Peres Statement Powerful To All

Contributed by Susan Fiedler

Israeli President Shimon Peres has made a statement on “Operation Cast Lead,” Israel’s attack on the Hamas terror infrastructure in Gaza, and the ongoing Palestinian rocket fire on civilian areas of southern Israel.

The statement can be read online at www.huffingtonpost.com/karin-kloosterman/israels-president-shimon_b_153749.html, and a transcript also is available on video from the Associated Press and Reuters news service.

It is the most emotional statement I have ever heard coming from the Israeli side of this conflict.

I have seen recent headlines saying things like “150 Feared Dead in Israeli Attack,” and while I grieve for the Gazan people – and I have particular concern for the few, very persecuted believers left there, I resent the word “feared.”

Israel has continued to be under attack from Gaza, even during the cease-fire. The rockets can now reach as far as Ashdod. Citizens in southern towns such as Sderot live in constant fear of these random rockets.

The anxiety is almost unbelievable.

What would the U.S. do if Houston or San Diego or Detroit or Buffalo were subject to constant attacks from our neighbors? Consider our visceral reaction to 9/11, and yet that sort of suicide attack has been a constant threat throughout Israel for decades. Per capita, the populace of Israel has lost many more of its citizens than we lost in 9/11.

Are the people of Gaza suffering? Yes, incredibly so. Yet they are suffering because collectively they chose a government of terrorists. The article below addresses that more poignantly than I ever could.
Yet suffering brought upon a people by the irrational decisions of their own government should not be blamed upon those who must respond to those irrational decisions.

Rather than focus only on the civilians lost in these surgically focused attacks, why not explore the reports of Hamas purposely placing their own citizens, their own women and children, in danger by building and storing rockets and bombs right in the middle of residential neighborhoods and right in the basements of residential apartment buildings?

If Hamas truly wanted to protect its citizens, it would keep such facilities away from their own civilians. Instead, for propaganda purposes and because its own culture does not value the life of the individual, they inbed such operations right under the cribs of their own children.

Where is the public outcry against that? Where is the public outcry for Jordan and Syrian and other Arab neighbors to give land and aid to the Palestinians? The press condemns Israel for building a wall to protect itself (not to keep its own citizens in, like Berlin, but to keep terrorists out – its effectiveness has been proved by the dramatic drop in suicide attacks), but who points out that Egypt has also closed its borders to Gaza in an effort of self-preservation?

My heart goes out to each and every individual hurt by this horrible war, but to say that this war is all about religion is distorted. For Israel, this war is all about survival, for there is no other place in the world that they can go where a Jew may be safe from his neighbors.

During all the time of the occupation of Jerusalem by Arab forces, Jews were not allowed to go to the Temple Mount. Now, Israeli forces protect the Muslim administrators of Al-Aqsa; Israeli forces prohibit Jews from openly praying near the mosque; Israeli forces allow Jews and Muslims access, with the exception of some prohibitions at times to prevent violence.

Muslims want the Temple Mount to be in their territory, but they already have access to it. The Temple Mount is not their primary holy place, but it is the only Jewish holy place of significance.
What is unfair or inappropriate about allowing access to the Temple Mount while protecting it from violence? The historical record shows the difference in Israel’s administration of the area versus Arab administration.

Is Israel without blame? No, no human nation is without blame in a conflict. I am not saying that they have not made mistakes, nor am I saying that they will not make mistakes.

What I am saying is that our press should carefully examine the emphasis we have on reporting on this conflict.

Which nation in the Middle East is the only democracy, the only country with equal rights for women, the only country trying at all to treat other religions with at least a modicum of respect? (I contrast them with Saudi Arabia, for instance, which did not allow our own military clergy to wear crosses on their collars when we were helping them in the first Gulf War!)

I appreciate you at least allowing me to vent on this matter. I urge everyone to take a moment to read Mr. Peres’ statement and reflect on it.

SUSAN FIEDLER is co-pastor of a Messianic Jewish church, Congregation Beth Shalom in Bristol, Tenn. She may be reached at bethshalom@charter.net.