USA TODAY WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2011 WASHINGTON 9A

RotemGabay, born and raised

in Israel, says shed never met a
Palestinian before this summer.
Samer Anabtawi, a Palestin-
ian, says that while he had met
an Israeli before, he has never
spent so much time with one.
Gabay, 26, and Anabtawi, 21,
are two of 10 students taking
part this summer in New Story
Leadershipfor the Middle East, a
non-profit internship program
based in Washington, D.C.
The two are interning in the
Washington office of Rep. Jared
Polis, D-Colo.
Founded in 2010 by Aus-
tralian writer and educator Paul
Costello, the program brings Is-
raeli and Palestinian students to
the nations capital to live and
work alongside one another for
the summer.
Costello says the program
forces themto create newexpe-
riences and proves that they can
disagree without losing respect
for one another.
Weve been laughed at, been
told we are naive and its not
going to work, says Costello,
who has also helped build pro-
grams for Protestant and Catho-
lic Irish youths and white and
black South Africans. But we
just need to create one contra-
diction in the old story that will
prove that people from both
sides can work together.
Gabay, a graduate student
who hopes to be a diplomat one
day, says its a huge challenge.
I was raised in a very pro-
Israeli home, she says.
Its not about loving one an-
other . . . its about learning to
live with each other, Anabtawi
adds.
Polis says having the two in
his office has been an eye-
opening experience.
They will be what shows pol-
iticians that peace between Is-
raelis and Palestinians is pos-
sible, he says.
Anabtawi admits he faced
skepticism from some in his
community, but says that heand
Gabay have become friends.
There were some people
who thought this idea was ridic-
ulous andmade funof me for it,
Anabtawi says. But I really be-
lieve in what were doing.
We will always be discussing
Israel and Palestine, Gabay
says. But I know that after this
summer, Samer and I will be
smarter than we were before.
Other programs have similar
goals. In Rensselaer, N.Y., for ex-
ample, the Doane Stuart School
hosts one Catholic and one Prot-
estant Irish student from Belfast
each year as part of its Irish and
American Exchange program
which started in 2004, says
Richard Enemark, the prepara-
tory schools headmaster.
Michael McPhearson, spokes-
man for United for Peace and
Justice, a network of peace and
justice organizations around
world, says any program that
brings groups together to learn
is good for the world.
Organizations like these go a
longwayindismantlingthe idea
that were all so alien to one
another, McPhearson says. It
helps them to see where the
other person is coming from.
Declan Heery, 31, a 2002
graduate of Costellos Irish pro-
gram, says he remains close
friends with his Northern Irish
counterpart.
Exposing yourself to a pro-
gram like this really makes you
realize that, across cultures and
boundaries, we truly are a global
family, he says.
By Jack Gruber, USATODAY
Life lessons: Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., says its an eye-opening experience to have summer interns
Israeli RotemGabay, right, and Samer Anabtawi, a Palestinian, working in his office for the summer.
D.C. summer interns from
Mideast bridge differences
By Luke Kerr-Dineen
USATODAY
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