Addicted To Hope

Arafat for terror or declares him
reason for hope.
terror being waged in Afghanistan, the
irrelevant, they always stop short of
Amid
the
charred
remains
of
U.S.
has
unleashed
its
army
with
full
n a crisp, gray, winter
sending
him packing. To do so
Egged
buses
and
families
torn
apart
force
and
determination
to
rid
the
morning not long ago, I
would mean there is no one with
by terror, I have, however, discov-
world of a dangerous scourge.
watched as several of my
ered something
President Bush said unabashedly,
friends and neighbors lay
for which we
"They are a relentless enemy, but we
down in the middle of a highway,
can truly feel
will be more relentless." Not so Israel.
blocking the path of a truck driven
hopeful. We
We peck away at the terrorist infra-
by a Palestinian. Kicking and
Jews
have an
structure
and
apologize
when
we
mis-
screaming, they were quickly
undying
belief
takenly
kill
civilians,
while
our
ene-
dragged to the side of the road by
in
the
inherent
mies
dance
for
joy
at
the
sight
Israeli police. One person
goodness in peo-
of our blood.
stood nearby holding a sign,
pie. And that is
Once again, the Middle
which read, "I don't want to
something that
East is abuzz with new hope
be the next victim."
we cannot undo.
triggered by a flurry of
The demonstrators were
According to
diplomatic activity in the
protesting a government deci-
Jewish
tradition,
region.
First,
there
is
the
sion allowing Palestinian
when
we
sit
visit
by
the
United
States
vehicles to travel again on the
whom to talk peace.
down
to
our
Passover seder, we spill
special
envoy,
General
main roads through the terri-
From the outset of this intifada
wine
from
the
cup
to
diminish
our
Anthony
Zinni.
Even
before
tories. Throughout the past
YEHOSHUA
(uprising),
I have feared having to
joy for those who suffered when the
Gen. Zinni arrived in Israel,
year and a half, a series of
HALEVI
look
upon
all
Arabs with prejudice
plagues fell upon Egypt, even
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
temporary closures have been
. Special
and
fear.
But
I know now that my
though
no
Jews
were
harmed.
imposed following drive-by
Commentary adopted several conciliatory
trust
in
the
genuine
goodness of
Likewise,
when
the
Red
Sea
closed
measures, including dump-
shooting attacks, only to be
people
will
not
vanish.
Our victory
in
and
drowned
Pharoah's
entire
ing his demand for a seven-
lifted as a gesture of good will
will
always
be
that
we
maintain
our
army,
the
angels
in
heaven
started
to
day
period
of
quiet
before
resuming
by the Israeli government. And each
humanity,
that
a
Jew
will
never
sing,
but
God
silenced
them.
negotiations.
What
happened
to
time, the result has been the same:
Though they were pursuing the Jews strap a bomb to his or her waist and
another attack, another Jew murdered. provoke this latest bout of opti-
blow himself or herself up inside a
in order to slaughter them, there is
mism? Absolutely nothing.
Without any reason to believe
school filled with Arab children.
no joy in seeing the downfall of our
Then there is the Arab Summit in
that Arab terrorists had suddenly
Nor will we dance in the street
enemies.
Beirut this week, in which anticipa-
laid down their arms, only one
when
a terrorist is killed. We will
We
are
an
inherently
hopeful
peo-
tion is running wild that the Saudi
thing could possibly have motivated
hold
on
to our humanity and our
ple,
whose
burning
desire
for
peace
Crown Prince Abdullah will offer a
the government to make these fate-
hope,
even
in the course of fighting
pushes
us
to
take
enormous
risks.
deal
for
normalizing
relations
with
fully wrong decisions: The Jewish
a
war,
even
though some of us may
No
matter
how
many
times
the
Israel.
We
return
some
land;
they
people are addicted to hope. No
die
for
it.
Israeli
government
blames
Yasser
to
let
us
live.
Now
there's
a
agree
matter how bad it gets, no matter
how many of us are killed, we don't
want to let go of that last shred of
hope. Like a battered wife, the
Jewish people remain convinced
Perspectives on Israel: a continuing series
that if we just give a little more, our
problems will disappear. The beat-
ings will stop and we will finally
receive the love and respect we
deserve. It's a nice way to be in the
Israel and the United States want a ceasefire. Will Arafat -- who has bro-
' concessions have been well-documented. An end
world, but it's getting us killed.
ken ten previous ceasefire agreements -- keep to a new one? It's his
1 of occupation? It was offered. Settlements? Most
The history of our people has
choice, but the choice will affect millions of Palestinians and Israelis.
would have been gone. A capital in Jerusalem? There for the taking.
shown time and again how evil man
Muslim holy sites? A given. A newly created "right of return?"
can be.
For more information about this topic, visit www.israel.org
Reportedly numbers had been agreed upon.
Our current enemy doesn't even
hide the fact that its goal is the total
destruction of Israel. It's stated
Palestinians have already been given control of 95% of their popula-
explicitly in their founding covenant
tion and 45% of the land they seek, while Israel tolerated terrorism,
Learn To Distinguish Myths from Facts
and pronounced daily by their reli-
incitement and Palestinian Armed Forces more than twice as large
The
new,
updated
Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli
gious and political leaders. Yet still,
as the Oslo Accords allowed. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak even
Conflict,
is
a
clearly-written,
comprehensive treatment, organized
we extend our hand in peace, only
went further than any previous Israeli leader regarding Jerusalem.
for quick reference.
to get burned.
By contrast, the United States has
Call or e-mail Council to get a copy for only S10.
Arafat not only rejected the offer, he refused President Clinton's
no problem seeing the evil in
pleas to provide a counteroffer, effectively ending negotiations.
Osama bin Laden. In its war against
Within months, Arafat openly supported, perhaps even orchestrated

'
Our current enemy doesn t
even hide the fact that its
goal is the total destruction
of Israel.

❑

Arafat's Choice

srae

Yehoshua Halevi is an Israel-based

writer and photojournalist. His e-mail
address is kgwhite@netvision.netil

the return to terror and violence in violation of his agreement to
negotiate differences and give peace for land.

Jewish
Community
Counclizzvar=ftw

To learn more about how you can become an effective Israel advocate, visit wwwjewishcommunitycouncilorq

%INN

LZh

3/29

2002

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