Students returning to school for their spring semesters are organizing a wide range of responses to the conflict in Gaza, including speakers, demonstrations and Facebook campaigns. Many student actions make an effort to de-politicize the issue and focus on the human impact. Duke’s Muslim Student Association organized a vigil for the Gaza civilians caught in the crossfire and students at the University of Florida organized a protest this past Sunday against the killing of all civilians, both Israeli and Palestinian. However, even at events taking a conciliatory tone, the larger political context is ever present: several members of Duke’s Friends of Israel attended the vigil because they thought posters advertising the event depicted the conflict “improperly.” They plan to launch a flier campaign to defend Israel’s actions.  Many student actions fell along entrenched political and religious lines — members of Georgetown’s Students For Justice In Palestine marched in protest in front of the White House this past Saturday, prompting a rebuke from the Georgetown Israel Alliance. On some campuses the highly charged nature of the issue is making conversation and debate almost impossible.  Students with opposing views at the University of Washington confronted one another head on, but did not engage with one another.  As members of UW’s Hillel and Huskies for Israel gathered at the same lawn as the Students for Justice in Palestine, the pro-Palestinian demonstrators took turns making speeches into a megaphone, while the pro-Israel students stood in silent counter-protest. 

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