Let’s see.....the Israeli military forces have occupied Palestinian territory for years, killed thousands of Palestinians suspected of being terrorists [including half a dozen innocent women and children in the past couple of weeks], caused severe deprivation for tens of thousands, conducted air strikes that bombed homes, and deliberately crippled the Palestinian self government efforts. The label of “suspected terrorist” includes anyone who is related to or may be acquainted with someone who may have engaged in a violent action against an Israeli civilian or military person. The Israelis have today launched air strikes in Gaza that resulted in shutting off power to most of the Gaza Strip [which deprives many of water that can only be supplied by electric pumps. We are supposed to accept that such actions are “purely defensive” measures and not hostile indiscriminate acts of an oppressive occupying regime. The Israeli actions are purportedly justified as measures to obtain the release of an abducted Israeli soldier, although it is difficult to understand how large scale air strikes are tailored to that purpose.
Palestinian militant forces conduct a strategic raid against a clearly defined military target and abduct a soldier. Israeli official spokesmen and US media call this raid a “terrorist” act by the Palestinians. The raid by factions allied with the Hamas military wing were unwise and ill timed, but it is difficult to rationally label the raid as “terrorist,” or anything but a counter action in resistance to military aggression that the Palestinian people have endured at the hands of the Israeli military. This strategic raid is to be distinguished from suicide bombers who infiltrate public markets and transit facilities to blow up civilian targets with the purpose and effect of causing terror and undermining any sense of public safety. Cowardly sending rocket propelled grenades into civilian neighborhoods is also a very different and reprehensible activity. The latter actions are clearly understood as “terrorist,” and are not justified under any set of laws or ethics. While Palestinian officials publicly renounce such activities, it is not evident taht they do much to stop the activities oe punish the wrongdoers.
The public duplicity and prevarication by both parties also hinders the peace process. A military raid by a group claiming to be part of the Hamas governing party was wrong, particularly in the face of a declared truce and efforts to adopt a formal resolution that could push the peace process forward through an acknowledgement by Hamas of an Israeli state. Large scale military incursions by Israeli forces based upon the thin subterfuge that it is trying to free an abducted soldier was wrong and ill-suited to achieving the stated objective or promoting the peace process. Actions on both sides are indicative of a desire to undermine rather than advance the cause of peace between the neighbors.
Killing and violence on both sides is wrong, and it will only end when both sides are able to step back and commit openly and honestly to a peace process that eschews immediate reaction and retaliation for every perceived grievance. This temperance is particularly important in an environment when each side tends to adopt a self-serving definition of the opponents’ actions while rationalizing their own misconduct and inappropriate actions.
The relatively recent Israeli “withdrawal” from the West Bank is a positive step forward, but it does not erase or absolve responsibility for past actions. Palestinian leaders have also taken some steps to support conditions for peace. None of these actions occurs in isolation or in a vacuum. Much depends upon one’s point of view. If Israelis have the unilateral right to exercise control over the lives, including the democratic self governing process and access to food, power and employment of Palestinians, then it makes sense that any act of resistance or “disobedience” by the controlled group would be viewed as wrong. If the Palestinians are a sovereign people who are being threatened with enslavement and possible elimination as a result of aggression by oppressive and illegal Israeli occupational forces, then any act of resistance to such enslavement can be seen as justified rebellion by “freedom fighters.” Neither view is entirely valid, nor entirely without historical foundation based upon years of conflict.
No amount of Palestinian resistance is likely to overcome the overwhelming resources and force the Israel military can bring to bear upon the Palestinian people and community. No amount of shelling, bombing and attacks upon Israeli targets, military or civilian, will bring peaceful co-existence or prosperity for the Palestinian people. Similarly, no amount of “retaliation” in the form of massive raids, bombing of civilian targets that result in what Israel calls “regrettable collateral casualties” will bring peace to Israeli citizens or lessen the anger and resentment against Israeli occupation and killing of Palestinians caused over the past decades [however the Israeli government attempts to euphemistically describe the actions]. The only thing that has a remote chance of changing the future is to change the present. If Israel wants peace, then it must begin to act in a peaceful manner, adopting diplomatic strategies and using force as a last, rather than first resort. If Palestinians seek justice and the end of oppression, they must begin to act in a just and humane manner befitting a sovereign people.
