The mess we’re in…

Can you hear them, The helicopters;
I’m in New York. No need for words now;
We sit in silence. You look me;
In the eye directly, You met me;
I think it’s Wednesday, The evening;
The mess we’re in, And ooooh… (PJ Harvey, The Mess we’re in)

Israel is in a terrible mess right now. It is in a junction between two alternatives; The first alternative is becoming extremely nationalistic. Being national is what helps Israel to ease the pain and the death toll. The sacred bond between fellow israelies against a common enemy helps them to forget the troubles in israel. It helps them to forget the poverty, the corruption and the violence spread in the Israeli society. The other alternative is to call for stopping violence immediately; without any cause, without any settlement and without any demands.

None of these options are good for Israel, or for the Israelites.

As you know, Bombing kids and killing innocent people does not give Israel great public relations nor does it help that the death toll is by far greater on the other side . Moreover, The Israelites who are pro-peace are dealt severely in peace rallies worldwide (warning: hebrew link) and when the Israeli left demonstrates, it tends to be quite against Israel’s right to defend itself and calls for immediate disarmament.

I didn’t go to the Anti-war rally yesterday. I felt that it’s too early to doubt the government. I believe that it should act differently, but i don’t think that it should stop all military action. I do think that it should stop bombing where it is not sure that only terrorists exist; in hebrew it is called Statistical Bombing. (hebrew link) I do believe we should do our best to stop it.

The problem is that most demonstrators are Anti-Israel and not Pro-Peace. Were there any pro-peace actions i’d join. I don’t think that withdrawal now will save israel. Unlike signs in shown at Indymedia from the latest demonstration, Hizbullah is not acting out of self defense and Both the Hizbullah and Israel are continuously killing babies.

The left is supposed to be non violent. Non violent means that it does not believe in violent means, and that means that not only is Israel not entitled to use force, but also the Hizbullah. Being tolerant to the Hizbullah requires, from the basic decency of logic, to be equally tolerant towards israel. For me, as an Israeli it is hard to be tolerant towards an organization that wishes to kill me and eradicate me without any explination. It is really hard for me to read comments like this

“That state and anyone living under its fake constitution do not have the right to exist, not to mention “defend themselves.” And untill the Arab world wake up to this simple very basic fact, we wont stop fighting the shadows of an image created only in our minds. “

I do believe i have a right to exist, and i do have a right to defend myself. I think that taking israel as a fact and not as an image may help reach peace quicker. But if there’s no room for peace, and israel has to by annihilated in order to the Hizbullah to be satisfied I have no one to talk to.

4 thoughts on “The mess we’re in…

  1. Jonathan, I agree it has to come from both sides. I would not expect nor accept a one way cease fire. I do think it would be in Israel’s best interest to withdraw from Lebanon. If the goal is to fulfill that UN resolution, the ‘safest’ way would have been to use an international, third party force to do so. I do agree with you that people who go to peace rallies tend to protest what they are against, rather than what they are for, and hence, the ‘other’ side is less likely to listen to the original intent for the rally in the first place. I think that can be an issue regardless whether people rally for peace or pro/anti immigration (like here in the US).. there will always be people who get really hyped up and ruin the message as it were.
    I can understand your reservations..
    Ingrid

  2. I don’t think Israel has any business inside lebanon, all soldiers that are there should leave ASAP. but bombing Hizbullah launchers from the Air? i believe it is still Israel’s right (but not to bomb children or civilian targets)

    And I think that in a week or two, if this war isn’t over, i’ll have to start doing serious things.

  3. We’ve been facing the same issues with our rallies too. I long for a pro-peace rally that wouldn’t turn into an anti-“fill in the blank” party.
    I also agree that the ceasefire should be from both sides.

    I guess all we have for now is hope this war won’t last much longer and that an positive outcome from the war.

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