The International Program on Security and Diplomacy, a school of communication within the Tel Aviv University, is home to students of various nationalities. American, Latin American, European, Indian, Chinese, Australian and African students can all be found within the confines of the school.
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And this year, “courtesy” of the war in Gaza, a new course is set to debut - Israeli advocacy, the curriculum of which will include the background that triggered the war, as well as the ramifications it brings about both on Israel and the world in terms of conflict management, the Middle East, economics, international law, national fortitude and coping with trauma.
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The damage in Be'eri needs to be explained to the world
(Photo: Tami Harel / i24NEWS)
School faculty is hoping this course will raise awareness thus far lacking within the international student body, presenting a more nuanced and complex view of the conflict within the countries the students come from.
“The horrific sayings coming out of various campuses are often a by product of egregious ignorance often stemming from dubious sources,” says Prof. Malat Shamir, the school’s deputy director. “To counter this, we offer international students a chance to get thoroughly acquainted with facts on the ground, exposing them to proven occurrences, responsible research and a multifaceted way of thinking.”
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Much like the press, international students need to understand the carnage to explain it in their own countries
(Photo: Moshe Mizrachi)
The course is one of several initiatives, through which international students will help with Israeli advocacy, conveying the war’s tragic origins through social media, presenting material and information that tells Israel’s full story.