Editorials are posted and archived on JN Online:
www.detroitjewishnews.com
Dry Bones
For The Love Of Death
1
t has never been easy to understand the intifa-
4 the uprising, that the Palestinians
launched at the end of September 2000. In
the wake of the Olso Peace Accords seven
years earlier, Israeli-Palestinian cooperation was
growing, to the substantial benefit of the societies
and economies on both sides of the Green Line.
And the continuing peace talks from Wye River to
Camp David held great promise that a lasting agree-
ment was in sight after 50 years of hostility. Then,
suddenly Yasser Arafat broke off the talks and the
Palestinian campaign of terror began.
Now, Americans, in general, and American Jews,
in particular, find themselves puzzled and dismayed
by the continuing Palestinian unwilling-
ness to accept the consensus view that the
intifada has been a disaster for them, that
they must return to a road toward peace
and that the first step they must take is to curb the
terrorist groups, most notably the Islamic Resistance
Movement, commonly known as Hamas. Why, we
wonder, is Hamas so wedded to violence, to the hor-
ror of suicide bombings and random attacks on
unarmed Jews?
To some extent, the answer can be found in a
political calculation. Hamas is the second most pop-
ular Palestinian movement, after Arafat's Fatah
organization, and its leaders plainly want to take
over if and when he is forced out of office.
Continuing to be seen as the leaders of implacable
resistance may help that cause.
But, even more deeply, we must understand,
Hamas exists only because of its hatred of Jews and
Israel and its commitment never to rest until all of
pre-1948 Palestine is under an Islamic government.
It is an article of deepest faith, and we must never
underestimate the depth of the belief. To understand
Hamas, we must look at what it says about itself
Here, for example, is what its 1988 covenant says
about Israel's right to exist: "The Islamic Resistance
Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an
Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem gen-
erations until Judgment Day. It, or any part of it,
should not be squandered: it, or any part of it,
should not be given up. Neither a single Arab
country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or
president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither
any organization nor all of them, be they
Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that."
Wat., UJCV
S'fi Lt. GOT
'ME ROAD
MAP.
Deep-Seated Hatred
That leaves exactly no room for Israel within any
borders, even the pre-1967 ones.
Or consider the deep paranoia of Article 28:
"The Zionist invasion is a vicious
invasion. It does not refrain from resort-
ing to all methods, using all evil and
contemptible ways to achieve its end. It
relies greatly in its infiltration and espionage oper-
ations; on the secret organizations it gave rise to,
such as the Freemasons, the Rotary and Lions
clubs and other sabotage groups. All these organi-
zations, whether secret or open, work in the inter-
est of Zionism and according to its instructions.
They aim at undermining societies, destroying val-
ues, corrupting consciences, deteriorating charac-
ter and annihilating Islam. It is behind the drug
trade and alcoholism in all its kinds so as to facilitate
its control and expansion."
If you were a Hamas believer, could you make
peace with people whom you so despised? Would
you be willing, for example, to promise a lasting
truce? Or would you be planning to cease fire only
long enough to rebuild your capacity to attack after
Israel met your demands for the release of your fol-
lowers it has taken prisoner, withdrawn from the
land it needs to secure and stopped targeting your
leaders for arrest or assassination?
And if you were a true Hamas believer, how
would you bring the struggle to Israel? "The day
that enemies usurp part of Moslem land," the
covenant explains, "Jihad becomes the individual
duty of every Moslem. In face of the Jews' usurpa-
tion of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of
Jihad be raised."
We need to take Hamas at its words. It cannot
accept Israel and be true to its goals. And thus Israel
and the rest of the world cannot accept Hamas. It
must be put out of business for good, as Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been trying to
explain to Washington and the other proponents of
the road map for peace. To settle for anything less or
to start granting substantive concessions before
Hamas is buried is simply suicidal. The psychopaths
of Hamas may think that dying for Allah is the lofti-
est of goals; the rest of the world should understand
that the goal is life — and act accordingly.
team sports are the most visible signs of Maccabi. There
also is the community-service component for the 13- to
16-year-old participants, which has taken on increasing
importance in recent years.
Nothing, howev-
er, should diminish
public recognition
of the behind-the-
scenes role of adults in the
Maccabi Games.
The 22-year-old movement is almost completely vol-
unteer-driven. Jewish community centers throughout
North America provide a base and some support for
the annual games. But it is the volunteers, who believe
so deeply in athletics and in Jewish community, who
make the Maccabi Games such a fine reality.
Coaches ride buses and planes to the games with the
teens and pay for their own meals and lodging for a
week. Coaches plan and
supervise practices during the
year and serve as quasi-parents
and chaperones for 12-14
hours a day at the games.
Without the volunteers —
coaches, delegation heads,
club members — Maccabi would not be the annual
joyous celebration for 6,000-plus Jewish teens that it
has become.
To the volunteers, we extend a hearty Yasher Koach
— Right On!
EDIT ORIEL
❑
For The Fun Of It
S
ummer's here, and things tend to slow down,
at least outwardly.
But on the inside, for the Detroit Maccabi
Club and its counterparts in Ann Arbor and
Windsor, things are getting into high gear.
The teams must put the finishing touches on
their preparations for the annual JCC
Maccabi Youth Games in August.
Over the years, Maccabi has taken on year-round
dimensions in Detroit. A core group of volunteers
fund-raises, recruits coaches and administers the mas-
sive project that connects Jewish teens from throughout
North America through athletics.
Tryouts in early spring and practice sessions for the
EDIT ORIAL
Volunte ers keep
games h umming.
❑
6/27
2003
41