Two Generations of Fruitless War

On October 19, the Independent published an opinion piece co-signed by 13 people “on behalf of Academics for Justice in Palestine, UCSB.” Given the horrible tragedies underway in Israel and Palestine, as well as our familiarity with similar violence over the past century, we naturally are compelled to protest. Accordingly, I can sympathize with the sentiments of “grief” and “dread” expressed by the authors. However, our distance and personal safety demand that we address the issues with honesty and humility.

The current military action of Israel is not “aggression,” but rather retaliation against appalling barbarity and explicit, existential threats.

The ancestors of the Palestinians that inhabit the Gaza Strip abandoned their homes and property in 1948 at the behest of their leaders with the promise that they would return within weeks, as well as in fear based on the sectarian violence of the prior 50 years.

Their “peoplehood” is artificial in that Palestine has been home to many and varied peoples for several thousand years, and subject to repeated invasions, occupations, and intermingling of cultures.

The authors of the opinion piece posit “inalienable right of self-determination,” “right of return,” “Palestinian liberation,” and finally “No one is free until we are all free.” These are grand sounding assertions that have no basis in fact. “Self-determination” is a notion derived from “nationalism,” a 19th-century concept. “The Right of Return” is a policy based only on a UN resolution. And what is “Palestinian Liberation”? Is there anything in the history of Palestine to suggest that a self-governing Palestine would assure basic human rights to the people resident there?

For 75 years, the Arab-Israeli conflict has persisted. To attempt to assign blame is a fruitless task. Radicals on both sides have inflicted atrocities, and organized military conflicts have been prompted by hubris as well as provocations. In addition, there have been many military incursions to neutralize para-military terrorists.

Current events are the complex result of many forces:
•  Palestinian grievances with respect to second-class treatment in Israel, and Israeli settlement and interference on the West Bank and in Gaza
•  The frustration of Palestinians with their own administrations and living conditions
•  The fear of Palestinian authorities of becoming irrelevant as Israel and the Gulf states acknowledge a common cause in resisting Iranian expansionism
•  The weakness and corruption of neighboring governments in Lebanon and Syria
•  Repeated provocations by Hamas and Hezbollah, and the resulting anxiety of and reprisals by Israelis
•  Precipitous American withdrawal from Afghanistan which was interpreted as offering an opportune time for an attack against Israel.

However, the immediate cause of Israeli military action is the carefully planned and staged attack on civilians in Southern Israel by Hamas terrorists. There can be no justification for this attack, especially for the barbarity exhibited by the terrorists.

Rational actors would recognize that more than two generations of violence have not achieved the goals of any of the participants. A new strategy of co-existence is required. The talents demonstrated by Israelis at home and Palestinians abroad amply demonstrates the potential for a renaissance in Palestine. However, reconciliation would require the neutralization of the many radicals who terrorize the majorities that only want peace and liberty.

The destruction of the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza by a malfunctioning Hamas rocket is not only a ghastly tragedy but also a symbol of futility of hatred and violence.