UW-Madison students and faculty members gathered in the Wisconsin Union Theatre Monday to listen to Amira Hanania's experience as a Palestinian reporter.
According to Hanania, the Ma'an News Agency is the only independent news network in the Palestinian territories that advocates both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict free from any political power.
Hanania, who challenges western stereotypes of Palestinian political opinion, said the Israeli-Palestinian issue is a political conflict but it also presents a problem for journalists who want to report against government-sponsored propaganda.
Hanania spoke of her expectations for President Obama, saying there is a need for mutual respect for a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
I really believe that Israeli government and other people change their attitudes toward Palestinians. It will not be easy. It will be hard as anything in history,"" Hanania said. ""We have so much hope that Barack Obama can make a change '¦ we are excited for the future but we are also worried.""
Before the lecture began, directors of the lecture displayed Live from Bethlehem, a documentary film about the difficult situations of Ma'an.
Michael Curtin, professor of communication art and director of global societies, said the documentary, which portrays Hanania as a subject, is ""remarkable"" because it deals with the management of governments, partisanship as well as the demanding tasks of video production.
""The video focuses on people who confront the challenges every day working for the Ma'an '¦ news service in a very complicated and contentious environment,"" Curtin said.
In addition, Hanania encouraged all UW-Madison students to think about the ways to prevent war in Gaza and conflict between Palestine and Israel.
""As a future leader, you have to support the lives of all the people, especially people who have faced the challenge for so long, regardless of what politicians say,"" Hanania said. ""This is what you should look forward in your leader and this is what you should be when you become a leader.""
The next lecture in the Distinguished Lecture Series will take place Feb. 2 with the guest speaker Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium and host of the PBS magazine ""NOVA Science now.
