A rchive Date
[ 30-06-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Israel ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/meedward.html
Constructive criticism
... and voices calling for moderation and restraint
By MARIANNE MEED WARD -- Toronto Sun
June 24, 2002
It isn't easy to criticize your own people - especially when you're at war.
But a group of 50 Palestinians did just that when they took out an ad last week condemning suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. "Stop sending our young people to carry out such attacks," the ad said. "We see no results in such attacks, but a deepening of the hatred between both peoples and a deepening of the gap between us."
So the bombs are ineffective (not to mention destructive to both sides). One could also add that they are immoral, and an affront to people who respect life and freedom. And unless you convince people of the latter, the bombings won't stop, because there is considerable debate within the Palestinian community about their effectiveness.
A leader of Hamas, whose group has claimed responsibility in one of the recent attacks, said, in effect, that if the whole world is criticizing the attacks, they must be hitting their target. So the group has no plans to cease and desist. In fact, it could get worse from here.
Even Yasser Arafat called for an end to the suicide bombings - they'll just lead to increased Israeli occupation, he said - though one wonders how loud he says this when the world's cameras are turned off. He almost called the bombings immoral - "we are against killing any civilians, whether Palestinians or Israelis." But then he practically blamed Israel for them, saying its military actions were "preventing all our efforts" to end the violence.
There you have it: it's the victim's fault. Now, where have we heard that before?
But Arafat was right that the bombings would increase Israeli presence in Palestinian areas. After the latest attacks, it reoccupied several areas and said it would leave whenever "the mission's goals are accomplished."
The problem with that approach - which has been criticized by Israeli moderates - is that it escalates the tensions. Which is the same problem with the suicide bombings. People are in no mood to hear the legitimate complaints or proposals from the opposing side when they're cleaning body parts off the street or being forced indoors by military curfews.
Each death, on either side, becomes the ammunition for the guns that kill Palestinian youths, or the spark for the bombs that kill Israeli youths. Over time, the approach of both sides starts to look the same: scorched earth, or bust. Somebody might "win" but there might be no land left or people left to enjoy it. This is victory?
Which is why it took courage for those Palestinians to criticize the methods of fellow Palestinians whose goals they at least partly share. Thinking for yourself can be dangerous. And it often doesn't win you friends.
Think of political parties, where ambitions different from the leader's can get you fired. Or religious institutions, where pedophilia hasn't in the past got you fired but criticizing church leaders got you excommunicated. Or newspapers, where running editorials and stories the owner doesn't like gets you turfed. Or large corporations, where vision statement is just another word for group think - dissenters need not apply.
Criticizing your friends is viewed as traitorous at worst and bad form at best. And it's neither.
For starters, it reminds us that no group is a monolith of opinions, despite what any leader says. There's as much (if not more) diversity within most groups as there is between groups. And if conflicts such as those in the Middle East are ever to end, it's imperative to reach out to the diverse, often minority, voices calling for moderation and restraint.
And you won't find those people in charge. Moderates rarely rise to power in a conflict situation. The free thinkers are well down the totem pole, if they're even still within organized groups (often they've already been marginalized or dismissed by their own communities.)
Maybe a revised peace plan should ensure that the 50 signatories to the ad are around the table, alongside similar sorts within the Israeli community. We'll reserve the Standing Room Only section for the leaders.
Marianne Meed Ward, a freelance writer with an interest in social and ethical issues, appears Mondays. Her e-mail is:pward@interlog.com Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@sunpub.com
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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