PO T
Israel's Narrow Vision

COUNTERPOINT

terrible tragedy and possible injustices,
Rochester Hills
but who are we to tell the Israelis what
ny observer of the situation
is right and wrong for them if they are
in Israel must be wondering
about the direction the cowl-, the ones shedding the blood, the sweat
and the tears."
try will be taking
soon. The current bloodshed,
Tough Love
as well as the changing politi-
Yes, Israel lost more than
cal landscapes in both the
23,000 of its best in the
U.S. and Israel, will certainly
course
of 50 years of wars
be determining factors. How-
and conflict. The Palestini-
ever, we, American Jews,
ans also lost many, many
should be asking ourselves
thousands. Two peoples
whether we might also have a
have been fighting over a
role to play. Can we have
small piece of land, which is
some influence on events and
ASA S HANI
equally sacred and dear for
positions, here in the U.S. as
Spec
ial
to
both. The difference, how-
well as in Israel, by engaging
the
Jew
ish
News
ever,
is. that while the strug-
in a more balanced and ratio-
gle was, for Israel, a return
nal debate? I believe that the
to revival and glory, for the Palestini-
answer is yes!
ans it was a terrible disaster, total dev-
In conversations I conduct with my
astation and humiliation.
Jewish friends, I sometimes face some-
Do we, American Jews, want to
what unusual comments. Initially, I
encourage our brothers in Israel to per-
hear expressions of strong support and
petuate this inequity and resulting
love for the people of Israel, which I,
bloodshed? Do we whisper to them to
naturally, share. Their political opin-
keep fighting for more power and glory
ions, however, largely tend to be aligned
"till the last drop of their blood"? Do we
with the positions of the Israeli Right:
advise Israel to keep developing a ques-
"Israel must hang tough in looking after
tionable "Israeli deterrence" that is so
its interests, not give in to terror and
totally dependent on the U.S.? Do we
external pressure, not give up national
encourage them to undertake a "Ser-
assets and religious monuments, the
bian" final solution?
Palestinians are unreasonable terrorists
Or perhaps, we, American Jews,
who only want the total destruction of
should switch from a passive, uncondi-
the Jewish state."
tional support to a "tough love." Tough
I then ask my friends a simple
love means telling the Israelis, without
question. If a hard line against the
fear, that seeking a just and balanced
Palestinians means, in reality, killing
peace with the Palestinians is not only
their uprising against occupation, con-
moral, but also in the best interest of the
tinuing their de facto subjugation and
Jewish state. It means lecturing them,
crushing their struggle for indepen-
without guilt, that peaceful, respectful
dence and dignity, how is this compat-
coexistence with neighbors is more
ible with American moral values and
important than fighting forever for the
the belief in the basic right to life, lib-
Greater Land of Israel.
erty and the pursuit of happiness by
It means criticizing them, without
all humans? I ask them if they believe
agony, for a democratic system that
that the Palestinians are lesser humans
lacks a constitution, a separation of
who do not deserve these rights. I ask
"synagogue and state" and equal treat-
them how we Jews, a minority realiz-
ment
of non-Jews. It means teaching
ing the American dream and enjoying
them,
without shame, that, for a civi-
American freedoms, can afford to
lized society to live in peace and har-
deny similar rights to others? I often
mony, they must develop a mentality
get a response that surprises me: "Yes,
of tolerance, diversity and respect for
the Palestinian people have endured a
each other and for outsiders. It means
telling them to get rid of "the whole
Asa Shani and his wife, Ariela, hold
world is against us" mentality and
dual Israel and U.S. citizenship. They
adopt "let us be reasonable and fair",
have lived in Rochester Hills for nearly
by reaching out to all nations with
two years and attend Temple Beth El in
friendship and generosity.
Bloomfield Township. He is a former
vice consul and consul for economic
Israel's Approach
affairs for Israel in Chicago and Hous-
We have to remember that although
ton. Since becoming a U.S. citizen, he
Israel tries to, and does, resemble the
has become a businessman, mainly pro-
moting Israeli exports.
NARROW VISION on page 30

