Ever since the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction Movement against Israel gained momentum I have been wondering about where I stand on the matter. As you can imagine, it is a hard decision for me to make. It is easy for people to judge you if you volunteer to work/live in or just visit Israel. People I know, even myself, have been at the receiving end of those judgments. An ex-colleague was very unhappy that I was moving to Israel, “I did not expect this from you,” he said. I was forced to be apologetic about accepting this offer and had to offer an explanation about the capabilities, secular outlook and general liberal nature of the Israelis inviting R to Israel.

Should I or R boycott Israel? The answer is hard to arrive at.

To me, the Occupation is immoral and is not up for discussion. Yet, I live here. I do this with full knowledge about the atrocities committed by the country. I meet people here who get angry about what their country does, I see them trying make a difference even if it is just by not lecturing at an university in an Israeli settlement, and I see them be apologetic when they talk about the Occupation. And it is with this conflict that I live here.

What would make a bigger difference? Me boycotting Israel or not? I believe it is by visiting Israel and Palestine that a difference can be made. I make it a point to visit Palestinian cities, learning about the conflict and experiencing first hand how the Occupation has wrecked the lives of innocent Palestinians. I bring back stories about the conflict to my family and friends who so far knew about the conflict from the papers. When they hear these stories from me, they are shocked and appalled; now the conflict has become an important cause for them and they spread the message further among their friends.

So, I urge you to visit Israel if you get an opportunity, don’t turn it down. It is not because Jerusalem is a gold mine for history lovers or because Tel Aviv’s beaches are the best. It is so that you can meet people here, ask them what their opinions on the matter are. Ask them what they want from their government. Ask them what they are doing to end the Occupation. While you are here make sure you visit Palestine. Go to cities in the A,B and C areas. See the Occupation rip lives apart, meet the people who stand in lines at check-points to go to work, school, pray and god forbid a hospital. Meet activists and listen to their stories. See how in the name of archaeological surveys Israel occupies more land. Walk around towns that are vacant because Palestinians cannot access the roads on which their homes are located.

Of course we get to know about these atrocities from newspapers and web portals, I ask you to come see for yourself because then the story of the lives 4 million Palestinians becomes your story to share. A story you can tell people, a story that will resonate with your friends because they hear it from a friend, not a reporter they don’t know personally.

Sharing what you saw and learnt increases dialogue about the Occupation thereby aiding the process to end the Occupation. Boycotting Israel means that the stories of millions of Palestinians will go unheard and untold. Making it easier for Israel to continue its tyranny.

Come see. Come ask questions. Come spread the story.