OTHER VIEWS

Seeds: Misguided Myths

Seeds: Truly Zionist

here is something
equivalence between terrorist
he Jewish communi-
the record straight. _
wrong with this scene:
actions to kill Jews and
ty in Detroit always
Seeds of Peace is supported,
American Jewish teens
Christians and actions to
stands for a strong
endorsed and attended by
in West Bloomfield
destroy the infrastructure of ter-
and safe Israel.
many Israelis whom the
arm themselves with feel-good
rorism.
While we disagree on some
Detroit detractors of Seeds
moral arguments from Seeds of
In March 2002, a 16-year-
issues regarding Israel, such as
consider political "soul
Peace; terrorists blow up Israeli
old Palestinian girl walked into
its politics or the question of
mates." Seeds has been active-
Jews and Kenyans in a Mombasa PROF ESSOR a Jerusalem supermarket and
"who is a Jew," these disagree-
ly supported by every Israeli
HAN NAN
hotel, launch surface-to-air mis-
detonated
a
bomb,
killing
an
ments
do
not
dilute
our
con-
government,
from the left to
RAYM OND
LI S
siles at Israeli civilian aircraft and
Israeli
teen
of
about
the
same
sensus
for
a
strong
Jewish
the
right.
Israeli
leaders, both
TAN TER
Counter Point
use homicide bombs as a strategic
age
and
wounding
22
others.
state.
doves
and
hawks,
view Seeds
Po int
tool of terror against Israeli teens
Later, Palestinian children,
As American Jews, we are
as a positive and important
in pizza parlors. Teenage Jews of
some as young as 10 years old
all too aware that such diver-
human relations organization
barricaded themselves in Bethlehem's
Detroit bond with local Muslim coun-
sity of opinions regarding Israel exists
and not as a breeding ground for
terparts singing songs from the civil
Church of the Nativity to provide pro-
daily within Israel proper. As a matter
future draft dodgers.
rights and anti-war movement; Al Qaida
tective cover for Palestinian gunmen.
of fact, some of Israel's leading mili-
The core values of Seeds are consis-
works with local Indonesian Islamist ter-
Knowing that the Israel Defense Forces
tary and security experts tend to sup-
tent with Israel's founding fathers'
rorists to kill mainly Christians in Bali.
are under orders not to shoot live
port political opinions that are
vision for an Israel that is a democrat-
ammunition at children, Palestinian
"dovish," while at the same time,
ic light to other nations while living
Misunderstanding?
snipers regularly use youngsters as
large segments of Israelis that do not
in peace beside its Arab neighbors.
At issue is whether there is: [1.] "misun-
human shields.
even serve in the Israel Defense Forces
The attempt to depict Seeds as .
derstanding" that is a "root cause" of ter-
Why do Palestinian families sacrifice
hold very "hawkish" positions regard-
some fringe organization that is out-
rorism; [2.] a failure to acknowledge
their children? Rational opportunists
ing peace and land issues.
side the mainstream is a very danger-
"moral equivalence" of actions by initia-
provide economic incentives to the fami-
Since the murder of former Israeli
ous precedent.
tors of terror and defenders against ter-
lies. The Palestinian Authority furnishes
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a
It is as cynical as it is calculated; it
ror; and [3.] a "cycle of violence."
a payment of $2,000 per
fellow Jew, Israelis on
is as divisive as it is untrue. Seeds is
Seeds of Peace teens act as if there were a
child killed and $300 per
both sides of the political
no less credible because some of its
broken telephone line between Jews and
child wounded. Saudi Arabia
divide have come to rec-
supporters are doves just as Zionism
THE TOPIC
Muslims that when repaired at the local
pledged $250 million as its
ognize the danger of
is no less credible because some past
level, would result in understanding and
first contribution to a billion-
denouncing those with
Zionists included the likes of the late
Can Seeds
peace at the global level. Consider this
dollar fund to support fami-
whom you disagree politi-
Rabbi Meir Kahane and Yigal Amir
statement of a Seeds of Peace official in
lies of Palestinian "martyrs."
cally as a detriment to
(Rabin's assassin).
of Peace
the Jewish News ["Bittersweet Seeds,"
The Arab Liberation Front, a
Israel's survival.
ach ieve
Sept. 14, 2001, page 14:
Palestinian group that is an
For some reason, there
Mainstream Values
"Barriers were broken, perceptions
