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It is happening again. Another operation. Another escalation. I watched the news this morning; it is day 13 of the operation. More than 400 killed in Gaza and more than 13 Israeli soldiers killed since the operation began. I can’t believe this is happening once again. I feel pain, frustration, and confusion. I want to scream, I want to cry but I am watching the news and my tears are not ready to leave my eyes yet.

There seems to be disagreement in the ways development is defined and measured. Governments and development agencies might have different conceptualizations than NGOs, academic institutions and individuals. Some might prioritize economic development while others might emphasize the importance of human development and human rights. However, we could say that there is a general agreement on the assumption that development should aim at improving the life of people and societies.

When was the last time you thought about your behavior towards others? When did you last stop to think if you follow the opinion of others just to avoid feeling different? When you live in a reality of ongoing conflict it becomes easy to go with the flow of hatred. I was born in Israel as a part of the minority group. In Israel, there are a lot of differences between people who belong to the minorities and those who belong to the majority group: political views, the education they receive, and their economic and social situation, including employment opportunities, etc.

Have you ever wondered how many children remain deprived from education? Do you have any idea about how many people do not enjoy their freedom of expression? Have you ever tried to list at least ten of your human rights? It does not come up easily to your mind, does it? Most of the time, we take for granted the fact that we have rights, that very often we ignore what they are and how they apply to our day-to-day life.