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DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
theJEWISHNEWS.com
Arthur M. Horwitz
Publisher / Executive Editor
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
essay
Seeking A Fertile Ground For Peace
T
F. Kevin Browett
Chief Operating Officer
kbrowett@renmedia.us
he young Palestinians targeting
Palestinian divide include Arab Barometer, a
Jews in Israel and the West Bank
consortium founded by Princeton University
and the University of Michigan in
with knives or cars this
fall have been "lone wolf" attack-
2005 to yield scientifically reliable
ers insofar as not belonging to a
data.
Palestinian organizational com-
LIMITED HOPE
mand tied to Islamist terror — like
Hamas, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
It's no surprise most of the latest
or Islamic Jihad. Still, the teenage
Palestinian assailants have been
and 20-something disciples of terror
15 to 25 years old. Via textbooks,
are drawn by Allah to protect the
music videos, TV shows, imam
Palestinian narrative. And they're
teachings, news reports and sports
not alone within Palestinian society. Robert Sklar tournaments, Palestinian culture
"To the contrary:' says Israeli
Contrib uting
indoctrinates kids to hate Jews.
Editor
political scientist Daniel Polisar,
Streets, meanwhile, are renamed to
"they are surrounded by people
honor the "martyred" — shahids
who share many of their core beliefs, who
who murdered or maimed Jews on "Israeli-
justify the attacks they are carrying out, who
occupied Palestinian land," which is arguably
see their actions as poten- anywhere in Israel or the West Bank. Jews, of
tially valuable in further-
course, no longer set foot in the Hamas-held
ing Palestinian goals, and
Gaza Strip.
who can be counted on to
It'll take a generation or more to change
venerate them and their
a Palestinian value system toward Jews that
families7
coarsened once the seed of Zionism took
In his essay "What
full root with the birth of the Jewish state in
Do Palestinians Want?"
1948.
A
in the November online
Why can't neighboring Arab states and
Daniel Polisar
magazine Mosaic, Polisar
their influential news media spur a progres-
posits that ifs because of
sive shift on behalf of the world's best-known
"popularly held attitudes" that Palestinian
stateless people? While some of those
leadership is loathe to vigorously oppose
neighbor states may be politically moderate,
incitement against Jews.
Polisar says not only is public opinion there
"So long as Palestinian popular opinion
"unrelentingly hostile to Jews and Israel;
remains where it is," he writes, "eruptions of
but the Arab world as a whole "is suffering
violence will always be possible, and once
a wave of internecine violence, which hardly
begun, can easily and quickly escalate:'
makes it a model to be emulated:'
Polisar is provost and executive vice presi-
In the interest of good will, Israel can-
dent at Shalem College in Jerusalem. Sources not let up on gestures of political restraint
for his polling research on the Israeli-
despite their minimal impact. Remember,
a 10-month moratorium on settlement
expansion in 2009-2010 ended with
President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian
Authority, which governs Palestinian-
controlled areas of the West Bank, leaving
peace talks.
And since the Six-Day War of 1967 when
it took control of the Old City, Israel has
declared it would maintain the status quo
at the Temple Mount relative to Jewish and
Muslim access. But that didn't stop the recent
spate of terrorist stabbings, which largely
arose because of Palestinian tales that Israel
seeks to replace Al Aqsa Mosque and Dome
of the Rock with a Third Temple.
Editorial
Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@renmedia.us
Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@thejewishnews.com
Arts & Life Editor: Lynne Konstantin
lkonstantin@renmedia.us
Senior Copy Editor: David Sachs
dsachs@renmedia.us
Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@renmedia.us
Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net
Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar
rsklar@renmedia.us
Contributing Writers:
Ruthan Brodsky, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel Cohen,
Don Cohen, Shari S. Cohen,
Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Ryan Fishman,
Stacy Gittleman, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle Grier,
Esther Allweiss Ingber, Harry Kirsbaum,
UPHEAVAL NEEDED
Through the jagged edges they view the
world, ordinary Palestinians see prolonged
terror not only as helpful over the long haul
to their plight, but also a form of legitimate
resistance, says Polisar, who earned a doctor-
ate in government at Harvard University.
Ultimately, Palestinian leaders in
Ramallah and Gaza City must shed ingrained
beliefs about violence as a virtue — a steep
task. They also must enlist Jordan, Egypt
and Saudi Arabia, all stakeholders in Middle
East stability, as partners in vociferously con-
demning violence wrought by Palestinians
of any political or religious ilk, as Polisar
argues.
For their part, America and other Western
powers must accelerate diplomatic and eco-
nomic pressure on Palestinian leadership as
well as the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East until Palestinian terrorism stops and
coexistence becomes a genuine possibility. *
Barbara Lewis, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz,
Steve Stein
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letters
Help Prevent
Teen Suicides
I just wanted to thank you for run-
ning the article by Ronelle Grier on
the ASIST suicide prevention pro-
gram ("Empowering Teens," Sept. 24,
page 62).
Unfortunately, teen suicide has
become an epidemic, even in our
community. The more this topic is
talked and written about, the more it
will help reduce the stigma involved
so people can get the help they need.
Thanks to that brief article, a fam-
ily whose teen was in imminent dan-
ger picked up the phone and called
for help in time to prevent a tragic
Dry Bones
outcome.
If one short article helped save one
life, just imagine what many articles
and many people talking and sharing
about this topic could accomplish.
Thank you for taking a step toward a
better future.
GIVING MONEY TO AN
ISLAMIST CONTROLLED
IRAN .. .
AND EXPECTING THAT
IT WON'T BE USED
FOR TERRORISM.. .
circu lationd es k@t hejewishnews.com
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prior to desired date of publication.
Rabbi Yarden Blumstein, spiritual director
Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House
West Bloomfield
Correction
Fulfillment
IS LIKE GIVING
MONEY TO A
HEROIN ADDICT..
AND EXPECTING THAT
IT WON'T BE USED
FOR DRUGS.
• In "The Talk" (Nov. 5, page 28),
the name of Dr. Lisa Klein of Child
Health Associates P.C. in Troy and a
partner in Turning Teen workshops
was misspelled.
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6 November 12 2015