The cafe located between the Hebrew University (Jerusalem) and the nearby hospital campus used to be a rare place for Israelis and Palestinians to put politics aside, meet and chat.
Hospital staff, professors, lecturers, national and international students from the Hebrew University and the hospital often socialize at the Aroma Espresso Bar. For the past 20 years, the cafe has provided a cheerful atmosphere and is considered a "paradise" for Israelis and Palestinians.
Rania Abu al-Hawa, a mathematics lecturer at the university, said it was a place where people could come to “relax, no matter where they come from” and forget about politics . Danny, a 44-year-old Israeli who works in real estate, said he liked the cafe because it was “apart from politics ,” people focused on their work and Palestinian-Israeli relations were good. He said it was a place “both Arabs and Jews like to come to.”
Lecturer Rania Abu al-Hawa after buying a drink at the cafe. Photo: Al Jazeera
Wad Sub Laban, 20, a university student who often stops by the cafe during her break to buy a hot chocolate, described the space as “a haven” for Palestinians and Israelis. She said political issues are not discussed here because most of the staff are Arabs and the customers are mainly Israeli students.
Cafe worker Ahmad, a Palestinian, said he has both Palestinian and Israeli friends at work, and they often chat together in the mornings, putting aside any tensions. The cafe caters to everyone thanks to its “unique dynamic” and “open-mindedness”. The menu offers a variety of dishes, catering to both Palestinian and Israeli cultures.
However, after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, Ahmad said he spoke less with his Israeli friends. Now, the number of customers coming to the cafe is lower than before, and the working atmosphere has become more tense. The fact that the cafe is owned by Israelis but the staff are mostly Palestinians and that a portion of the profits go to the Israeli army has made the Palestinian staff feel cautious.
Ahmad also said that the cafe used to have a shop in a Palestinian residential area but had to close after being attacked.
Van Khanh (according to Al Jazeera )
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