OPINION & EDITORIAL
Middle East ceasefire saves lives; generates hope, not dissent
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Also by Andrew Granias:
- Council finally wakes up (September 6, 2007)
- Incoming editor discusses future of Opinion page (May 10, 2007)
- Falk, Cieslewicz should grow up (April 27, 2007)
- Study mislabels students as vain (March 1, 2007)
- State of the Union disappointing, misses point (January 25, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Middle East fence necessary (November 16, 2006)
- Israel bullies Middle East (October 10, 2006)
- Israel deserves support against terror (September 4, 2006)
- Violence has consequences (December 6, 2006)
- Israel, not Palestine, wants war to continue (March 7, 2002)
by Andrew Granias
Thursday, November 30, 2006
I know what you're thinking, "Is this really the third straight day the Herald is publishing an editorial piece on Israel?" Well, yes. But it is also the first day an article is being published not just about Israel, but from Israel. Let me explain.
This past summer, I and 17 other students of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict fled from the West Bank city of Ramullah May 25, among a cloud of thick, black smoke and alarming gunfire that left four Palestinians dead and 50 wounded, just blocks from where I had been enjoying a falafel sandwich only minutes earlier. The Israeli Defense Forces-initiated raid, aimed at capturing an Islamic Jihad militant from his home, was met with resistance that lead to the deaths and injuries of many surrounding civilians. After leaving the city boundaries, and taking a collective sigh of relief with my group, it hit me: To the people living here, this conflict is everything.
That night at a restaurant in Jerusalem, we learned that our waitress' best friend had been killed in the same raid earlier that day. Yet only hours after his death she came into work for the purpose of making money for her family. She spent the entire night fighting tears and the unimaginable flood of emotions that must come with the loss of a life-long friend under such brutal conditions.
Every day for three weeks I heard story after story of pain, suffering and death, from desperate Palestinians still confined to refugee camps to Jewish settlers in the West Bank, and anyone else you could imagine in between. From these stories I soon began to realize how little I truly knew about the lives of the people immersed in the reality of this brutal conflict — a reality I certainly could not have learned from any of the readings, books or articles I had studied in the many months leading up to the trip.
So when I opened my trusty Badger Herald Tuesday morning and read fellow editorial columnist Will Smith's article titled "Peace attempts in Israel destined for failure, Hamas to blame," I knew that he too was far removed from the reality of this conflict.
Mr. Smith hinted at the popular notion that it is only Israel, and not the Palestinians, who want peace with their neighbors. Wait a minute; there was no hinting whatsoever, Mr. Smith came out and directly said "if there is to be peace, it must be made by Israel; the Palestinians have never fully attempted to settle this conflict … " This quote came right before he dubbed Palestinians as the most "disingenuous" negotiators since the Nazis made peace with the Soviets.
I feel it is my duty to assert a few statistics that will hopefully clarify the situation and make those in same school of thought as Mr. Smith use more caution in applying the label of "disingenuous."
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has insisted on the release of the one captured IDF soldier in Palestinian hands as a prerequisite for peace talks. However, there are currently almost 9,000 Palestinians being held in Israel, most of them in facilities of the Israel Prison Service, and nearly 20 of them are minors. Can you see how this prerequisite might seem a bit disingenuous to the Palestinian people? Or, can you see how praising the "restraint" of the Israeli Defense Force for not retaliating to rockets that had zero consequence to Israeli life — while more than 300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza alone in the past four months — might seem like a bit of a disingenuous exaltation?
Or, might it be a bit disingenuous to demand that Hamas, which has not sponsored a single act of terror since its election into power one year ago, be demanded to recognize Israel at the exact same time as the Israeli government builds a separation wall that will seize nearly 12 percent of the land over which Hamas is supposed to govern?
You see, it becomes quite easy for the Israeli PM to offer the Palestinians a "major package of concessions," as put by Mr. Smith, when your government has already taken so much from them. And I assure you that my intent in relaying these facts is not to engender any pro-Palestinian sentiments, but rather to move us one step closer to discarding the incognizant notion that Palestinians do not value life or are not as desperate for peace as their Israeli brothers.
