A unusual story from Gaza - because it is normal

I read Palestinian news sites every day and see the crazy, funhouse mirror world that they live and think in.

Today I saw something normal - which makes it extraordinary.

The Association for Culture and Free Thought, in Khan Yunis, is organizing a summer camp for children in cooperation with the Research and Astronomy Center of Al-Aqsa University in Gaza called "Adventures in Astronomy".

The kids learn astronomy and have access to a large telescope to use in the evenings.

The camp coordinator, Youssef Daher, says the camp "aims to develop the scientific, cognitive and astronomical skills of a segment of Gaza children, and to alleviate the scientific gap that exists between them and scientific development outside Palestine."

I looked up the Association for Culture and Free Thought. It was set up by a group of women in Gaza who were sick of how everything Palestinian kids are exposed to is politicized. They want Palestinian kids to have normal lives, protected from danger - not exposed to it as Hamas and Islamic Jihad camps do. They want kids to learn and thrive.

They aren't Zionists - they partially blame the "occupation" for kids' problems in Gaza. But they are clearly not fans of Hamas and the terror groups that dominate everyday life in Gaza, either. 

They want kids to have a chance to be curious and grow. This astronomy camp is just one of their initiatives.

What is remarkable is that this is so unusual. If most Palestinians would act like these brave women that started this center, instead of growing up with  singleminded hate, there would be peace.

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