Clashes and debate surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are not new to Western’s campus. Whether centered around a former Israeli Defense Forces member speaking at Western or Israeli Apartheid Week’s presence on campus, public protests have become commonplace whenever the specter of the conflict is raised. The Israel On Campus-organized Israel Day display in the UCC on February 1st continued that tradition. At 2 pm, protestors with tape over their mouths and carrying signs condemning Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip moved in front of the display. After a hectic twenty minutes involving photos and impromptu interviews with the press, the protest was over as soon as it began and the demonstrators left peacefully. After the dust had settled, questions about the nature of cultural politics and protest itself hung in the air.  Continue reading →