I think what strikes me most about The Band’s Visit was the lack of hostility between the Egyptians and Israelis. In the setting that the story takes place, there was a lot of strife between Israel and Egypt politically. This is referenced by Tewfiq’s statement to his band, before they travelled to Israel, that they should all behave respectfully lest the Israelis would use political “ammunition” against them. The statement may have seemed a bit awkward to an uneducated audience who weren’t aware of the Israel-Egyptian conflicts, but to the educated historian, this little detail provides a whole different perspective to the play.

Ironically, the play actually embraces the similarities more than the differences between the Egyptian band members and the Israelis, as the Egyptians were invited to stay overnight in the Israelis’ homes. I believe that Dina’s and Tewfiq’s relationship was the most bonding as the two had so many things in common like their tastes in music, relationship status, and personalities. This shows how, often times, despite what the norms of a society may be, individuals can stray away and make love and peace with their neighbor.