Any productive conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be predicated on the understanding that the Zionist occupation and settlement of the West Bank is the real impediment to the "peace process." Unfortunately, much of the campus conversation revolves around Palestinian aggression and resistance. This makes the situation in Palestine appear one-sided and paints the Palestinians as a brutal people who condone wanton violence.

But violence on the part of the Palestinians is only one of the forms of resistance to another form of violence demonstrated by Israeli occupation. This includes Israeli military incursions into Palestinian neighborhoods, harassment of Palestinians at more than 500 checkpoints inside the West Bank and the construction of a militarized apartheid wall. Any attempt to explain or academically explore the impetus behind Palestinian violence is stifled immediately. Admittedly, these are difficult topics to deal with considering that many people on campus have family living in Palestine, Israel or the surrounding areas.

Thus an environment that fosters useful dialogue and constructive conversation should be subject to the following conditions:

l There is no clash of civilizations. Jews do not inherently hate Palestinians, and Palestinians do not inherently hate Jews. The conflict is not primarily one of coexistence. The Palestinians' right to self-determination and Israel's territorial expansionist initiatives are the underlying issues behind the hostilities. Israeli policies of collective punishment under the auspices of security have consistently proven ineffective and continue to deny the Palestinians basic human rights. Under no circumstances should anyone support "security" initiatives that directly endanger the very safety and livelihood of an entire people.

l Criticizing Zionism is not the same as anti-Semitism. Since its inception, Zionism has been a secular vehicle to achieve a religious goal. It is nonsensical for any discussion to render a nationalist ideology synonymous with a religion. Likewise, any criticism of Palestinian leadership should not imply Islamophobia. Open criticism of leadership, ideology and international agendas can begin the process that leads to some sort of understanding. The fear of being labeled anti-Semitic should not stifle this important conversation under any circumstances. Blanket statements that enforce the notion that Palestinians uphold violent and racist principles are a blatant roadblock to intelligent debate.

l Zionist insistence that pro-Palestinian organizations recognize Israel's legitimacy ignores Zionists' own responsibility to acknowledge Palestinian identity, autonomy, ownership of land and an unalienable right to a dignified human existence. It also skirts the underlying issue of Israel's final status as a state considering that Israel's borders are expanding at this very moment.

l Understanding the impetus behind suicide attacks does not imply approval. People should not be marginalized because they seek a greater understanding of the conflict. That said, the validity of one's call for Palestinian liberation and a right to self-determination should not depend on whether he or she condones suicide attacks. Intellectual discourse on suicide bombings benefits all parties involved.

l The denial of the very existence of a Palestinian people or a Palestinian identity is not only tantamount to ethnic cleansing; it is historically unfounded as well. The Palestinians do exist, and they deserve the ability to enjoy the unalienable human rights that many take for granted.

As members of an institution of higher learning, we owe it to ourselves and to each other to remain as informed as possible on issues of global importance. Our collective quest for knowledge should not be inhibited by preconceived notions or a reluctance to leave our comfort zones. This viewpoint is not some sort of demand that all pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli students on campus must get along. Rather, it is a reminder that in this seemingly endless war of words, we have a duty to remain civil, well-informed, open-minded and proactive.

Andrew Dalack is an LSA freshman and Julia Eden Ris is an LSA senior. They are members of Students Advocating Freedom and Equality.