The issue of the settlements, long central to the peace process, is fraught with political and religious symbolism. Both sides call the territory home, but many Israelis also see its possession as their divine right and have no intention of leaving.

Likewise, news from the Middle East shows no signs of becoming less contested, conflicted and controversial. Just a few days after the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks—almost anticipating the Mitchell-Netanyahu face-off—a taped message, allegedly from Osama Bin Laden, chastised America for its ongoing support for Israel.

President Obama may be trying to accelerate negotiations, but the slow pace of progress has frustrated not just the Al Qaeda leader. Hollywood, too, is clamoring for change. More than 1000 filmmakers, actors and academics signed a letter opposing  the Toronto Film Festival's decision to spotlight Israeli filmmakers. Protesters call the festival organizers "complicit in the Israeli propaganda machine," while counter-protesters denounced the "blacklist."

But even as it seems the cycle of violence and recriminations might last forever, the New York Times has spotted something new on the horizon. James Traub's profile of "J Street," a primarily Jewish advocacy group that supports a "new direction" for the U.S.'s Middle East policy, concludes, "J Street may still be too small a blocking back to clear much of a path for the Obama administration. But you can compensate for size if you're not afraid of contact."  

Hmm—more contact, more conflict.

Of course the Middle East is newsworthy and deserves the copy it gets, but does anyone ever consider the how, what, where, when and why of story selection? Are conflict narratives privileged, or are journalist activists who promote alternative coverage—often called peace journalism or conflict resolution journalism—naïve, if not addled?

I'm very interested in the question—not just because I've followed the Middle East story for a long time, but also because I intend to take my journalism class there this Spring. Together, we'll explore religion, politics and the media—probing how synagogue and state are covered, the impact of social media on the conflict, and alternative narratives that may not always make the news. During the lead-up to the trip, I'll be keeping close tabs on the region. If you find stories, op-eds, blogs or web sites that you think are helpful resources, please send them along.

Diane Winston