Sunday, January 11, 2009

And again... Israel

There are many topics about which one could write in these times. The economic crisis provides a welcome forum for all kinds of hobby augurs (like me, for example) who can show that they always have know it that the economic system cannot work.

But the "Middle East" provides the ultimate topic, one about which people can discuss endlessly - before they take their guns and begin putting more emphasis behind their opinion.

I have been a friend of Israel for many years. I have always been against those who kept lamenting and justifying terrorist acts with the Palestine situation. I have grown up in times when air travel was made unsafe (hijacking of planes by Palestine fighters), I was at the 1972 Olympics in Munich which will always be marred by the horrible acts of Palestine terrorists. I remember the murder of the old guy Klinghoffer, a person in a wheel chair who was pushed to his death on the cruise ship Achille Lauro. All these crimes originated from militant Palestinians, and I had no sympathy for Hamas and Hezbolla as they kept celebrating each "succesful" suicide bombing.

But now, with the latest events in Gaza, the state of Israel has shown that they are not led by wise people but by shortsighted politicians who only have their next election in mind. It appears that the Israeli leadership has nothing learned from their actions in summer 2006 against Hezbolla in Lebanon: that military operation has been a complete failure, and in addition cost the lives of civilians, and cost a lot of credibility and sympathy abroad. And now, these morons do exactly the same thing again: without regard for human life, for humanity in general, for any common sense, they command this senseless military operation in Gaza which cannot result in any positive outcome. As the Hezbolla was the "winner" in summer 2006, both in terms of actual military results (their capability has not been diminished) and in terms of recognition as the leading resistance movement who appears to take care of their people's issues, now the Hamas will be the winner. Their rocket bases may be destroyed temporarily, but they will set them up again somewhere else. The Palestinians in the West Bank will become more sympathetic to Hamas, which will cost the current president there his credibility and his post. Overall in the world, Israel cannot win any points, and even the US is already withdrawing its unconditional support.

I can understand that it is not acceptable that rockets are fired at your own country on a daily basis. But isn't there any smarter response to that? Some secret infiltration, some ingenious coup, to eradicate and eliminate the rocket bases? Is a large-scale air bombing and ground invasion the only way of dealing with this? This action will not make Israel more secure; on the contrary: it has seeded more hate for at least one more generation to come, people in Palestine who will not be ready for any compromise but who will want revenge for the death of their relatives.

With its actions, the Israeli government has also turned friends away. One cannot expect from a friend to just stand by and let these irresponsible actions happen, in a friendship act of solidarity: no, there are higher more universal values, such as humanity, human rights, wisdom etc.

In summer 2007 I have put forward my voice, against a boycott of Israeli academics as it was suggested by the UK UCU. I still find such a boycott a stupid thing, and I still am against any antisemitic notion in whatever cover it comes. But if such a boycott or any similar action would be proposed now, I would remain silent: I feel that I cannot anymore put forward my voice and opinion on behalf of Israel.

It may not matter to them.... but I think that I am not the only one who has these kinds of thoughts.

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