I have an intense love for the Israelis and the Palestinians, and the pain and violence they experience at each others hands weighs heavily upon me. Why this should be, I have no idea. They live in a completely different part of the world from me (I live in the U.S.); I have no kinship with them, other than humanity. Perhaps it is that common humanity. But then, I share that with every human on this planet, and I have a great deal more in common with many of them than with the Israelis or the Palestinians. And yet, my heart breaks more for the Israelis and Palestinians and their unending conflict than for any other people in the world. I pray for peace for them, for them to be able to live side by side in two states, but lately all I feel is despair. And so I am writing this blog, because I don't know what else to do, in an attempt to put into words my thoughts, my feelings, my hopes. My hope is that through the process of writing this, I will find clarity and further steps to take. Because right now prayer alone does not seem to be enough, and I honestly don't know what else to do.
I feel a little crazy sometimes for caring so much about these people, and this one issue, when there are so many worthwhile and important causes closer to home that one can get involved in. But I just can't let them go. I can no more step away and ignore the situation than if my own two daughters were trying to claw each others eyes out. When I heard about the murder of the three Israeli youths, I wept. When I heard about the murder of a Palestinian youth in retaliation, I wept again. And I continue to weep as I read about hatred flaring up on both sides toward the other.
There are Israelis and Palestinians who see in each other fellow human beings. When I traveled to the West Bank and Israel five years ago with a group from my church, we met and talked with a lot of them. It was in listening to these people -- people who have lost loved ones to violence who meet and pray with bereaved families from the other side; Israelis and Palestinians working together in solidarity to prevent home demolitions; and many others -- that something quickened inside me. Some of them were initially afraid to reach out and open up to the other, but once they did they found that peace and reconciliation was possible. But these people have to go to great efforts to meet and get to know each other. Their governments, as well as some of their fellow countrymen, have erected numerous barriers precisely to keep them apart and make dialogue between the two peoples challenging . The political situation has been such that it is extremely difficult for Israelis and Palestinians to get together; and therefore it is very easy for them to refuse to see each other as human. And this is what breaks my heart. This, to me, is the tragedy. For peace to happen, those obstacles must come down. And with the recent murders, this goal seems more remote than ever.
How can we tear down those barriers? And what can I, an American citizen, do to help bring them down? This is the question I seek to explore, and hopefully answer, in writing this blog. Because I love both of them with all of my heart.
Please know that you're not alone. I believe the best thing we can do is push our government to have an honest debate about our uncritical support of Israel. I completely support Israel's right to exist, but also Palestine. The conflict between the two was completely forseeable way back in 1948. We need to have well-articluated arguments free of wild rhetoric (just now I deleted my previous post, partly out of an editing error but also to limit my heated words in the passion I feel towards both people, to practice what I preach). When I saw the Post front-page article in the grocery store line yesterday detailing the precision-bombed Gaza homes in retaliation for Israeli attacks I called my senators as soon as I got in the car to blow off steam - to call for an honest debate about our support for Israel, that I support both Israel and Palestine - that the US could do a LOT more to push these two bickering children to begin to see eachother as human beings. I believe the problem is political. The politicians have it in their best interest to appear to be "tough" to their hard-liner constituents. On the other hand, most folks, Israeli and Palestinian, just want to live their lives. But the US needs to start asking hard questions ... why do we support Israel despite its violations of International laws with the wall it erected, the continuing occupation, its economic policies which further isolate Gaza, its treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank?? All this because Palestinians are potential terrorists? That may be jumping to conclusions, but WHY might they become terrorists? Anyway, I'm getting back to some of my heated rhetoric again, so I'm sorry, but I think we need to have more honest debate in our political spheres, because ultimately it's a political solution that will save both the Israelis and Palestinians. A safe and secure Israel NEEDS to have a safe and secure Palestine. I hope the leaders of both sides understand this. I think the Israelis and Palestinians know this, especially those who you know personally. Thank you for intiating this blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response and for your support! I have written letters to Congressman (but never called), and only gotten form letters back, if even that. I met with them once with other constituents through CMEP's advocacy conference, but Israel/Palestine just didn't seem like a priority to them. So I got discouraged. But I will keep trying. Thanks!
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