Bar-On, a 25-year-old third-year mathematics graduate student, became a public face on campus a year ago when he helped organize the Palestinian Solidarity Movement conference at Duke.
TV's Emily Almas caught up with the Israeli citizen a year later to talk about the state of the movement and Middle Eastern politics now.
Did the conference change discussion of these issues at Duke?
Certainly it increased the debate here. Duke was the most represented university in [International Solidarity Move-ment activities] this summer in Israel.
I think the increased debate also shifted more people to the margins of the discussion, but we hope for this issue to be constantly debated.
What's your personal take on Israel's decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip?
I think Israel withdrew from Gaza on its own interests, the economic costs there and the death of a number of soldiers and settlers. I hope it will be the first step for the Palestinians there.
Is getting Duke to divest from Israel still a big part of PSM here?
Absolutely. It's still on the agenda. Duke is a major investor and has a huge stock portfolio. I think any moves toward divesting would have a significant impact.
I don't think the PSM had a huge effect on it; what I do think will have an effect is the increase in the number of institutions and churches divesting. Duke's Methodist Church affiliation is much weaker now, but it's something to consider.
Have you ever had administrators or faculty criticize you for your political views?
None whatsoever. Those faculty members who do want to debate or engage do so openly. It's good to talk to them. Many faculty members here are not interested in these issues.
I have not encountered any resistance whatsoever.
Since the conference, have more people become involved in the movement?
There are more opportunities for dialogue. There is more awareness of the issue on campus and more people talking about the issue.
This issue lends itself to heated debate, and I think that can be positive.
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