The Marked Ones / Daniela London Dekel

Daniela London Dekel describes a personal experience in which a Dutch couple looked at her with contempt because she is Israeli, and compares this to the way Jewish Israelis tend to generalize about Israeli Arabs. She calls for overcoming fear, dismantling stereotypes, and striving for coexistence.

Daniela London Dekel recounts a personal experience at a duty-free shop, where a Dutch couple looked at her with contempt after realizing she is Israeli. She describes how she went from being an individual to a generalization, feeling judged solely by her nationality. From there, she reflects on the human tendency to generalize about out-groups, comparing it to the way Jewish Israelis tend to generalize about Israeli Arabs. She argues that this tendency has intensified following the events of October 7 and the political climate, but calls for overcoming fear, dismantling stereotypes, and seeing the individual. As an example, she mentions Arab members of Knesset, specifically Dr. Maha Karakibi Sabah. She calls for connections and coexistence, asserting that there is no other choice.