At the age of 28, Stav Shaffir has already helped to organise a major series of protests that brought together Israeli Jews and Arabs on issues of social justice, and she is now the youngest, and the youngest-ever female, member of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
An important influence, she said in a recent interview, was the chance to study journalism and sociology at City University, to live in London – and to take part in City’s Olive Tree Programme, which offered “a special space that neither Israeli nor Palestinian could experience in the region”.
The scholarship programme started in 2004 and is now run by Rosemary Hollis, professor of Middle East policy studies. A cohort of about 10 students goes through the programme at any one time, half of them Jewish Israelis and half Palestinians (although the latter group is made up of Gazans, West Bankers and Arab citizens of Israel who would have few, if any, opportunities to meet each other at home).
While studying for a variety of different degrees, they come together for a few hours each week and a few evenings during term time, as well as two weekend retreats with Irish facilitators and a five-day retreat in either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.
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