Israel Through the Eyes of a Muslim: From Bridge Builder to Witness

I did not come to Israel as a tourist.

I came as a bridge builder. And I left as a witness.

For many years, long before I ever set foot in Israel, I had dedicated my work to building understanding between Muslims and Jews. I believed deeply in the possibility of unity between our communities, not because it was easy, but because it was necessary. I believed that our shared humanity was greater than the narratives that sought to divide us.

Yet despite this conviction, my belief had never been tested by personal experience inside Israel itself.

Like millions of Muslims around the world, my understanding of Israel had been shaped by distance. I had heard it described in absolute terms, a place defined entirely by conflict, separation, and injustice. These portrayals were presented not as opinions, but as unquestionable truths.

When I was invited to join a delegation sponsored by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), I accepted with both conviction and curiosity. I came not to confirm what I had been told, nor to deny it, but to see with my own........

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