Julia Chaitin critique of Israeli reaction to missiles from Gaza
Julia Chaitin, who I met during my stay at Ben Gurion University in 2006, is an American who’s lived in Israel for many years. As she notes, she lives and works right next to Gaza where Palestinians from various factions have been sending missiles a few miles into Israel (she teaches at Sapir College). Opposed to violence from either side, she expresses her opposition to demands by many of her neighbors to penalize Gaza’s civilians. Here are excerpts from her longer statement:
…… All forms of non-violent protest on our part – directed against the decision makers on both sides of the border – are legitimate. In recent weeks, some residents of the area have been gathering near the borders to prevent the transfer of supplies, food and medicines to people in Gaza, who are living under conditions that are much worse and much more dangerous than the conditions under which we Israelis live. Their reasoning: As long as the rocket attacks continue, we will prevent the people in Gaza from having access to needed supplies.
This is both an unjustified and immoral act. Preventing the transfer of supplies that are necessary for the sustaining of life is collective punishment – and it constitutes widespread and indiscriminate violence on our part against innocent people on the other side. Neither the children in Sderot and Otef Aza, nor the children in the Gaza Strip, are responsible for the violent conflict that exists between Israel and the Palestinians. …..
Our protest against this impossible violent situation needs to be grounded in respect for human life – ours and that of the population in Gaza. We cannot allow ourselves to be convinced into believing that supporting, and even worse, encouraging collective punishments, that directly harm the basic rights of the people, is a legitimate form of protest. In the end, such forms of protest and punishment will become a deadly boomerang. If we adopt non-violent measures that are rooted in demanding human and civil rights for all peoples in Israel and the Gaza Strip, we will not only be fighting for the rights to live securely in our home, but for the true honor and morality of this home.
Julia will surely meet criticism for statement, distributed in Israel in Hebrew. She has courage. Whether appeals to morality will make much difference remains to be seen, but it is good to see them. The latest cease fire announcement may put an end to this problem for a while, but I doubt any cease fire will hold for long in the absence of progress toward a more comprehensive justice-based solution.