arm of Iraqi intelligence, pays
are those in the Detroit
its
core
were broken, new friendships were
bounties to the injured and
Jewish community who
To those Jews in Detroit who are
obje ctives?
made,' said Seeds' national board mem-
families of the dead accord-
have decided that their
inclined to support the efforts of
ber Tim Attalla of Northville ... On
ing to a sliding scale: $500
political views are so cor-
Seeds, please do not be fooled by the
Tuesday morning, Sept. 11, the euphoria
per wound; $1,000 for dis-
rect that those who don't
rhetoric of a few loud and cynical
of Monday night was shattered along
ability; $10,000 to the family of each
agree with them are at best "naive and
demagogues. Let us not forget two
with the twin towers ..."
martyr; and $25,000 to the family of
misguided" or at worst, putting
important statements quoted directly
There is no lack of understanding on
every martyr suicide bomber. Can any-.
Israel's security and survival in real
from Israel's 1948 Declaration of
the part of terrorists who targeted the
one imagine Jews or Christians pledging
danger.
Independence:
twin towers. They wanted to kill
any money to sacrifice their kids? Not!
"We appeal — in the very midst of
American civilians in massive numbers.
the onslaught launched against us
Cycle Of Violence?
Ignoring The Facts
Likewise, there is no misperception on
now for months — to the Arab
the part terrorists who targeted teens in a
The masthead for Seeds of Peace carries
A favorite target recently has been
inhabitants of the State of Israel to
Tel Aviv disco. Based upon a meticulous
the following subtitle:
preserve peace and participate in the
Seeds of Peace. For some people in
examination of the pattern of teenage
"Empowering the Children of War to
building of the State on the basis of
our community who have appointed
nightlife, the terrorists knew the optimal
Break the Cycle of Violence." The idea
themselves as the only true defenders
full and equal citizenship and due
time and place to spill the maximum
of a cycle of violence assumes an action-
representation in all its provisional
of Israel, Seeds has become a symbol
amount of youthful Jewish blood.
reaction sequence that spins out of con-
for all that is wrong with those who
and permanent institutions.
trol and no one is to blame.
"We extend our hand to all neigh-
still believe in the possibility of peace.
Moral Equivalence?
But Palestinian organizations are to
boring states and their peoples in an
Unfortunately, the attacks against
Our young Seeds of Peace idealists also
blame for sending Palestinian youth to
Seeds of Peace have managed to
offer of peace and good neighborli-
assume a no-fault moral equivalence pos-
their deaths. So-called suicide bombers
ignore a small but important issue
ness and appeal to them to establish
ture that leaves them open to compro-
are homicide bombers who are pawns of called facts. For some reason, the
bonds of cooperation and mutual
mise with evildoers. There is no moral
"Terror Inc." and state-sponsors like Iran
chief detractors of Seeds don't have
help with the sovereign Jewish people
and Iraq — not lone zealots who would
much use for facts. So it's time to set
settled in its own land. The State of
Raymond Tanter is professor emeritus
not murder Jews if they knew the second
Israel is prepared to do its share in a
verse to "We Shall Overcome" — "We'll
in political science at the University of
common effort for the advancement
Hannan Lis of Farmington Hills is an
walk hand in hand."
Michigan in Ann Arbor and a visiting
of the entire Middle East."
Israel native and on the executive com-
In short, there is no misunderstanding
Please remember that when you
fellow at the Washington Institute for
mittee of the Friends of the IDF-
that is a root cause of terrorism, there is
support
Seeds of Peace, you support a
Near East Policy. He actively supported
Michigan Region. He vice president of
no moral equivalence between terror-
fundamental
Zionist value that has
the Jewish students opposing the. October
both the Detroit chapter of Seeds of
ists and defenders, and the cycle of
been
part
of
mainstream
Israel from
meeting on campus that called for eco-
Peace and the Jewish Community Center
violence is a myth. ❑
its
inception.
111
nomic divestment from Israel.
of Metropolitan Detroit.

T

12/6
2002

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