What is the real issue? The Israelis, most Jews, still contend that this is their “promised land, given them in Biblical times by their God. Whether out of guilt, or simply for logical reasons, in 1947, Israel was declare a state- a Jewish state, even though Arabs could become citizens. This action literally displaced Arabs who had lived on the land for generations. Strangely, no other Arab nation in the Middle East would accept these Arab refugees. Many of them remained, as second-class citizens (without citizenship) in the new State of Israel. The issue was (and is): who has a right to the land, to settle, build homes and shopping centers and schools and industry? And, if the answer is: The Israelis, the Arabs have a right to ask: Why only them and not us.
There have been wars, notably the Yom Kippur War of 1967, which once and for all, established the Israeli army as a force to be reckoned with. There were cessions of land: the Gaza strip for one, and the return of most of the Sinai peninsula to Egypt. But, the question of Palestinian rights remained (and remains) unsolved, and perhaps unsolvable. As various governments have flourished and then more or less disappeared in Israel- the legendary Golda Meir who was, it seems, a compassionate woman and yet a fierce defender of Israeli land rights; there was the original Israeli glamour boy- a fierce fighter and hero with only one eyes, Moshe Dayan; Menachim Begin, a former “freedom fighter” (he was one of those who blew up the King David hotel before Israel became a state), Then, a peace-seeking Rabin, followed by the right-wing Netanyahu, and now, after a more or less “care-taker” government, the hawk of Israeli hawks, the former army general, Ariel Sharon., who is seen by some as a combination George Patton and George Custer, and by some Arabs as a sort of Israeli Hitler.
Frankly, by reading current newspapers and magazines or watching cable or network news channels, for the most part we get a somewhat biased report: Fair as the media try to be, it does seem to favor the Israeli side.
While reading about the current problems in Israel in newspapers or magazines seems to be more dispassionate, seeing what is happening through the eyes of a camera is frightening. Perhaps the worst views were of Martin Fletcher, reporting on NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Monday night, April 1. Fletcher reported that his car was shot at by Israeli soldiers, and while he and his camera man were not hit, there were dozens of bullet holes in his car, windshield and car windows. At one point, Fletcher reported, a hail of bullets stopped his car. They had turned on the interior lights, raised their hands, showed press credentials. But, after a few seconds’ pause Israeli soldiers fired again. Fletcher stated: “I turned the car into reverse, spun around and we got out of there”. From other nightly newscasts, it is obvious that Israelis do not want the international news media to linger too long at those check points where their own gunfire is meant to deter strangers who might or might not be friendly. In a sense, the Israelis, except when showing the result of suicide bombing or other Arab-0caused deaths and maimings, wish that it would all just disappear from the front pages or the lead TV stories.
Currently, the headlines are about Yasser Arafat’s plight, and complaints that President Bush and the administration are not doing anything to alleviate the situation. In the New York TIMES (April 2) the lead story states that “President Bush, under rising criticism for his handling of the growing violence in the Middle East, expressed frustration today that Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader, has failed to denounce what he called ‘the constant attacks’ of suicide bombers.” (Sanger & Gordon 1) The article, however, also reports that Bush has yet to talk directly to Arafat, and has not been in contact with Israeli President Sharon, either.
CNN news the morning of April 2, showed the Arafat compound in Ramallah, with every window blown out or shattered, and several hundred people, including children, surrounded inside. The CNN headline news also reported that Sharon offered Arafat a one-way ticket out, into exile- something Arafat has vehemently refused to accept.
TIME (April 8, 2002) quotes Arafat (p 26) as saying: “They want me as a prisoner, a fugitive, or dead. I want to be a martyr.” The same issue features pictures of young Palestinians, including a sixteen=-year old girl who have been suicide bombers, accompanied by an article entitled “Why we blow ourselves up” (Sarraj 39). Sarraj writes that “What propels people into such action is a long history of humiliation and a desire for revenge that every Arab harbors.” (Sarraj 39) Sarrajh goes on to discuss the fact that there seems to be some sort of personal tragedy in the lives of each of these young men and women, willing to die for their cause. When asked by a journalist why these young people would be willing to die, their replies were something like “Would you fight for your country or not? Of course you would. You would be respected in your country as a brave man. And I would be remembered as a martyr.” (Sarraj 39) Yet, is that really what Islam’s Holy Book, the Koran teaches? Again, according to Sarraj, this martyrdom complex is the influence of the fundamentalist approach to the Koran, where God promised Muslims who sacrificed themselves for the sale of Islam, that they would not die, but live on in a paradise. And there are many men women and children who believe those words literally.