While writers like Mr. Smith may only exhibit opinions accumulated from reading Middle Eastern textbooks and the Sunday newspaper, readers must understand a different reality. You must try and grasp how incredibly deep, how constantly terrifying and how vividly consequential this conflict is for the people who live it each and every day. Then, putting tit-for-tat aside, you must rejoice in a cease-fire, no matter how temporary you may feel it will be, and no matter how much you may wish Israel would retreat to the '67 borders, or dissipate as a state altogether. No matter how much you wish the Palestinians would retreat from terrorist tactics, or recognize Israel's right to exist, the ceasefire has to bring hope, not dissent, from you and the international community as a whole. Because tonight, with the ceasefire in effect, somewhere in Israel or the Occupied Territories, there is a waitress who will leave work, go home and embrace her best friend.
Andy Granias (granias@wisc.edu) is a sophomore majoring in political science and international studies.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 8:50am):
"You see, it becomes quite easy for the Israeli PM to offer the Palestinians a "major package of concessions," as put by Mr. Smith, when your government has already taken so much from them."
Unfortunately, the only concession that's acceptable is for all the Jews to walk west until their hats float.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 9:45am):
That was beautiful.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 10:24am):
Absurd. Appalling. Your willful failure to honestly represent what the PLOArabs have done to Israel and to themselves is beyond shameful.
"... can you see how praising the "restraint" of the Israeli Defense Force for not retaliating to rockets that had zero consequence to Israeli life ". . .
Evidently you didn't spend enough time with the "West Bank Settlers" you so graciously mention once before ignoring for the rest of the article. If you truly believe that DAILY ROCKET ATTACKS - which have been recognized even by pro-Arab groups like Human Rights Watch as dreadful war crimes - have "zero effect" on Israeli lives, you are a fool, in addition to being a patsy.
The only thing more wretched and contemptible than a terrorist apologist is a terrorist apologist who plays this smarmy and shallow act.
You are no journalist, and aren't even much of a propagandizer. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 12:03pm):
WHY DOES THE BH WRITE SO FREQUENTLY ABOUT ISRAEL?!?!?!?!?!?!!?
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 12:40pm):
I can almost gaurantee the 10:24am schmuck is Will Smith. Ha ha. Mr. Granias you certainly stuck it to him.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 1:31pm):
To the 12:40 post, does it really matter if Mr. Smith wrote it? What he says is true, and it seems that you would rather attack who wrote it instead of take on the argument.
Signed,
Not Mr. Smith
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 1:48pm):
"Hamas, which has not sponsored a single act of terror since its election into power one year ago"
Someone has absolutely no clue as to what is going on in the region. Hamas is actively engaged in terrorism.
A few Recent Examples:
June 25, 2006 - Lt. Hanan Barak, 20, of Arad and Staff-Sgt. Pavel Slutzker, 20, of Dimona were killed when terrorists from the Hamas and Popular Resistance Committees terror organizations infiltrated Israeli territory between the Kerem Shalom and Sufa crossings, by means of a tunnel dug from the Rafah area. Another soldier was abducted, and four others were wounded.
Sept 12, 2006 - An IDF reserve Bedouin tracker, 44, was killed by sniper fire in the course of an army operation to uncover terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, near the Kissufim Crossing. The armed wing of Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees claimed responsibility for the shooting.
According to Al Jazeera and Hamas Spokesman Hasan Yusuf - since Hamas has taken office, the organization has proudly engaged in firing rockets into Israeli civilian population centers.
Al Jazeera: "Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has refused to halt attacks on Israeli targets."
Hamas leader Hasan Yusuf: "Hamas is not the only movement firing rockets at Israeli towns. All the other factions, including Islamic Jihad, the Popular Committees, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and others do so as well."
Defending the usefulness of the rockets, Yusuf said: "The rocket attacks and the Palestinian resistance are productive and very useful.
These rockets have killed over 15 people and wounded hundreds.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 2:20pm):
"Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has insisted on the release of the one captured IDF soldier in Palestinian hands as a prerequisite for peace talks. However, there are currently almost 9,000 Palestinians being held in Israel...Can you see how this prerequisite might seem a bit disingenuous to the Palestinian people?"
No its absolutely unfair for the Israelis. They get 1 prisoner back and the palestinians get 9,000. Is that an even trade?
Terrorists believe they have found the Israeli -- or American -- Achilles heel in the high value that these societies place on individual life. Their strategy is to counter an overwhelming conventional military advantage with unconventional methods of attack.
In contrast, terrorists do not value life. Terrorist groups do not have fixed assets or other targets of value, and their demands are uncompromising. They seek to cripple the nations they fight against by exploiting the better angels of democratic societies. These include sensitivity to casualties and vulnerability to public opinion. Hence, the unequal and unwaivering prisoner exchange demands.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 2:34pm):
So you went to the West Bank one summer?
