 |
| Standing outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague in February 2004, Arnold Roth, holding a photo of his murdered child, is interviewed by BBC News |
In the midst of violent drama being visited upon us by our neighbors, the government of Israel seems to be on the verge of acting on a matter that we have wanted to see happen for many years.
For background, see "11-Oct-07: Reacting to 7 more frustrated mass-murders". And "5-Oct-08: Learning the lessons of the checkpoints". And "28-Apr-12: Security barrier proves yet again to be a life-saver". And this interview from 2004 in which Arnold Roth explained to CNN how security fences can look to people who have personal experience of life without security:
For background, see "11-Oct-07: Reacting to 7 more frustrated mass-murders". And "5-Oct-08: Learning the lessons of the checkpoints". And "28-Apr-12: Security barrier proves yet again to be a life-saver". And this interview from 2004 in which Arnold Roth explained to CNN how security fences can look to people who have personal experience of life without security:
She [our murdered daughter Malki] wasn't caught in any crossfire. She wasn't a bystander. She was the target. People outside of this country have to understand that, that whatever we do to protect our lives has got to be seen as being our prerogative and perfectly legitimate. We want out government to do whatever is necessary to keep our lives safe and our children safe... ["Crisis in the Middle East - The Israeli Barrier", CNN, February 22, 2004]Now today's news:
Israel will complete construction of the separation barrier in the Jerusalem area and the southern West Bank following Tuesday's terror attacks, the Prime Minister's Office announced.Most Israelis know to ignore the inevitable shrill criticism accusing us of apartheid and land-grabbing, particularly when it emanates from people who can't quite figure out how to condemn the people doing the stabbing, the shooting and the vehicle-ramming.
During security consultations held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister's Office said it was immediately decided to close gaps in the separation barrier in the Jerusalem area, and to complete construction of the barrier in the Tarkumiya area in the South Hebron Hills.
Gaps in the separation barrier are used by Palestinians to enter Israel illegally without the proper permits. The assailant behind the Jaffa attack entered Israel illegally, from a West Bank village near Qalqilya. In recent months, opposition chair MK Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) called on Netanyahu to close the gaps and complete construction of the barrier... [Haaretz, today]
But at the end of the day, if fewer innocent people are going to be hurt on both sides by the completion of a half-built physical fence, then let it be.
This apartheid epithet leveled against Israel reveals a deep lack of knowledge of what apartheid means. If you look up the definition, the word has only been applied to the situation in South Africa. it occurred when the white minority controlled the black majority and excluded blacks from all parts of white society. The country was totally segregated. Israel is nothing like that. Israeli Arabs have equal rights with Jews, serving on the highest courts and in the Knesset. Many of our doctors and nurses in our hospitals are Arab. The issue, if there is one, deals with Israel's relations with the PA, who we gave authority to in the goings on of their non-Israel areas (in terms of governance, not land). The term apartheid is meaningless in Israel, unless one wants to talk about the roads only the Palestinian Arabs can use, the towns Jews are excluded from and so on. People really need to stop showing their ignorance so much.
ReplyDelete