By Rachel Bouer

All it takes is an oud, a guitar, some exceptional vocal chords, a drum set and will power to make a statement. The members of the Israeli-Palestinian band, White Flag, proved that such simplicity can make a profound impact at its concert and workshop held in Wilder on Tuesday.

The enraptured audience of 30 students, staff and community members listened as the group’s producer and founder Mark Smulian told the tales of their origins, the motivations of their formation, and the trials of their livelihood.

In 1998, some band members met by simply having a “jam” session, said oud player and Gaza native Zaher Abdaljawwad.

“I don’t know if we made any good music but we definitely had a good time,” Smulian said with a laugh. Despite the group’s immediate chemistry, he said it was difficult to rehearse or play together due to regulations and travel prohibitions.

“Gaza, where [Abdaljawwad] lived, is a fifty minute drive from Tel Aviv,” he said, “but it’s like traveling from New York to Tokyo.”

Abdaljawwad agreed. He said it was nearly “impossible” for young Palestinians to get permits—he had to gain permission through a multicultural organization.

Though these setbacks were logistically complicated and enormously frustrating, the oncoming of the Second Intifada proved to be an even larger obstacle for the band’s evolution and growth.

“We couldn’t meet for four years,” Abdaljawwad explained. Because many Palestinian members of the band had to seek asylum in other states, like Switzerland and the United States, communication was thorny at best and practice was out of the question, he said.

However, such drastic measures of asylum-seeking were necessary as participation in White Flag jeopardized Palestinian band members’ safety, said guitarist Aaron Shneyer, who is American but has lived in Jerusalem for the past three years.

In May of 2005, the band finally reunited for a tour in Switzerland after much diplomatic difficulty; the years later, White Flag toured in Russia. Currently on their first American tour, the group traveled to Washington, DC before Oberlin and is going to New York and Boston within the next two weeks, said Shneyer.

Though their career has been shaped by international and political events, this was the antithesis of their inspiration.

“We are not a political group, we are a social phenomenon,” Smulian said.

Furthermore, the creativity and art itself is the band’s largest main concern.

“The reason why we’re so close is because of the music. It creates a space of equality and respect,” Shneyer said. “Music has to be the priority.”

Unfortunately, many of White Flag’s audiences seem to gloss over this point in assigning them a political agenda.  Shneyer said, “People come and see us don’t care about the music, which is frustrating because the members have spent so much time and energy on it.”

Smulian emphasized that the band’s music was both their motive and their mission. “Music did its magic without us understanding it,” he said, in reference to their first meeting.

This was partially due to simple logistics and difficulty of movement for the band’s Palestinian members, even before the Second Intifada. Because permits were very difficult to attain and allotted for only a limited amount of time, practicing time was scarce, Abdaljawwad said.

“We had limited time to play together [due to the amount of time allotted on the government issued travel permits]. We used the time to rehearse music, not discuss politics,” Smulian said.

Over time, though, White Flag came to be known to both themselves and the world by more than just their music.  “After 11 years the band has come to understand music as a tool to create change,” Shneyer said.

Abdaljawwad explained that much transformation occurred within himself as well.  “In the beginning I never thought I would play with Israelis,” he said. “Some nice people changed me, though.”

This acceptance is manifested in his political views as well.

“I used to think [none of the Israelis] liked Palestinians,” he said. “I see now that some people want to make peace.”

However, the realization of the potential of its citizens has not reconciled Aldaljawwad with the Israeli government, which he said he “hates.” Nevertheless, he stressed the gap between governments and their peoples. “Now people who want to make peace need to do it,” he said.

Through their music, White Flag faces a strange contradiction; their ability to be non-political and therefore bridge gaps has made them an anomaly of cooperation that draws political attention.

This internal conflict is epitomized in the first song they played at their Oberlin concert that translates to “Feather.” It discusses and acknowledges their different missions and backgrounds.

“Like a feather, we’re not sure where we’re going or where we want to be,” Smulian said.