Children of Mideast conflict say rocks, guns no path to peace

Six young people with personal stakes in the Mideast crisis joined CNN Washington Bureau Chief Frank Sesno on Tuesday for a discussion

In this story: Gaza: 'Biggest prison in the world' Teach the children RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Jawad Issa shudders when he thinks about the terrible scenes his 8-year-old brother is growing up with back home in Gaza. Matthew Slovik still can't believe Israeli soldiers shot and killed his 17-year-old friend last week in northern Israel.

VIDEO CNN's Frank Sesno obtains unique perspectives on the conflict by speaking with a panel of six diverse young people (October 10) (part 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) (part 2) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     GALLERIES   • Israeli-Palestinian clashes   • Scenes from the fighting Oct. 1, 2000   • Holy site violence     TRANSCRIPT CNN's Mike Hanna on continued Palestinian protest

Jawad and Slovik, young men from different walks of life, share a desire for peace in the Middle East. Along with four other young people with personal stakes in the Mideast crisis, they joined CNN Washington Bureau Chief Frank Sesno on Tuesday to discuss their views of the violence that so far has killed at least 90 people.

All have watched in frustration and pain over the past 12 days as Palestinians and Israelis clashed in deadly encounters in Gaza and the West Bank. To the children of the conflict, the time for peace is now.

Like Jawad, Slovik is a member of Seeds of Peace, an American program that brings Arab and Israeli young people together at a summer camp in Maine. Slovik was friends with Asel Asleh, also a Seeds of Peace member, who died last week during rioting near his village in the Galilee area.

"Young people need to work together," the Duke University freshman said. "If peace or healing doesn't come from the young people, where's it going to come from?"

Gaza: 'biggest prison in the world'

The sources of conflict are deeply rooted in the Middle East.

Tanya Nawas, a Palestinian American high school senior, said she wants to avoid pointing fingers at the source of the crisis, but she can't help but blame Likud Party leader Ariel Sharon, who appeared September 28 at the holy Dome of the Rock in old Jerusalem accompanied by a large police escort that infuriated and insulted Palestinians.

Tanya, who was reared in the United States but has family in the Middle East, said anger and resentment have been building for many Palestinians for decades as they waited to secure a homeland of their own.

For some rioters, the confrontations with Israeli soldiers represent a catharsis.

"They have been through so much," she said. "They have suffered so much. They've been patient, and I think maybe they need this."

Jawad, who lived for five years with his family in Gaza and now attends high school in Maine, spoke several days ago with his younger brother on the telephone. He recalled how his brother described watching as an Israeli helicopter flew overhead, firing rockets at a crowd on the ground.

"Right now my brother will have this image in his memory that to break up a riot, you need a helicopter, which is very untrue," he said.

Jawad said many people don't realize the squalor and crowding that Palestinians endure in Gaza.

"(Gaza) is kind of like the biggest prison in the world," he said.

Teach the children

The young panelists agreed there are no simple solutions to resolving the crisis.

Israeli Noam Shelef, a recent graduate of George Washington University in Washington D.C., said that Sharon was wrong in affronting Palestinians with his trip to the Temple Mount.

But Shelef, a member of Americans for Peace Now, which works to promote peace in the Middle East, said the Palestinians also must take responsibility for their roll in promoting the violence. Shelef said he believes Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat should tell his people to put down their stones and guns and stop fighting.

While panel members differed on who was to blame for the recent crisis, all agreed they must work together to end the bloodshed.

In order to achieve peace, Slovik said there should be economic stability for everyone in Israel and the Palestinian-occupied areas. Also, young people in the region need to be taught that there are better ways to achieve their goals than through violence.

Young people also can learn from each other, he said.

"Textbook learning is OK, and sure it's important, but even more important is the idea of learning more about each other," Slovik said.

U.N. leader improves hopes for resolving Mideast crisis
October 10, 2000
Barak lifts deadline on Palestinians; says he'll attend U.S.-hosted summit if called
October 9, 2000
U.N. secretary-general heads for Mideast meeting with Arafat, Barak
October 8, 2000
Bus shooting caps turbulent day in Middle East
October 7, 2000
Israel closes Palestinian borders anticipating more violence
October 6, 2000
Gaza fighting subsides despite failure at talks
October 5, 2000

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