How do people in Israel and abroad see the community?
Depending upon the degree of sympathy from individuals, groups and organisations, NSWAS is often seen as a symbol, or at least a barometer, of the possibilities of coexistence in the wider society, and for this reason, there has been considerable media interest in the village. In Israel and abroad, we often find the village is viewed rather naïvely. Those who are in favour of it may be so for the wrong reasons. There is often the view that our aims are utopian, that we are an island in the conflict, where Jews and Arabs love and respect each other. In reality, our agenda and lifestyle are not utopian and, as in any real community, relations between people here are often far from perfect. Sometimes, the media produces stories that attempt to show that our dreams have been shattered, or that the community has failed in its purpose. However, it is usually the viewpoint of the outside observer, rather than life of the community, which proves to be fragile. In our public relations work, we
