This Heartwarming Video Of Strangers Kissing Has A Bigger Message

In December, Israel's Ministry of Education banned a book about the romance between a Jewish Israeli woman and a Palestinian Muslim man from being taught in high school literature classes. This month, Time Out Tel Aviv has created a heartwarming video in response to the news of the ban. The book, Dorit Rabinyan's Gader Haya (Borderlife), was apparently banned for "threatening Jewish identity," Haaretz reports. The ministry was concerned that the book would "encourage" relationships between Jewish Israelis and Muslim Palestinians, according to The Guardian. For the video, Time Out Tel Aviv asked Jewish Israelis and Arabs to kiss on camera, in an effort to destigmatize the idea of relationships between the two groups. The video features six couples, including both same-sex and heterosexual couples. (Not all of the "couples" were real-life pairs, though — some were couples, some were friends, and some were strangers, Time Out noted.) The video may not be able to stop the ongoing conflict, but it's a powerful reminder of the power of love, even in difficult circumstances. On YouTube, the video has already been viewed more than 374,000 times. Check it out for yourself.