I dont often post political thoughts on my personal page. However, the recent uptick in Israel-Palestine tension, centered around the murders of three Israeli teenagers and one Palestinian teenager has shed light on a topic I do want to comment on: how well-meaning Israelis, Palestinians, Americans--hell, all of us--contribute to the prolongation of the conflict. I have seen some very unhelpful comments on Facebook recently. Not all articles, blogs, studies, etc. related to the Israel-Palestine conflict are unhelpful. Some are very insightful. Most are inciting. The Boston subway ads that, true to a generation of Twitter-pated individuals with short attention spans, prove Israels villainy with one-word captions of damning photos. The studies that use statistics to prove that most Palestinians are committed wholeheartedly to Israels destruction, thus proving that the whole people are untrustworthy, not partners for peace, brutal, or even sub-human. I have news for you: if you are posting one-sided drivel that does nothing to advance the understanding necessary to bridge the gap and end the conflict, you are not only prolonging the conflict. You are your worst enemys best friend. Thats the way of it in the Middle East, and I am utterly serious. Lets say you despise Israel with all your might. I know your version of history, and its been said so many times, in so many forums, that I can give you one hundred years of history in a few quick, Twitter-approved phrases. Zionism. Nakba. An illegal colonial settler-state. Belligerence, warmongering, expansionism. Occupation. Brutality. Collective punishment. Deir Yassin, Sabra and Shatila, atrocities, state-sponsored terrorism. Children. Ariel Sharon, Bibi Netanyahu. Gaza is an open air prison. Air strikes. Genocide, if youre really intellectually dishonest and/or have no understanding of what the term actually means. Apartheid (and apartheid wall), if youre willing to stretch the meaning, though not as far as you have to go to get to genocide. Almost all of these are perfectly defensible intellectual positions, so for the sake of argument, let us grant them. You take to Facebook to post an article on the brutality of the Israeli occupation, and spout a comment about Israels uncalled-for behavior, with no attempt to engage with the Israeli mindset. You convince your compatriots of nothing: preaching to the choir. But what about your opponents/partners? That is, the reasonable Israelis whom you will need to vote properly in the next Israeli election to achieve the best outcome for the Palestinians? You have convinced those people of exactly what the Israeli right has been saying since Jabotinsky: We are alone. Nobody will help us. Nobody will try to understand us. We must elect strong leaders who will defend us. Because, if even the reasonable among the worlds citizens will condemn our actions without understanding the climate that necessitates them, what chance do we have if we rely on the nations of the world? Another Holocaust is where we are headed. Congratulations. Four more years (or however long) of Bibi Netanyahu. What about the other side? Lets say you despise Palestinians or Arabs with all your might. I know your version of history, and its been said so many times, in so many forums, that I can (once again) give you one hundred years of history in a few quick, Twitter-approved phrases. Exile. Diaspora. Anti-Semitism. Pogroms. Zionism. Holocaust. Independence against overwhelming odds. Throwing the Jews into the sea. Wars of defensive conquest. The worlds third super-power (ha!). Terrorism. Yasser Arafat, Samir Quntar. Munich, Lod, Busses, Restaurants. School busses. Children. Fatah, Rockets, Hamas, Islamic Jihad. An unfortunate, but necessary, or even benign occupation (or, more perversely, Greater Israel, a phrase that conjures images of 1930s Italian fascism). Human shields. Collateral damage. No moral equivalence. The fence. Security. Survival. Once again, almost all perfectly defensible intellectual positions, so once again, let us grant them. You take to Facebook to post an article on the rampant Jew-hatred amongst the savage Palestinians, and spout a snarky comment to the effect of: Our partners for peace. What a joke. No attempt to engage with the Palestinian experience, or to truly understand the situation that lies beneath the article. The pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian choir hears the preaching, and nods smugly. And your opponents/partners? You have convinced them of exactly the sentiment that Hamas, et al, have been hoping to exploit: The Israelis understand nothing but violence. They wont give in to non-violent tactics, so we must continue the armed resistance. Congratulations. You are part of Hamas marketing strategy, and you have all-too-gladly played your part. I propose we try something else, something constructive. Lets stop preaching to the choir and go attend the other service for once. Lets read these articles, blogs, subway ads with a critical eye for once. So, by all means, post. Share the articles. And then go read some of the articles for the other side. I wont say to anyone to forget about history; it is not only impossible, it is unwise. What I will say is: challenge your automatic narrative of history with the other narrative. Your version, be it Israeli or Palestinian, is (I guarantee you) not 100% factually, historically accurate. The other sides narrative is probably more accurate than you would care to admit--and, even if its not, IT IS AS REAL TO THEM AS YOUR NARRATIVE IS TO YOU, so stop dismissing it. Stop announcing it does not matter, that you have the right, and that disagreeing opinions will be de-friended (or are welcome to de-friend you if they cant handle the truth). The Palestinian people as a whole are not a simple collection of Jew-hating, savage terrorists bent on Israels destruction, although some individual Palestinians are. The Israeli people as a whole are not expansionist, occupation-loving, land-thieving brutes, although some individual Israelis are. Be part of the solution. Reach across the Green Line, the Separation Wall, the news feed. Read the other sides opinions. Understand their context. Your understanding will give the lie to the sensationalist, hate-filled garbage that has spread on the internet. Terrorism is not resistance, and posting anti-Israel drivel is not resistance, either: it strengthens the Israeli forces that see no advantage to ending the conflict. The occupation is not harmless, and neither is posting anti-Palestinian nonsense: it strengthens the Palestinian forces that see no advantage to ending the conflict peacefully. Be opinionated, but real opinions consider all perspectives possible. Be vocal, but be intellectually honest. Mourn what needs to be mourned, but refrain from calling for blood. We have seen that all too often. And, when you see calls for blood, especially those emanating from those who claim to support your side, speak out against them. Strength and informed compassion are not mutually exclusive.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 07:16:19 +0000
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