LookingbackatourconferenceontheIsrael/Palestineproject,Immostproudof

handlingsomescriptchangesintheconferencethatIwasntexpecting.Someoneinthe
conferenceaskedtodoanotherspeech,thiswasntplannedfor,andIwasntsureifitwas
allowed,butIwentwithit,anditeventuallyworkedout.Thiswaskindofhowthewhole
conferencewentforme,becauseIhadeverythingperfectlyplannedout,butwheneverthere
wasachange,Ihadtofigureoutwhattodoonthespot.Isuccessfullydidthisthroughoutthe
wholeconference.Forexample,oncethevotingwasover,anditwastimetoendthemeeting,
thensomeonemotionedfora10minuteunmoderatedcaucus.Ihadneverreadaboutthis
happening,soIdidntknowwhattodo,Iwasntevensureitwasallowed.Wedecidedtorule
themotiondilatory,seeingaswereallywerentsureifitwasevenpossibleintheconference,
andwewerealreadydonevoting.Thiswasoneofthemainthingsthatthrewmeoffduringthe
conference,sincetheconferencewaspracticallyover,wejusthadtoadjournthemeeting.Iwas
organizingeverythingonthetable,waitingforthedebatetobeadjourned,andthena10minute
unmoderatedcaucuswasaskedfor.Overall,Ithinkthesescriptchangesmayhavebeena
goodthing,becausetheymadetheconferencenotrunsmoother,butaddedsomeoriginalityto
it.
OneofthethingsthatIconnectedwiththemostinthisproject,wassomeofthearticlesI
readontheIsrael/Palestineconflict.Ihadbasicallynopreviousknowledgeofthisissue,so
whenIstartedresearchingformybrief,IwasastoundedthatIhadntheardaboutitbefore.This
researchwasdifficultforme,becauseafterIreadafewarticles,Iquicklyrealizedthatthere
wasntayesornoanswerforthisissue,eacharticleIreadchangedmymindonwhowasright,
IsraelorPalestine.SomeofthearticlesthatIreadreallychangedmyopinionsofeveryday
thingsthatItakeforgranted,likealwaysassumingthatIllbesafe.Thisquotefrommybrief
reallyencompasseswhyIhadsuchastrongreactiontothisconflict.Therehasbeennoreal
peacebetweenPalestineandIsraelsince1947,anddespitemanyattemptsatpeace,nothing
hasremainedcalmformorethanafewyears.Afterunderstandingtheconflict,and
understandingtheitsbeendecadessincethePalestiniansandIsraelishadanyrealpeace,I
wasalmostgladthatIdidnthavetohaveanopinion.Thisdidntreallyhaveanaffectonmy
performanceattheconference,seeingasIwasntallowedtohaveanopinionwhilebeingthe
chair.Whilewritingmybriefforthisissue,everyarticleIreaduncoveredanotherfactfavoring
onesideoranother.IthinkIconnectedwithsomeofthearticles,becauseIcouldunderstand
differentperspectiveswithouthavingtohaveanopinion,andhowtheyaffectedanypossible
resolutions.
ThemostimportantthingIlearnedinthisprojectwastheinformationaboutthetwo
issuesthatweconferencedon,NorthKoreaspossessionofnuclearweapons,andthe
Israel/PalestineConflict.Iknewpracticallynothingaboutthesetopicsbeforetheproject,and
wassurprisedthatIhadntheardaboutthembefore,seeingastheyarebigenoughtocapture
theinterestoftheinternationalcommunity.IthinkInowhavemoreofanawarenessofother
issuesoutsideoftheUnitedStates,especiallybecauseIwroteabriefonbothissuesmentioned
aboveoverviewingeverythingthathappenedinthepastandpresentconcerningthedifferent
conflicts.InmyNorthKoreabrief,IfeltlikeIobtainedaverygoodunderstandingoftheissue,
andnowwheneverIhearanythingabouttheissue,Iammoreinterested,becauseIknowwhat

isbeingtalkedabout.Whenwritingthesebriefs,Ihadtowritepossiblesolutionsfortheissue,
herearesomeexamples.
DontrequireNorthKoreatogiveuptheirnuclearweapons,butmakeitmandatorythat
theyareopenabouttheprogram,andeverythingthatgoesonwithit.
Usemilitaryactiontoshutthedownthenuclearweaponprogram.
ShutdownthebordersofNorthKorea,anddontinvolvetheminanyUnitedNation
decisions
Thesedifferentpossiblesolutionsgivemeaveryuniqueopinionontheissue,becauseIcan
useanynewinformationIlearn,andpossiblychangemyperspectiveorunderstandingofthe
issueaccordingly.ThiswasntnearlytheonlythingIlearnedinthisproject,butIthinkitsoneof
thethingsthatwillstickwithmethemost.