Villains or Heroes? Palestinian and Jewish Freedom Fighters.

Historical comparisons are dangerous and could be inaccurate and out of specific context. They can lead to academic bickering and worse. This is especially true when comparing the strategies and tactics of bitter waring parties. In any ethnic or religious conflict, two sides will convince themselves that theirs is the one who holds the key to truth and therefore moral high ground. So much so, that both sides can justify horrendous acts of aggression that are otherwise incomprehensible. I was born in Israel, and as such, I’m thinking about the conflict quite often. I am usually torn between a sense of commitment to ‘my people’, belief in unique circumstances that lead to the formation of Israel, and the plight of Palestinians as a result.

I was reminded, after reading a small news item appearing on Israel’s Ha’aretz daily a week or so ago, of the nuances and the extreme sensitivity both sides have to any comparisons. The news item was about a recent discovery of a weapons and ammunition hideout in a Synagogue. Dating to the 1940’s. It was not uncommon for such hideouts to be found in private homes as well. The Jewish population had few options and was fighting for its independence, well before 1948, when Israel’s statehood was declared by the UN assembly. Reading about this discovery, I could not help but think about the much derided use of mosques and schools as places to hide weapons, munition and armed fighters, during the operation in Gaza. I can of course immediately find faults in my basis for comparison. One could argue that the conditions leading to use of civilian infrastructure, 60 years apart, are not on par. It could also be that in the final analysis (somehow conducted by an objective historian – if such a person exists) it could be shown that one side has a morale advantage over the other in their leverage of such tactics. But I also believe that there are enough common issues that at the very least justify soul searching and debate. Ideally on both sides.

 

I am not a neutral observer of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I was born in Israel 45 years ago, immigrated to Canada 24 years ago, and most of my family still lives there.  I’m a ‘centrist’ leaning liberal, and always believed in a 2 state solution. I have a great deal of sympathy to Palestinians and their desire for statehood and normal life. I also recognize the conditions that led Jews to resettle in this land. There are numerous precedents for division of lands and settlement of claims by international bodies (such as the UN) that therefore provides Israel and its Jewish population with a strong legal basis to exist as a legitimate country. Those who claim such imposed agreements are unacceptable, do not acknowledge the logical conclusion that sometimes could pull the rug from under their own existence. Fighting for Independence is therefore historically accepted. But so is the Palestinian fight. The argument in most cases, surrounds the tactics used.

 

For those of us who support Israel and are concerned for its future, it behooves us to consider some of the similarities, not only the differences between the much vilified Hamas and our own history of freedom fighting. It may be repulsive at first to do so. I vehemently oppose the fundamental tenets of the Hamas doctrine, at least the elements I’m familiar with, including their claim that Israel should not exist, that suicide bombing against civilian population is an acceptable act, and the deeply racist claim that Jews, not ulike vermin, be exterminated. I do consider their point of view infantile and simplistic, no less offensive than other extremists following the tenets of religions. I am after all an atheist.

 

But at the very least, comparison fosters a dialectic process of arguing and understating of facts, not simply the  emotional smoke screen those who are directly affected, their politicians and demagogues so readily employ. I am sure, however, that recognizing the complexity of a given situation, helps seeing it for what it is. This could, in turn, foster a logical dialogue and maybe negotiations backed by an informed populace less subjected to herd mentality. 

 

Beyond the strategic and tactical folly of lobbing thousands of  (ineffectual but terrorizing) rockets at the Israeli populace, I do believe that some decisions made by guerrilla fighters, in this case Palestinians locked in a tiny civilian enclave called Gaza, could not have been avoided and would have been pursued (and indeed, were) by Jewish freedom fighters of 60 years ago.