From the Israeli point of view, they too have suffered both physical and emotional damage in these months- actually, in these years of conflict among themselves and various Arab groups and nations. What is “even more demoralizing than terror is the growing realization that there is no solution in sight.” (Kutz 41) There is no suspicion everywhere, to the point where anyone vaguely resembling an Arab wearing a heavy coat or carrying a package may literally be tackled, thrown top the ground, and held there until the package or coat are “safe”. This has become daily paranoia. But, as the old cliché has it, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean someone is not following you. There is danger everywhere, and no one on either “side” of this argument is safe from physical as well as mental and emotional harm.
What is worth noting, however, is that it is the spirit and construct of their faith, not their Palestinians’ respect for their erstwhile leader, Arafat. Is he as forthcoming, a man who openly preaches peace but somehow (according to documents the Israelis say they found in his compound when they began invading it last week) involved in promoting every aspect of the anti-Western terrorist attacks, including supporting the activities and planning prior to September 11.
There is an accompanying article, “Worst Case Scenario” (Luttwak 42) that explains the possible actions taken by Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Iraq if the conflict escalates and involves other mid-East nations.
TIME, at least seems to be even=handed in its coverage, while most other media follow the Administration’s bias toward Israel which America seems to see as a more stable “Western” nation, less likely to cause serious harm.
But the problem goes beyond a news slant. It goes to the very heart of the fact that most Americans (1) don’t understand what all; the arguing and fighting is about; (2) are more concerned about America’s safety from future terrorism, and (3) are more concerned about the well-being of American troops in Afghanistan and the murders of Americans in Pakistan.
There are still many people- including some of our political leaders who are concerned about offending any of the oil-producing nations, but who realize that among the largest group of consistent voters and donors to political causes are American Jews, who are very concerned about the status and future of Israel. In the aftermath of September 11, there are signs that “The Bush Administration is apparently ready to alter its approaches in the Israel-{Palestinian conflict in an effort to entice cooperation by Arab states in the fight against terrorism.” (Matthews A 20) That was written last October, and in the intervening months, little has changed outwardly. It seems that only the second-tier of American diplomats or negotiators is heading to Israel/Palestine and other Middle Eastern nations (and one has to include the oil-rich Dick Cheney among this lower rank). We see President Bush in Pennsylvania speaking about education for pre-schoolers, with an aside about preventing terrorists. We see Secretary of State Colin Powell on morning news shows urging calm. But, he is urging from his office in Washington, while fighters of both sides are killing one another without American efforts to stop it or even knowing how to do it.
According to the New York TIMES, before September 11, the Bush Administration was on the verge of announcing a Middle East diplomatic initiative that would include U.S. support for the creation of a Palestinian state. Now, perhaps to hold off any further Arab intervention, it is said (by the TIMES) that this idea is under consideration again. Perhaps the majority of Americans may be right- let’s stay out of it. “It” being a situation we neither understand nor can hope to solve. Should we be involved? There were many Republicans who were critical of President Clinton’s efforts to broker some sort of peace. They were (and some still are) concerned that any “imposed” peace or armistice would be seen as a victory by one side, and a defeat by the other, and that the U.S., in the long run, would be held accountable and responsible for this, should it fail. Yet, it cannot be stated often enough that the Ara states (oil producers as well as buffers between the bin-Ladin terrorist movements and a more rational Muslim approach) are using America’s involvement on the side of Arafat and the Palestinians as a lever for their help in stopping terrorist activities.
The conflict has, unfortunately, gone far beyond the Gaza Strip and the West Bank- well beyond the borders of Israel and the Negev. And, for us in the U.S., one of the biggest problems of involvement is that so many millions of Muslims see us as biased toward Israel, and therefore, perhaps the terrorists are right in considering us that Great White Satan, poised to destroy their way of life.
CITATIONS:
Fletcher, M.: Eyewitness Account of Israeli Shooting at his car, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Monday, April 1,k 2002
Kutz, Ilan and Kutz, Sue: “How the Trauma Takes Its Toll on Us” New York: TIME Magazine April 8, 2001, vo. 159, no. 14
Luttwak, E.N. “Worst-Case Scenario” New York: TIME Magazine, April 8, 2002 vol. 159, no. 14,
Matthews, Richard: “Abominable Surrender: U.S. turns against real ally to bribe terrorists’ friends” Atlanta Constitution, Oct 4, 2001
Sanger, D.E. and Gordon, M.R.: “Bush Is Criticized for Mideast Role” New York: New York TIMES, April 2, 2002
Sarraj, E.: “Why We Blow Ourselves Up” New York: TIME Magazine, April 2, 2002, vol. 159., no. 14,
CNN Headline News: Report from Ramallah, Tuesday, April 2 2002
