“It’s important for me to be aware; to learn about what’s happening in the world and try to help as much as I can. I’m involved in our student council and in a young people’s organization. I’ve taken part in lots of demonstrations over the past few years to support girls’ rights, for LGBTQ+ rights and against bullying and corruption.”

When there was a dramatic increase in violence and rocket firing in the conflict between Israel and Palestine in 2021, Zohar and her friends were stressed and frightened. She got to know Palestinian children for the first time quite recently, despite living in the city of Haifa, which has a mixed population.

“Of course I knew that Palestinians live here, but I didn’t know anyone personally. Last year I started going to after-school activities with Arabic-speaking girls. We also started a mixed group, where we learned coding together. The Palestinian girls were really nice, and it was interesting to learn about their culture, which I knew so little of. We don’t know one another at all, even though we’re neighbours. I think it’s easier for people to hate the other side if they don’t know anything about their lives or history. When we get to know one another, we find out that we’re all human beings and quite similar. If the whole of society could see that, then it would improve the chances of achieving mutual understanding. It doesn’t matter how many times the process fails, or how many territories Israel has to give up. We have to keep trying to find a way of living together in peace.”