In 2017, I had the honor of participating in a peace and security delegation on behalf of Columbia University | SIPA and spent nearly three weeks in #Israel and #palestine. There were so many unforgettable moments that changed my outlook forever. I'm reminded of a particular morning in the #golanheights when we explored an abandoned #russian military base and sat with a leader of the Mossad in the demilitarized zone on the border of #syria. We saw bombs exploding over Syria from where we sat on a pile of rocks with the mountains in the background. These photos are from that talk on the #geopolitics of the region. Today, on a historic day that marks the end of a long and brutal (13 years) war for Syria and the liberation of Syria from an oppressive regime - I am reminded of the beauty of this region and its people. I am reminded of the fragile balance of power that exists there on every border and the uncertainty that lies ahead as they chart their way forward.