The walk-out during guest Israeli speakers was extremely disrespectful

With a riveting election rapidly approaching, it’s no wonder that political and social organizations have been growing on the UGA campus. The Tate Student Center, known as a center for student advocacy on campus, has recently been dotted with a number of booths, advocates and even protesters.

With these multiple groups and clubs come differing viewpoints. When viewpoints conflict, it is important to respect the views of others. Unfortunately, though, the notion of respect is sometimes completely disregarded.

Earlier this week, the student organizations Stand With Us and Dawgs for Israel sponsored two Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers to come speak about their experience in the army. The event started off smoothly. It was informative, interesting and pizza was offered to all guests.

However, in the middle of one of the soldier’s stories, a student, who attended as an anti-Israel protestor, interrupted the soldier in an attempt to intimidate him. This student was respectably asked to wait until the end to ask any questions.

But the student, along with about 20 other members of the group of protestors, refused to stay until the end. There was a collective movement of seats and gathering of belongings as these students got up and stormed out of the room.

The students who walked out of the event disagreed with the soldiers’ positions on issues related to Israel, and it is completely understandable they would have questions to ask the guest speakers. However, walking out of the event rather than asking questions at the end was disrespectful to the guest speakers who travelled from Israel to give UGA students a learning experience.

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is complicated and complex, and it is important to gain a full understanding of both sides of the conflict. Neither are perfect and both sides can learn from what others have to say.

If students aren’t able to pose intelligent questions and engage in respectful and insightful conversation without shutting down when someone disagrees with their viewpoint, then no progress will be made.

Asking questions, listening to different viewpoints and staying to advocate for their own cause were obviously not the goals of the protestors who attended the meeting. Later that night, the group posted a picture on Facebook of the protestors holding a Palestinian flag, fists held high in defiance.

Regardless of what views you hold in regard to the Israeli-Palestinan conflict, it should be clear that progress cannot be made with acts such as these. Respectful open discussions with the intent to learn are the only way to obtain peace and progress.

The disrespect shown to the guest Israeli soldiers – and other members of the audience who attended the session – shows no signs of positivity and no promotion of what the protestors claim to be their cause. The protestors who attended this meeting had no intention of listening or staying until the end.

Even as the protestors were making their exit, the female Israeli soldier made a last effort to engage with the students.

She said: “I hope you would stay here. We want to engage in dialogue with you guys. I feel bad that you don’t want to talk to us, because I’m sure we’re going to answer every question that you have.”

The protestors were invited numerous times to stay until the end of the event. But the invitations were completely lost on them because they were intent on making a preplanned, dramatic and rude exit.

Clearly, the only reason this group attended the event was to be disruptive and make a point. This violated the atmosphere of respect we should have between organizations on campus and as students of the University of Georgia.