B. (Israeli journalist) originally from Ethiopia: “I want to say that this dialogue made me very close to the Palestinians in general and specifically to the Palestinian participants here. It is very different than to read things in the media. When you meet in person and hear directly from the person it is different. I admit I was ignorant. I learned a lot about the Israelis & the Palestinians. When I go out of here I will do every effort to bring the issues to the awareness to my community that I live with and close to and I have the ability & possibility to do so”. (B. is working in the Ethiopian TV in Israel).
A. (Palestinian journalist): “We didn’t manage to agree about many issues but in spite of this the encounter was very important. We exchanged information and opinions and it gives me willingness to continue. We succeeded to see another face of our enemy that kills us. We metpeople who identify with us. I expect that these encounters will continue and that we will be active to change the reality.”
S (Palestinian 67 journalist participant) “It’s not surprising me that half of my family won’t talk to me anymore after this workshop with the Israeli side, I tried many times since last night [we were in the 2nd day] to call my family in Hebron but none of them want to answer me, and even when I sent a text message my youngest daughter told me that we don’t want you, stay in Aqaba with the Jewish, and what made me more angry that one of my brothers who lives in Amman he don’t want me to go visit him after we finish this workshop here in Aqaba, but this makes me more determined to continue in doing such a thing, I will come again and again and will look for more projects to join and to meet more Jewish which is helpful for us to understand and for them to know our case and our suffering from what they cause for us.”
R: (Israeli Jewish journalist in Israeli TV): “The stories about everyday life the personal encounter caused me a change. Sometimes I was surprised that a patriot Israeli voice came out of me. I understood suddenly how the negotiations reached a deadlock. On the half free day I stayed alone to think and I came to the conclusion that it is always easy not to hear the difficult things but what can we do the reality is composed from the difficult things. I want to tell you that there isn’t a connection between the interpersonal relations and the political opinions.”