The speaker describes their experience of studying in an all-male religious nationalist seminary in Jerusalem and how it led them to question their Zionist beliefs. During a lecture, they were introduced to the perspectives of Palestinians and experienced firsthand the daily hardships they face living under settler colonial rule. This experience, along with many others, helped the speaker realize that they no longer believed in Zionism. The speaker emphasizes the importance of questioning early beliefs and recognizing the harm caused by Zionism.

00:00 The speaker describes how they became disillusioned with Zionism while studying in an all-male religious nationalist seminary in Jerusalem. They had always grown up Zionist but started questioning the entire population that existed beyond the walls of Jerusalem. As part of their program, they were exposed to the perspectives of Palestinians for the first time. During a lecture, a Palestinian man described the challenging conditions he faced visiting Jerusalem, including the need to take separate buses and navigate checkpoints. The speaker was shocked and confused by this information, and when the man told them he needed to head back immediately to avoid having his provisional travel status revoked, the speaker realized they needed to learn more. The speaker describes a voice in their head rising up, challenging all of their conditioning and telling them to go see it for themselves. They went to a Palestinian town in Damascus gate and were amazed by the contrast to what they had been told. This experience, along with many others, helped the speaker realize that they no longer believed in Zionism.

05:00 The speaker describes their experience of riding on a Palestinian bus in the Middle East. The speaker was a settler who grew up in the region, but as they rode on the bus and witnessed the daily hardships faced by Palestinians living under settler colonial rule, they began to question the Zionist ideology they had been raised with. The speaker's sense of identity and belonging shifted to become more Palestinian, as they realized that their safety and threat were no longer centered around their Jewishness, but rather their status as an occupier in a land where they were not native. The speaker found themselves feeling empathetic towards Palestinians and their struggle for self-determination, and ultimately decided to stop identifying as a Zionist.

09:30 The speaker, they reflect on their personal experience of growing up in a Zionist household and how it affected their views. They discuss how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and their religious upbringing contributed to their decision to leave Zionism. The speaker emphasizes the importance of questioning early beliefs and recognizing the harm caused by Zionism.

#judaism #palestine #israelpalestineconflict
#middleeastconflict #gaza
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