I say most of the above sarcastically. Of course, there are many Arabs in Israel that can and are living peacefully with the Jews. Some even help the authorities against those who would kill Jews. Many vote in Israeli elections and keep a healthy interest in the political well-being of the Israeli system. These Arabs are citizens of Israel, who realize that their lives are better in Israel than they would be in any Arab state in the world. Many Arabs can live with Jews in Israel. The problem is that these are the silent segment of the Arab population. They have no power in Arab circles in Israel, and no control over either the policies or actions of the organized Arab establishment. This is the basis for the Likud policy of holding elections among the Arabs -- so that the peaceful Arabs can have a voice in their own future. The problem with this policy is that the victors in the elections will be the organizations of the establishment, for whom peace with Israel is unthinkable.
So what to do? Arab terrorism runs rampant in Israel, even and especially in areas that are not (officially) in dispute, such as Tel Aviv and Beit Lid. In fact, the Beit Lid massacre has so shocked the nation that television and radio phone-in shows are still full of people complaining that if this is peace they want no part of it. And this six weeks after the attack.
I must credit the Israeli left for recognizing the direction of the political winds. They know what 25% support means. They know Israelis are angry, and that a new answer must be found. I must fault the Israeli left for realizing this three years, and 132 Jews, too late. I must also fault them for their chosen new answer.
I find it utterly amazing that Shulamit Aloni and others are advocating exactly the same policies as Rabbi Meir Kahane did fifteen years ago: separation of the Jews and the Arabs. Had Rabbi Kahane been allowed to implement his ideas then, over one thousand Jews would still be alive today. But the right-wing Israeli government of the day thought his was a bad idea, and banned him from the Knesset as a racist. To an extent they were correct. His policies were a bad idea then. But apparently, Yitzchak Rabin, who was instrumental in Kahane's banishment in 1984, does not think they are so bad now. He has even set up an official government committee to investigate to feasibility of separation.
So one important question remains: what is the difference between Shulamit Aloni and Rabbi Kahane? The answer is that Rabbi Kahane, whatever his faults, loved Israel and Judaism and was only interested in helping them grow stronger. Shulamit Aloni is interested in the exact opposite. Thus, Rabbi Kahane wanted to remove the Arabs from part of Israel in order to increase the security of the State and its citizens, while Aloni wants to remove Jews from part of Israel, which will only decrease the security of the State, and therefore of its citizens.
Separation may yet prove to be a good idea. After all, the left is correct when they say that they cannot fight against Arab fanatics with bombs under their jackets. But if separation is to be pursued, it is the Arabs, not the Jews, that must be moved. Otherwise, this government will once again show that terrorism does indeed pay big dividends. It is, after all, the Arabs who are doing the bombing, and the Jews who are doing the dying? Why should we give them their victory?
Copyright 1995. Reproduction in electronic or print format by permission only.
