Photo by Israeli Defense Forces
Reserve soldier recruits in Mishmar HaNegev
Conflict. This is a word that can be used on its own to describe the situation in and around Israel. It is not a positive word.
Often there is action in Israel. Bombs go off, rockets fired from Palestine or Lebanon land in Israel, Israel’s air force bombs Palestine or Lebanon or even on occasion Syria, tanks get sent across borders, people are injured or kidnapped or killed.
When situations escalate, and an event like Israel’s latest incursion into Gaza occurs, it is big news.
What is so fascinating about this conflict? Is it that it is so complex? Is it that it is so unsolvable that we sit around waiting for some sudden change that the news may suddenly show us?
Maybe the question I should be asking is: What is the news missing? What is not being reported? What is being exaggerated?
The other day, a German friend of mine, who did a degree in politics, history and journalism told me, that when she was studying journalism, they were taught that when organizing news stories, either for the TV or newspapers, that news about Israel should be the last feature on the news on TV or not on the front page in the paper. Apparently people are so sick of hearing about the Israel-Palestine conflict, that they may change the channel. It is not considered interesting anymore.
Now I don’t know if this is only the case in Germany, and right now, with all the action over the last weeks in Gaza, the news sites I am visiting have articles on the subject as the main articles, but it did get me thinking.
What the people involved, and the people who have taken an interest and know about this situation find so interesting - actually bores most of the world. Most people are sick of hearing about it. To me, this was something new that I had not previously considered.
Also, it means that most people only see the headlines. They only see that a suicide bomber killed him/her self, again, or that Israel sent missiles and killed a number of people, again. Depending on what an average person picks up over the years, the opinion they develop on the matter is completely uneducated due to lack of information.
This situation is complicated. It has many sides, many explanations, and many interpretations. In fact, even if you are well educated on the matter, your opinion is likely to often change as matters progress and as you learn more about the history. You can go from left to right and back again within 5 minutes of conversation or reading. Both sides have a point. Both sides have a lot to answer for.
Since Israel started bombing Gaza on Saturday December the 27th 2008, I have seen comments made by different people on sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Being an Israeli, most of my online friends are Israeli, and the comments I have seen have varied. Without quoting, there were a few comments celebrating the attacks. Some status lines went as far as to state that they were happy about the fact that “Arabs” had been killed.
Most comments however were more moderate, simply stating their support of the attacks and including links to propaganda.
There were one or two Israelis, that stated their opposition to the attacks, even shame.
I can say from my investigations, that on both sides of the argument we get different opinions.
Apart from the general status quo on either side, where fanatical hate comes second to stubbornness, I have seen videos of Muslim public figures that support Israel’s position, and condemn the Hamas’s actions, while I have seen Israeli public figures, who believe the fault is all Israel’s, and condemn Israel’s attacks.
To see that the extreme left on one side, share views of the centre on the other side, is confusing to say the least.
I would say that the position of the more moderate Palestinians is - Israel is to blame, should go back to pre 1967 borders, and no matter what the Hamas do - Israel still needs to make the first move towards peace, even under fire.
The position of the more moderate Israelis is that Palestine is to blame, needs to stop the rocket fire, be more critical of their leaders and sign a peace treaty with conditions that most Palestinians believe to be insufficient.
Both parties point the blame in the others direction, argue about historical facts as far as 5000 years back, provoke each other as they have been doing since the start of this conflict, and get nowhere.
The answer is complicated, but the way is clear. Change.
Change may be the only way forward. Change of attitude, change of expectations, change of the language being spoken and the terms being used.
I will not attempt to list all the changes that need to be made; the point is not to investigate the logistics of a way forward, but to attempt to show that a path does exist.
