(Community Matters) I’ve been in many email exchanges about this week’s flotilla confrontation and the Gaza blockade. I’ve expressed my opinion that the flotilla confrontation was mishandled by Israel, that the blockade of Gaza as it is being enforced against 1.5mm Palestinians is counterproductive, no longer in Israel’s best interest (if it ever was), and that Israel as a civil society must avoid rationalizing certain military practices.
Of course this path is not unknown to the US or any country which finds its citizens physically threatened. One must remember that Hamas continues to fire thousands of missiles from Gaza at Israeli families and to express its intention to wipe Israel off the face of the map. I’ve little doubt most Americans would be advocating even more aggressive practices were our citizens similarly threatened.
I speak these opinions as a friend & supporter of the State of Israel and Jewish people worldwide. One should not mistake my candidness for any softening of my support. If Israel is attacked by its neighbors, I want US forces to join in defending the country. If my friend Kirk Rudy went to fight, I would join him.
As I know is true of many Israelis, I would like to also be a friend and supporter of the Palestinian people who are devastated and threatened by their criminal political leadership. [nor am I a defender of Netanyahu or his administration.]
I’ve written many times about how impressed I was during my 2007 visit by Israelis’ willingness (even enthusiasm) to trade land for sustainable peace. Regrettably, Palestinian political leadership has denied its people too many opportunities for peace and better lives and physically threatens Israeli citizens’ lives – not abstractly – but in fact, every single day.
Am I being too idealistic? This is a possibility.
Community Matters 