Discussion Response: Priorities

At the end of class today, something was mentioned that really stood out to me. As we discussed the importance of LGBTQ rights in Israel-Palestine and the greater Arab world, the idea of solving the 'big problems' first and then how to classify issues by importance arose. Like most people, I have my own set of ideas on what is right, what is wrong, and what should be given preeminence. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, and this is usually okay, because most people don't force their priorities and opinions upon me, either. However, in the Middle East and especially in a city like Jerusalem, one person's opinion on the urgency of a matter does not only offend others, it can impact their rights, their livelihood, and their day-to-day existence. Disagreement takes on a whole new meaning.

In speaking with both Shabbat of a Lifetime and Jerusalem Open House this week, I was given a new perspective on two organizations' list of priorities. Shabbat of a Lifetime is an organization dedicated to giving outsiders an authentic, Israeli Shabbat dinner: their focus is on the daily life and culture of ordinary people in a deeply conflicted country. This is a legitimate opinion-- many Israelis have taken the stance of 'moving on'. They want to live their lives and have families, just as all people should. Others, however, might take offense to this: there are not equal rights between Palestinians and Israelis, so all else is a moot point. They would argue that an extended conflict does not make it an unimportant conflict. Open House (and Alqaws, even though we did not speak with them) is focused on the specific rights of LGBTQ people in Jerusalem. Once again, this is appropriate: no one should have to live under the threat of violence and discrimination just for being who they are.  However, many disagree on the prioritization of these organizations. Even those who support LGBTQ rights might argue that there is a larger issue at hand: peace between Israel and Palestine.

I am not trying to support or debunk the decisions that either of these groups have made on what they believe the most important problem in Jerusalem is. Rather, I am simply considering the effect prioritization has on personal relationships, a community, and, in this case, a larger conflict. Like I mentioned above, I believe that each person has the right to decide what it most important in their life. However, I come from a world where prioritization has relatively low-stakes, and Jerusalem is teaching me to reevaluate my opinions even halfway across the globe.

1. To what would you delegate the highest priority in the Israel-Palestine conflict?
2. In a world where everyone places importance in different places, where does one find solutions?