Who asks for the business card (or aims to establish a relationship)
tells you a lot about power dynamics.
It is easily understood that younger up-and-coming entrepreneurs will
try to link up with high-powered CEOs or that salespeople will aim to
connect with buyers.
But another subtle dynamic I keep noticing is that, in general,
Palestinians are far more interested in getting business cards of the
Israelis or international citizens they meet.
At our youth leadership summits between Israelis and Palestinians,
both sides are so surprised, motivated and energized to confirm first-
hand that they have a partner working for the same goal on the other
side. But it is the Palestinians that more frequently ask for the
business card.
This is understandable because for Palestinians, contact with some
Israeli can be a more likely life-line in the current circumstances
where they live.
When our OneVoice Gaza Executive Director was held up with four
computers for more than an hour at a checkpoint, he ended up calling
Adi Balderman who finally succeeded in intervening and helping
establish these were indeed for the organization and that Mowaffaq was
the real deal.
Jews and other minorities that have traditionally been persecuted also
have a greater instinct to establish links with the other,
particularly when the other has greater power or can control their
destiny.
Probably more so for children of Holocaust survivors. Besides the
importance of OneVoice building a network of moderates all over, I
sometimes find myself wondering in a stream of consciousness what
would happen if I was taken hostage when I am in Gaza or if I was
stuck somewhere between rival factions.
Would any of my ‘connections’ be able to help? While most likely they
would not, it is emotionally reassuring that they would try.
Sent from my iPhone – pardon typos
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