Congratulations, you are so in touch with the conflict now.
Forget all the history that led up to this.
Like I need to hear this crap from someone who just realized where the Middle East is on the map their freshman year in college.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 2:41pm):
Andrew Smith, you are so ignorant! Did you really believe that you could post such crap without getting a response?! Editor, you should tell your staff to stop wasting their time on bashing Israel. We're sick and tired of reading it. You are obviously obsessed to the point where you could rightfully be considered anti-Semitic
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 2:46pm):
"In contrast, terrorists do not value life."
I have to disagree. They're not exploding themselves for the fun of it. I contend that terrorists value the lives of "their people" more than they value their own lives.
I suppose they have taken civil disobedience to an unfortunate extreme, but that's ultimately what their actions amount to.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 2:53pm):
Congratulations 2:20 and 2:34, you know what terrorists are. You can 1) try to kill them all 2) keep complaining about an entire region of the Earth that is crawling with terrorists 3) pray that Iraq turns into a shining beacon of democracy and capitalism 4) offer no viable solution but to keep pointing fingers 5) grant the Palestinians a state and "turn down the heat" in the Middle East; ride your generous (long overdue) act and perhaps change some hearts and minds.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 2:55pm):
"...you must rejoice in a cease-fire, no matter how temporary you may feel it will be..."
Should you rejoice in the ceasefire, if you are in Israel, and it means time for Hamas to re-energize and re-arm for another go around?
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 4:08pm):
To 2:41 its amazing that if anyone offers an opinion against Israeli policy or if anyone allows an opinion to be published that is against israel they are immediately brandished an anti-semite. For once stop using this blanket term, just because you are against israeli policy does not mean you are an anti-semite. Its a cheap way of getting people to automatically think that this person is a racsist before even reading his article and thus dismissing what he has to say. For anyone to sit here and actually say that the Israeli's are the victims and that the mean awful palestinians need to be punished is delirous. With the exception of Darfur, there is no group of people more mistreated, humiliated, terrorized and killed than the Palestinians. Now we can sit here and argue endlessely on who is right and who is wrong, but much like the violence on-going in the occupied terroritories it is a vicious cycle. Lets instead try to engage in a debate on how we can improve the situation of the Palestinians, bring more stability and opportunity and by that ensure a lasting peace between Israeli's and Palestinians. I applaud Andrew for his well written article, its important that the suffering of the Palestinain people be brought to the forefront of american media. In this country, unfortunatley, we regard israeli life as more important and more valuable and thus turn a blind eye to what is happening in the occupied terroritory. I wish everyone would pick up Jimmy Carter's new book: Palestine, Peace not Aparthied and read it to finally ignite a debate about the living conditions of these poor, unfortunate people. Only through active, coherent debate and not name calling will any sort of peace be able to be generated for both the Palestinian and Israeli people.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 4:56pm):
"In contrast, terrorists do not value life."
"I have to disagree. They're not exploding themselves for the fun of it. I contend that terrorists value the lives of "their people" more than they value their own lives."
Thats why they use their own people as human sheilds. It is clearly because they value the lives of their own people so much.
"At least a dozen Palestinian gunmen eluded Israeli capture in the Gaza Strip on Friday, first by taking refuge in a mosque and then by calling on women and children to shield them so they could escape."
"On Friday morning, Hamas radio put out a call for women and children to come to the mosque - to form a human shield around the gunmen so they could escape. The Israeli Army said Hamas knows that Israeli troops would not shoot at women and children."
To this grand theorist -
"5) grant the Palestinians a state and "turn down the heat" in the Middle East; ride your generous (long overdue) act and perhaps change some hearts and minds."
How about grant the demands of every terrorist too to "turn down the heat." What about give Bin Laden his religious Kalifate covering the whole middle east. That would turn the heat down too. Or we can not give into the extortionist demands of terrorists even if it requires bravery, which you clearly do not have.
To the intellectual baffon who was fed the propaganda that the palestinians are the worst off in the world second to the Darfur population look at world standards of living. Palestinians rank higher than Syrians, Egyptians, Moroccan,and Algerians.
They rank close to the standard of living of their neighbors, the Jordanians too.
