Dear Friend,

Many people who care deeply about Palestine and Israel still find themselves hesitating when they try to speak about it. The conversation can feel loaded, polarised, and unforgiving. Even choosing a single word can place you in a political camp or prompt an awkward silence.

In a context shaped by prolonged occupation and deep inequality, language is never neutral. The terms used to describe places, policies, and people carry history and ideology with them. Should we say “West Bank,” “Judea and Samaria,” or “Occupied Palestinian Territories”? Each of these reflects a different political framework and signals a different understanding of reality. The same is true for the language used to describe settlements, security, resistance, or apartheid. Words do not simply describe the conflict, they shape how it is perceived and debated.

We are pleased to invite you to a special discussion on Language as a Tool for Social Change, in partnership with This is not an Ulpan, an alternative language school for Arabic and Hebrew learners, run by a non-profit cooperative of language teachers and students.