Stand Together

Ariel is a 10 year old girl looking at the news on a TV in an electronics store with her parents in the downtown area. They are surrounded by a big group of people watching the coverage of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. All of the adults are horrified by the coverage, believing that the conflict will grow and that there will be many lives lost on every side due to the conflict. Ariel is a young Israeli born child who has been living in the United States for the past two years.

Standing behind Ariel is another 10 year old girl named Fatima who is also watching the television with her family in the crowd. Like Ariel, Fatima has also been living in America for a short time. As the adults watch the news in anger and shock, children like Ariel and Fatima watch along in fear. These two young girls have a lot of family in the regions where this war is unfolding. As tears begin to fill her eyes, Ariel runs away from the store without her parents noticing and goes to the park across the street. Watching her from behind, Fatima decides to follow. Once Ariel makes it to the park she sits on a bench and begins crying her eyes out thinking about the turmoil back home.

When Fatima gets to the park she quickly finds where Ariel is sitting and slowly begins to walk up to her. With Ariel’s face buried in the palms of her hands as she cries, Fatima walks up behind her unnoticed and cautiously puts a hand on her shoulder. Ariel is briefly startled and quickly looks up. She is puzzled at first when she sees Fatima above her, but her emotions begin to subside into calmness as Fatima gives her a polite smile. Ariel appreciates this smile and without saying a word she slides to the other side of the bench allowing space for Fatima to sit next to her. As Fatima sits next to Ariel she can see the pain in her eyes.

Fatima looks at Ariel’s necklace and knows that she is Israeli. Fatima can tell that Ariel is worried for her family and loved ones back home and is scared for their lives. For a brief moment, Ariel looks at Fatima at notices that she is wearing a hijab. Ariel may not know for sure, but she believes that Fatima is probably Palestinian. Seeing the guessed look on Ariel’s face, Fatima nods her head in confirmation to Ariel’s curiosity. Ariel then begins thinking about how hard life may be for Fatima. She knows that Fatima is scared for the lives of her loved ones back home just like Ariel herself. She also feels for the social persecution that Fatima most likely faces because of her identity. As Fatima’s hand sits on her knee, Ariel places her hand over Fatima’s.

As both of these young girls sit together in silence they realize that they have been born into a world of war. They come from two opposing sides whether they want to be or not, but none of this matters to Fatima or Ariel. As they both gaze into each other’s eyes in silence they realize what the world needs more of than any of the adults around them. They know the world needs comfort, unity, peace, understanding and friendship. Ariel just wants everything to be well for Fatima and Fatima wants all to be well for Ariel. They both realize in this moment that they had become friends. They don’t know each other, but they share a common struggle.

As Ariel and Fatima are bonded together in unity they realize that their oneness is the key to overcoming this common struggle. Ariel and Fatima hug each other knowing that their friendship is the key to peace.

~~This article is dedicated to everyone who has been effected by the growing conflict between Israel and Palestine, prayers of peace for all.