It's not easy to go against the flow, especially when you stand against the might of the Israeli Defense Forces backed up by the government's political ideologies.
However, Israeli air force pilot Yonatan Shapira did just that.
"A year and a half ago, I learned to say 'no,' and that's why I'm here," Shapira said in front of students and members of the Jewish pro-peace organization Brit Tzedek v'Shalom at Houston Hall.
In an effort to bring peace and hope as well as a different perspective about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Shapira gave a personal account of his career in the Israeli defense forces and his decision to end it.
A former Israeli air force captain, Shapira refused to conduct combat missions in the Occupied Territories -- which include the West Bank and the Gaza strip.
These areas are home to 3.7 million Palestinians and 230,000 Jewish settlers. The question of ownership of these occupied territories has always been a thorny issue in the Mideast peace process.
Shapira found it "impossible to be part of a system," which he deemed pursued a "policy of assassination" in the occupied areas because it involved an inordinate number of civilian casualties.
As a result, he became actively engaged in an anti-occupation movement named the Refuser Solidarity Network.
The non-profit organization -- composed of former Israeli pilots and reserve officers -- seeks to push the Israeli government to actively withdraw Jewish settlers and soldiers from the West Bank and the Gaza strip.
Shapira also took part in authoring the "Pilots' Letter," a declaration which refused to support and participate in missions in the Palestinian territories.
Although Shapira was brought up in "a very Zionist family," traditions and religious ideologies did not deter his determination to rescue people -- Israeli or Palestinian.
"For many years ... I was against the occupation, against the war in Lebanon. At the same time I was sure they were doing everything for peace. But I think my eyes were closed for many reasons," he said.
While flying his helicopter, Shapira saw a wedding beneath him.
"There were happy people unaware of me in the helicopter. Then something inside me told me that maybe there was something that I'm not aware of as well," he said.
Shapira underwent a "process of awareness," researching what exactly was happening between the Israeli forces and inhabitants of the Occupied Territories.
"You learn in school that the Israelis are the 'good guys' and the others, the 'bad.' You learn about freedom, justice and equality. But the Israeli army did not uphold those ideals, controlling 3.5 million Palestinians without freedom, justice or equality."
After being discharged from the air force in 2003 after 12 years of service, he "realized that nothing could change [his] decision. I wanted to fight for my people, whether Jewish, Arab or Christian."
Although his courage to oppose what he believed to be immoral touched and impressed listeners, some found his talk problematic.
A few students who have served in the Israeli army found it difficult to accept Shapira's views. Serving at checkpoints or participating in ground operations, they were also eyewitnesses to violence.
College senior Yoni Heilman, who served in the IDF called Shapira "irresponsible."
"I'm not proud of him at all. His morality comes at my expense," he said. "Were we not there in the Occupied Territories, there would have been terrorists who would have blown up a bus in Haifa."
Heilman did not see any alternatives to doing his military duty.
"I chose not to refuse because I saw no one else who would do it in a better or more humane way than I," Heilman said.
College junior and Palestinian native Ahmed Moor found Shapira's talk "incredibly informative and courageous. As a Palestinian, when I shook his hand, I was struck halfway through -- I said to myself, 'Wow, he would be one of those people who would be flying overhead.'"
