Jews are people too
So with University work all done and having let my hair down for ?autumn? I can once again return to servicing my blog. And so to the promised thoughts on disengagement now that the dust is beginning to settle.... (no pun intended).
The other day i was on the phone to a friend of mine, she is considerable to my right when it comes to the israeli political spectrum. Something she said in the conversation really upset me and got me quite angry. I told her how difficult it had been to watch the TV reports of the evacuations, as ive said before, wherever you stand politically, watching fellow jews being forceably evacuated from their homes is a gauling experience. My friend was surprised that as a leftie i cared about the settlers. I was ASTOUNDED! Of course i care, I am human and i am part of the Jewish People. I just believe that leaving Gaza is ultimatately better for Israel and, therefore, better for the Jewish People than staying. Just as the majority of Gaza's Jewish residents and their anti-disengagement supporters also believe they are acting in the best interests of our Country and our People.
And for me, as a supporter of disengagement, there is another factor - the burden. I was a supporter of Oslo too, which has proven unfortunately not to have led us to the Peace it envisaged, and of course violence persists. Every day since the disengagement i am left to wonder wheather this is the right thing to do, risking that things will ultimately turn out for the best. I sincerely backed this plan because of its benefits for israel in the long turn, not becasue i believe that in and of itself it will result in peace. (However, it is impossible to make peace whilst remaining in Gaza draining our resources and wasting lives). All the while i told myself that 'this is not a concession to terrorism, this is not a concession to terrorism, we have our own good reasons for leaving'. I still believe that to be true and that it doesnt mean were about to leave tel aviv if ketusha rockets are being fired on their too. But not to have my head even slightly influenced by hamas and islamic jihad's celebrations and proclomations is very difficult.
In the end it doesnt matter to me what the terrorists do or say , because i have a strong sense of what this country should and should not be doing for its own good, and i know what are my red-lines.
Of course that doesnt stop the questioning going on in my own head along with the nagging prospect that years from now those of us in favour of the disengagement might be proved wrong. The consequences of being right to me, open up the possibility of a distant peace. The consequences of being wrong from the perspectives of internal politics, social issues and of course external security do not bare thinking about
The other day i was on the phone to a friend of mine, she is considerable to my right when it comes to the israeli political spectrum. Something she said in the conversation really upset me and got me quite angry. I told her how difficult it had been to watch the TV reports of the evacuations, as ive said before, wherever you stand politically, watching fellow jews being forceably evacuated from their homes is a gauling experience. My friend was surprised that as a leftie i cared about the settlers. I was ASTOUNDED! Of course i care, I am human and i am part of the Jewish People. I just believe that leaving Gaza is ultimatately better for Israel and, therefore, better for the Jewish People than staying. Just as the majority of Gaza's Jewish residents and their anti-disengagement supporters also believe they are acting in the best interests of our Country and our People.
And for me, as a supporter of disengagement, there is another factor - the burden. I was a supporter of Oslo too, which has proven unfortunately not to have led us to the Peace it envisaged, and of course violence persists. Every day since the disengagement i am left to wonder wheather this is the right thing to do, risking that things will ultimately turn out for the best. I sincerely backed this plan because of its benefits for israel in the long turn, not becasue i believe that in and of itself it will result in peace. (However, it is impossible to make peace whilst remaining in Gaza draining our resources and wasting lives). All the while i told myself that 'this is not a concession to terrorism, this is not a concession to terrorism, we have our own good reasons for leaving'. I still believe that to be true and that it doesnt mean were about to leave tel aviv if ketusha rockets are being fired on their too. But not to have my head even slightly influenced by hamas and islamic jihad's celebrations and proclomations is very difficult.
In the end it doesnt matter to me what the terrorists do or say , because i have a strong sense of what this country should and should not be doing for its own good, and i know what are my red-lines.
Of course that doesnt stop the questioning going on in my own head along with the nagging prospect that years from now those of us in favour of the disengagement might be proved wrong. The consequences of being right to me, open up the possibility of a distant peace. The consequences of being wrong from the perspectives of internal politics, social issues and of course external security do not bare thinking about
posted by Ben at 3:29 pm
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