Despite the collapse of the PA economy from the last five years of war, Palestinian Arabs are still better off than many of their neighbors. The most recent Human Development Report from the United Nations ranks the PA 102nd in terms of life expectancy, educational attainment and adjusted real income out of the 177 countries and territories in the world, placing it in the "medium human development" category along with most of the other Middle Eastern states (only the Gulf sheikdoms are ranked "high"). The PA is ranked just 12 places below Jordan and one behind Iran; it is rated ahead of Syria (#105), Algeria (#108), Egypt (#120), and Morocco (#125) ("Human Development Report 2004," United Nations Development Programme, 2005).
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 7:55pm):
Andrew,
This is my first comment even though others have labeled some random comments from me.
Some of the disagreements I have with your article, which I think does raise some valid and moderate concerns from the other side of the issue and I'm happy you wrote it, are as follows:
-When it comes to prisoner exchanges, one or a handful of Israelis are frequently traded for hundreds of Palestinians. Is this parity? I do not think it is. In fact, I think this is too generous on the side of the Israelis. These prisoners are people that are arrested for bombmaking, attacking IDF troops, attacking Israeli citizens, planning attacks, money laundering, etc. These are people that deserve to be in prison. They committed crimes. I'm sure there are a bunch of people that are in there incidentally and they should be handed back to the Palestinians but for the large part these are criminals against both Israelis and Palestinians and should be in jail. On the other hand, Cpl. Gilad Shalit is no criminal: he did not strap a bomb to himself and barge into a restaurant and kill a family, nor did he plan to, nor did he assist others in doing this. He was simply serving his nation's mandatory military service when he was kidnapped. Does that mean he is 'worth' hundreds of criminals hellbent on murdering Jews? I dont think so, but thats just me. You can disagree.
Then you say that Hamas has "not sponsored a single act of terrorism" since it was elected. I ask you to define sponsoring terrorism in this case, for even Hamas will disagree with you. Someone above posted some good examples, but if you read the news this weekend you will see that Hamas actually claimed responsibility for sending Qassam rockets into Israel hours after the ceasefire that they agreed to was implemented. I consider rocketing civilian territory with the purpose of taking civilian life for political purposes to be "terrorism", and claiming responsibility to be "sponsorship". But like previously, thats just me, and you are indeed free to disagree.
Lastly, and what offends me most, is this notion that only the Palestinians are suffering. You gave some very real, and very sympathetic, anecdotes about daily life of the Palestinian civilians, yet you ignore and dismiss that this plagues Israelis too, at one point saying the "rockets had zero consequence to Israeli life". This is morally abhorrant. Not only are Israelis maimed and murdered regularly, but the emotional trauma plagues the Israelis just as it does the Palestinians. Their kids grow up in fear too. Their wives worry when their husbands are late from work. Their grandmothers worry if they will ever see their grandkids grow up in a peaceful world.
Furthermore, you are misinterpreting my argument. In no way do I not sympathize with the Palestinians, nor do I blindly condone IDF actions. I fully support a two-state solution because I want a real peace for both sides. But the caveat is the Palestinians must not be represented by a government that rejects Israel's right to exist and actively seeks its annhialation. This is not radical. I simply want a pragmatic Palestinian government with self-policing ability to emerge in order to create a peaceful state. The Israelis have proven time and time again that they are ready to make peace. I would go into the Camp David accords in which Israel offered Yasser Arafat 97% of his requested land and $30 billion... but that would help my case too much. The point is this: Palestine is not a willing partner in peace, and until they are, nations of peace and nations of human rights should not be forced to grant concessions in some feeble and desparate attempt make a fake peace.
I hope you continue to spend time in Israel, for as you get to know Israelis (especially military personnel) you will realize that they are some of the most moral people on earth. You know why the Lebanese war ended this summer? The Israelis couldnt stand to take any more human life. When was the last time the Palestinians (or any Arab for that matter) said "okay okay, too many deaths. lets stop!" Never. Fucking never. Israel grants Arabs more human rights and liberties and religious protections than their own governments grant them. That is something you simply cannot make up.
I weep for the friend of that waitress that got killed. But I blame Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade. Because they are the guilty parties in this matter, not the Israelis.
If you really want a ceasefire, and eventually a two-state solution, hold the Palestinians accountable. They pulled the trigger in 1948, and history cannot change that.
-Will Smith
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 9:26pm):
If you really want peace you must forget historical claims to land (which carry with them a cacaphony of historical injustices) and focus on the present.
Anonymous (November 30, 2006 @ 10:24pm):
It's about time someone stands up for hope--a ceasefire, no matter how short, prevents lives from being taken.
Thanks for writing the article. It's not unbiased, but rather it shares your own personal truth.
