more nuanced conflicts, Mohiuddin, Kaya, and Taylor agreed that the primary conflict in Palestine is a result of geopolitical tension and the ensuing weaponization of religion in order to maintain power.
The GIP event was eye opening in a variety of ways. Not only did it teach about the past of three world-wide religions, but it provided a unique perspective on the complex power dynamics of Palestine.