"God announceth to Jerusalem that they [Israel] will be redeemed only through peace" (Deuteronomy Rabah 5:15).

Israeli rapper Subliminal, 24-year-old Kobi Shimoni, and Israeli-Arab rapper TN, 24-year-old Tamer Nafar, used to be friends. When TN first met Subliminal he was an eager young artist who was just discovering his affinity for hip hop. The two traveled with the same crew. They rapped together onstage as they helped establish a burgeoning underground rap scene in Tel Aviv. They seemed to be living proof that Muslims and Jews can happily coexist. Sadly, their friendship and working relationship would not last long.

When the second intifada (the Palestinian uprising) broke out in 2000, the two rappers began to part ways as ideological differences between them intensified.   Subliminal, a self identified Zionist, became increasingly nationalistic. As the conflict and hostility between Israelis and Palestinians continued to escalate, so too did Subliminal's sense of patriotism and his anger toward Arabs. In the song "Divide and Conquer" Subliminal raps, "Dear God, I wish you could come down, because I'm being persecuted. My enemies are united. They want to destroy me."

In the past few years Subliminal's popularity has soared in Israel. His latest album, "The Light and the Shadow", has sold more than 54,000 copies--a staggering figure for a nation with just over 6 million people. Subliminal routinely draws crowds in upwards of 10,000 people. Many Israeli teens, troubled by years of violence in their own country and searching for a bridge between secular life and Jewish culture, are drawn to his fiercely nationalistic lyrics. Amir Student, a young Israeli who manages a record label, attributes Subliminal's popularity both to his nationalistic lyrics and also to his raw talent. After all, says Student, "He's a very good musician to begin with."

Meanwhile, TN began to rap in Arabic so he could better reach his own people. He was one of the first rappers to do so and he immediately gained a large following among Arab youth in Israel. Here was a hip urban musician who understood their struggle and disillusionment. He gave them a voice. It's hard to judge exactly how popular TN is because he has yet to release an album, and figures are not available on attendance at his concerts. Yet most will agree that he is the foremost Arabic speaking rapper in Israel.

TN began writing lyrics about the frustration he felt toward the situation of his people in Israel shortly after his break with Subliminal. Although TN is an Israeli citizen, he has often spoken about how trapped he feels as he is torn between two worlds--on one hand he is an Israeli; on the other, he identifies with the Palestinian struggle for statehood. Just like Subliminal, TN's lyrics are scornful and bleak. In the song "The Flower," TN sings, "You grew up in spacious homes, we grew up in burrows. And he, who lost his way, you turned into a criminal. Then you, the terrorist, have the nerve to call me a terrorist?"

Since the two rappers split ways, they have become increasingly hostile not only toward each other, but also to the side of the conflict on which they do not stand. Although both rappers say they advocate peace, neither seems willing or able to escape from unthinking rhetoric that plagues both sides of the conflict. Subliminal increasingly writes violent lyrics hinting the only way to achieve peace is through bloodshed, while TN has equated the Israeli army with Nazis.

If former friends like Subliminal and TN cannot find common ground to discuss their differences through a shared love of hip hop, what chance is there for peace in Israel? It's hard to say, but the two rappers would probably benefit greatly by merely sitting down and listening to what the other has to say.

Subliminal and TN might disagree with each other, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the Jewish value of machloket l'shem shamayim tells us that arguments can actually be sacred. A sacred argument is one in which both parties have shared respect for each other's opinion's and humanity. For the argument to truly be sacred, both sides must be striving for truth and justice, and they must not seek any personal gain or express any malice. Subliminal and TN would be wise to try and follow these principles.

This article originally appeared in JVibe the magazine. To get your subscription to JVibe, please click here!