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In response to a conflict born on another continent that has led to debate and clashes between different groups at UCLA, students have planned a week of events in what they call an attempt to shed light on the dire situation that Palestinians are currently facing in Israel.

The week of events, titled “Israel and Palestine: Obstacles to Peace,” will feature speakers, a film screening, performances and discussions that organizers say will examine the issues that stand in the way of peace.

With a cultural dance and food celebration put on by Students for Justice in Palestine and the United Arab Society kicking off the week of events, organizers said they hope to give the UCLA community a taste of Palestinian history and culture – something they said is often absent in the media.

“There has been a mask established by the media,” said Norah Sarsour, vice president of SJP who helped organize the events. “People tend to think of violence and suicide bombers when they think of Palestine. Hopefully Monday will expose something greater than that – ... (that Palestinians) do have something to live for,” she said.

Sarsour said the group would present “dedke,” a Palestinian dance, and serve food as part of the festivities.

In the 58 years Israel has existed as a state, it has experienced almost nonstop conflict over borders and land. Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have escalated because of suicide bombings on the part of the Palestinians and violence perpetrated by Israelis against Palestinians, as well as unilateral security actions the country has taken in recent years, such as setting up checkpoints on roads leading into Israel and building a fence between Israel and the West Bank.

Sarsour said she views the Israeli presence in historic Palestine – which includes present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – as an occupation and said she considers this as the largest obstacle to peace.

“With the many components that make up the occupation, such as the checkpoints, the wall that has surrounded the West Bank, limited financial resources for Palestinians, ... hopefully the students will understand why the Palestinians react the way they do,” she said, referring to the election of Hamas to the Palestinian Legislative Council, which has raised concerns because Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel and the use of terrorist tactics.

But the obstacles to peace are not so easily defined by everyone.

Leeron Morad, vice president of Bruins for Israel, said the nature of events such as the ones planned act as a barrier to peace.

“The obstacles to peace are events like the ones put on this week, because the speakers that are being brought to campus this week insight hate, insight violence. ... There’s no place at UCLA for such hateful, racist weeks,” he said, referring to Amir Abdel Malik, a Mulsim speaker who supports Hamas and is planning to speak on campus Thursday.

Morad said events promoting peaceful coexistence would carry more significance for the UCLA community.

“If they bring speakers who want to live side by side with Israel, that would be the most powerful statement they could make,” he said.

But organizers of the events said the goal, rather, was to focus on the issues that they feel are preventing the two groups from reaching peace.

“(Terrorism and violence) is the first thing that comes to mind usually when people think of Palestinians. We will show that suicide bombings are a result of the oppression and the occupation,” Sarsour said, adding that Palestinians would not resort to such acts if they were not living in the poor conditions she said are caused by Israeli policy.

Morad said Hamas, the current governing body of the Palestinian people, is another obstacle to peace, as it does not recognize Israel’s right to exist.

“The Israeli government is hoping for a partner for peace so there will be two states living side by side, but Hamas doesn’t even want to recognize Israel, ... (and) because of that, Israel has no partner for peace,” he said.

Members of the groups organizing the event said one of the things that must be done is to eliminate some of the false perceptions plaguing the Palestinian community.

“The misconceptions that are portrayed against the Palestinians are standing in the way to peace in the

Holy Land,” said Adam Elsayed, vice president of the Muslim Student Association, adding that peace is a universal goal that can only be achieved through the elimination of these obstacles.

Organizers said the speakers and activities of the week will present a view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is often not portrayed in the media.

Monday will feature a video presentation of various students’ views of the situation, which will be followed by a discussion moderated by a speaker.

The video shows a “diverse response from UCLA students” and the presentation will address “why we as Bruins should care; what our role is in the occupation; what we can do to educate the community; and what the U.S. has to do with it,” Sarsour said.

Norman Finkelstein, a professor at DePaul University and a scholar of the conflict, plans to speak to UCLA students on Tuesday and will provide students with an opportunity to listen to views that are otherwise not accepted, Elsayed said.

Thursday’s planned event will feature guerilla street theater, which will depict a typical day under the occupation through the eyes of a citizen, Sarsour said.

The show will “give a course in the obstacle that Israel has established that is hindering the process to peace,” she said.

Organizers said they expect students to object to material included in the presentations, but they want to give UCLA students the opportunity to experience various viewpoints.

“We hope people will challenge us with academic discourse,” Elsayed said.