Hamas must find a way to act in a disciplined and constructive manner that justifies the trust Palestinian voters placed in the party in the latest election. The apparent split between the “diplomatic” and “military” Hamas wings is ineffective and unacceptable. If Hamas wishes to be viewed as a genuine “governing” authority, it must truly “govern” the Palestinian people, factions, territory and institutions. To be sure, the process of obtaining discipline among the highly splintered factions among Palestinians is a difficult and demanding one. As we see in Iraq, the existence of a formal military or police force does not immediately stop individual parties from attempting to exact vengeance and settle old scores. The mission of restraining such “vigilante” actions becomes a local peacekeeping matter.
Israel should acknowledge that this problem exists. Israel experienced similar problems attempting to confine the actions of the Jewish Defense League, whose militant factions engaged in violent and terrorist actions. If Israel wants to encourage peace, it should determine ways to support the local peacekeeping efforts instead of treating each incident as if it were a deliberate provocation by the central Palestinian government upon the state of Israel.
Israel must find a way to step back from the role of an irresponsible, arrogant bully that claims a prerogative to take any action it desires simply because it has superior military and economic resources. For every Israeli family that has been hurt or injured by Palestinian actions, there are at least five times as many Palestinians who could claim equal or greater injury. As a result, Israel should acknowledge that a break in the cycle of aggression and retaliation is required. Israel, with the greater power and resources, is in a better position to take the initiative to break that cycle. Denigration and public disparagement of the Palestinian fledgling government, including Hamas, does nothing to support a peace objective. At the same time that Israel must act with maturity, Hamas and the Palestinian leadership need to “grow up” and strive to act like responsible and mature leaders.
Israel claims that Hamas must acknowledge Israel’s right to exist and renounce violence. [Israel refuses to renounce violence against Palestinian civilians, however.] Moreover, a recent move by Hamas and Fatah [the primary parties representing the Palestinian people] to formally adopt a resolution calling for a two state solution is being brushed aside by Israeli government spokesmen. Does it make sense for Israel to demand a concrete step toward peace and then reject the other side’s effort to take that step? Despite skepticism by some Israeli factions about the sincerity or effectiveness of the Hamas public change of position, to reject the move out of hand indicates that Israel is not acting in good faith in the so-called demands that it would impose upon Palestinians for progress toward peace. In other words, are the Israeli demands/ conditions phony?
The USA is particularly weak and ineffectual at this stage because the Bush administration policies have destroyed most of its credibility and international stature. Condoleeza Rice called for the Israeli government to exercise restraint and give diplomacy a chance in resolving the issue of the abducted Israeli soldier. That plea was promptly ignored, if it was even listened to at all, as Israel; launched massive raids in the Gaza Strip. Israel knows that it has the US virtually in its pocket and that the US government will back it in any action it chooses to take. Invasion, torture and killing of civilians may not be deliberate policy action by Israeli troops, but Israel knows that the USA has no moral authority to challenge such actions in light of US policies and activities in Iraq.
The solution, as is often the case, must come from within the hearts and minds of the parties directly involved. Outside influences can be helpful at times, but cannot control the result. If the Israeli people truly want peace, then they must send that mandate to their government. The courage demonstrated by Ariel Sharon when he almost completely changed his philosophy and attitudes toward achieving peace will be required. Firm resolve to acknowledge excesses and the lasting scars of past injuries, and a commitment to going forward despite past atrocities must be taken up by the Israeli people. Having survived the Holocaust, the leaders of the Jewish State should be in a particularly advantageous position to understand and empathize with the suffering of the Palestinian people. When Israel can step back and choose not to act as the oppressor, the change of direction I believe Sharon was headed, the fuel for Palestinian extremism is shut off.
Similar courage must be exercised by the leaders of Hamas and Fatah. We have seen few if any examples of Palestinian leadership taking aggressive and disciplinary action against individuals who have engaged in violence against Israeli civilians. How many Palestinians truly believe that the Palestinian Authority or Hamas is prepared to step up to the genuine role of a negotiating party equal to Israel in working toward a peace solution? We have seen Hamas declare a truce in order to allow negotiations to proceed, but it appears that individual incidents of rockets fired into Israeli communities near the border continued without serious repercussions from Palestinian police forces. The value of a promise comes from a commitment to honor it, and the will to act in accordance with assurances that the promise will be kept. Israel has a legitimate basis for skepticism about the commitment and the ability of the Palestinian government to police Palestinians. However, interfering with the Palestinian government’s ability to enforce discipline and undermining the reasons for Palestinian extremists to lay down arms is not in Israel’s long term interest.
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