Palestinians

Want Peace, Too

The 40^th anniversary of the occupation of the West Bank of Palestine by Israel has recently passed, and there has been much written about the issue. There have been some articles published recently supporting the occupation and one, in particular, made a point of the yearning that the Jewish people have for peace, implying that the only obstacle is the recalcitrance of the Palestinians.

Israel has allowed talk of a separate Palestinian state but has proceeded to settle Jewish people throughout the West Bank since 1967, confiscating more and more Palestinian land, homes and farms and dislocating the people. Israel made an offer of a Palestinian state to the Palestinians a few years ago. But it was not, as I understand the details, an offer of a real sovereign nation. It was an offer for a situation much like a South African style Bantustan, in which Israel would control their air space, their water, and all commerce with the outside world. American people would not live under those conditions themselves, neither would the Jewish people. Yet we expect the Palestinians to accept these terms, and to like it. Any Palestinian leader worth his salt is not going to accept those kinds of conditions as a permanent status for the Palestinian people.

I refuse to accept the racist idea that the Palestinian people are simply violent by nature and don’t want peace. I am sure that they yearn for peace, as much as Israelis. But they also have, as the Israelis, another yearning, the yearning for freedom, the yearning to be out from under Israel’s boot heel, and to be a real nation, the same as the desires of the Jewish people.

Peace between Israel and the Palestinians must be on a sounder basis than expecting the Palestinians to put their tails between their legs and go out in the desert and "peacefully" let Israel continue to take their land and destroy their heritage.

The rhetoric by supporters of the Occupation that they want peace is certainly exposed as empty and hypocritical. Israel’s actions against the Palestinians speak much louder than their talk does about their yearning for peace.

Neil Richardson

Randolph

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