Raanana, Israel
Whose State Is It?
lipir hat is the "Israeli experi-
As expression of its raison d'etre, Israel
ence"?
adopted the Law of Return, which
After a long period of
offers citizenship to any Jew wishing
exile, the Jew--
to immigrate to the country.
ish people began to realize the
But as MK Mahameed
dream of returning to their
explains, "the Law of Return
homeland by winning inter-
does not fall within the con-
national recognition of this
text of 'state of everyone,'
right. In 1948, the State of
the state that we are strug-
Israel declared its indepen-
gling for."
dence within the framework
In 1967, Israel expanded
of United Nations resolutions.
its borders again in a defen-
This was rejected by the Arab
sive war, capturing the land
people and, as a result of the
that had been held by Egypt
DR. AARON
ensuing war of independence,
and Jordan. In contrast to
LE RN ER
at a high toll, Israel's borders
the post-1948 situation,
Speci al to
expanded from the Arab-
during which abandoned
the Jew ish News Arab villages were replaced
rejected proposed partition
line to what became known as
by Jewish communities, Jew-
the "Green Line." The area
ish communities were built on open
from the Green Line to the Jordan River
land beyond the Green Line over the
and the area of the Gaza Strip remained
course of time, first on Jewish-owned
in flux as (while they were occupied by
land and later on newly purchased
neighboring Arab states) there was no
land as well as state land. For the first
internationally recognized annexation of
time in a generation (and, in some
the lands.
cases, generations), Jews were able to
In sharp contrast to the American
pray at their holy places.
experience with minorities, the Israeli
As for the attitudes of Arabs
Arab citizens fundamentally rejected
("Palestinians") in the West Bank and
the country as defined.
Gaza Strip vis a vis reconciliation with
Eighty percent of Israeli Arabs
Israel, consider the results of Birzeit
identify themselves as either Arabs or
University Development Studies Pro-
Palestinians, not Israelis or Palestin-
gramme's poll of Palestinians in the
ian/Arab Israelis (November 1999 sur-
West Bank and Gaza Strip Nov. 6-8:
vey by Dr. Assad Ganem of the Institute
Question: If East Jerusalem comes
For Peace Studies at Givat Haviva).
under Palestinian sovereignty, will you
American minorities identify with
accept Israeli sovereignty over West
the country, and jumped at the chance
Jerusalem?
to prove their loyalty in the armed
Answer: No, 74.3 percent
forces, even going to battle against their
Question: Do you believe that
former homelands. The Arab Israelis say
peace is possible between Palestinians
they will not fight their brothers.
and Israelis if Israel does not recognize
And this extends well beyond iden-
the right of Palestinian refugees to
tity.
return?
"During the Gulf War, most of the
Answer: No, 91.5 percent
Arabs in Israel did not feel that they
Over the course of time, many
were in danger. No one here believes
Palestinians have returned to Israel
that an Arab army will come here and
under a program of "family reunifica-
will attack the Arab cities and vil-
tion" that applied to the basic family
lages," said United Arab List Member
unit. But even the radical extremists at
of Knesset (MK) Hashem Mahameed
Gush Shalom draw the line on the
in August in an interview with the
wholesale return of the 1948 refugees.
Independent Media Review and
Yet, almost all the Palestinians reject
Analysis (IMRA).
peace unless Israel agrees to this suici-
dal step. Recent negotiations attempt-
ed to gloss over this issue by speaking
Aaron Lerner grew up in Washington,
of "family reunification" without set-
D.C., and lives with his wife, Bat-
ting the qualifying family relations.
Sheva, a former Detroiter, and two chil-
Nice
for President Bill Clinton's last
dren in Raanana, north of Tel Aviv.
big
photo
opportunity on the White
They hold dual Israel and U.S. citizen-
House
lawn,
but a certain formula for
ship. He is an international trader and
a registered reporter with and director of the next war.
How would America act under
IMRA, the Independent Media Review
and Analysis (www.imra.org.i1).
AMERICAN MODEL on page 30

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2001

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The American Model

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