As a fresh way to kick off the work week, My Wonderful World is now bringing its readers a Monday-Funday Photo of the Week. Designed not only around aesthetics, this photo sharing start to the week is also about facilitating geographic discussion on current events and relevant topics. Our second edition of Photo of the Week is in conjunction with the geopolitical events surrounding Palestine’s bid to become a full member of the United Nations. Admission into the UN has to be passed by the UN Security Council, including the United States, which has publicly stated that it would veto such actions under the direction of President Obama. The United States says it will not support Palestine until it re-engages in negotiations with Israel over border boundaries. According to the New York Times, “If a United Nations resolution defines Palestine as within the 1967 lines, that means 500,000 Israelis will be defined as occupiers in another country.” Struggles over territory between the two sides have been ongoing for years, and both governments worry about potential violent conflict in the days following the decision.
- How can we learn about tolerance, community, and conflict through this issue?
- Physical and cultural geography play significant roles in the history of the conflict between Israel, Palestine, and neighbors, from the battle over the Sinai Peninsula to the depletion of the Red Sea to the delineation of Jerusalem to the Palestinian population boom. How can these topics be presented in the classroom to teach about the role of geography in international politics?
As always, feel free to contact us at NatGeoEd@ngs.org with questions or comments.
–Julia from My Wonderful World