Israel Is Not the Problem—It Might Be the Answer!

 Israel Is Not the Problem—It Might Be the Answer!

By Sahar Saeed

I grew up hearing a familiar mantra: that Palestinians are the eternal victims, that Israel is the aggressor who stole their land, and that the Jewish state is solely responsible for their suffering. With a heart that has always burned for justice, human dignity, and freedom, I deeply cared about the Palestinian cause. I wanted to help. I wanted to stand with the oppressed.

But something in me also knew—I didn’t have the full story. I had never truly heard the other side.
And this story is far more complex than I was led to believe.

As I began to study history more closely—especially the events since 1948—a different picture began to emerge. I saw peace offers—generous ones—repeatedly extended by Israel and consistently rejected by Palestinian leadership. I saw a pattern not of peacemaking, but of hardened refusal. It became painfully clear that the leadership was more committed to reclaiming land than to building peace. More invested in grievance than in reconciliation.

That realization broke something in me.

Visiting Israel opened my eyes even wider. I cannot unsee what I have seen.
Israel is not the problem—it might just be the answer.

If the Arab world genuinely wanted peace, Israel could be a source of blessing, innovation, and hope for the entire region. I believe that Jews and Arabs, together, can lead the way into a new future—if we choose to.

The truth is hard: the history of Palestinian leadership is marked by corruption, missed opportunities, and a tragic absence of integrity. It’s shameful. It’s painful. And it does not represent the future our region deserves.

And yet—I haven’t lost hope.

I now believe peace will not come by deepening division, but by building bridges. Reconciliation begins with relationship. It begins with truth-telling, humility, and a willingness to see one another. I believe that standing with Israel, listening to Jewish voices, and forging new bonds across the divide is the most powerful path forward—for healing, for dignity, and for a future that honors all people of the Middle East.

From what I have seen, Israel genuinely wants peace. They want to live, flourish, and coexist in their homeland.

And I want to be part of the generation that makes that vision possible.