Middle East Meshugaas* 
It’s a disaster in the Middle East. Some of you might be wondering why I have yet to post on this most recent phase of horrific events in that region. What can I tell you…What’s to say that isn’t totally obvious and futile and pointless, and that hasn’t been said before 1000 times by people smarter than me?
Yes- Israel is currently using an extreme and egregious over-use of force. Something akin to trying to kill a fly with a jackhammer… Yes- the number of Lebanese civilian dead FAR outnumber the number of Israelis…Yes- Israel is clearly the Goliath in this epic yet stupid tale of biblical proportions…but it’s just not that simple.
Israel is at war with Hezbollah, because some of their fighters crossed on to Israeli soil and captured two of their soldiers. Hezbollah is a sworn enemy of Israel, supported by Syria and Iran. Iran’s president has made several public statements this year about his desire to “wipe Israel off the map”. So what’s a country to do? Say, “excuse me, but we’d really like our soldiers back, and please don’t invade our country again”?
And then, like vinegar in a paper cut, Israel goes and bombs a UN post and kills 4 unarmed peacekeepers….talk about shitty optics. Interesting thing is that this particular UN post dates back to 1948- the year that Israel declared its statehood. When I found this out today, I was suddenly struck by the fact that Israel’s been fighting this war not for the past 3 weeks, but for the past 58 years.
Since its inception, Israel’s neighbours have been quite vocal and active about their hopes for its destruction. The country that began as a haven for victims of genocide has had to defend itself from the very beginning. Yes, it’s true that the Zionist dream germinated in a context of European colonialism, but it’s also true that Jews had been victimized and decimated in that very same context. The nation of Jews were to be given a state in their biblical homeland; unfortunately, there happened to be other people living there and the neighbours weren’t too thrilled about the new arrivals. As a result, in order to exist as a sovereign nation, the victims have in many instances become the oppressors. I guess what it comes down to is whether or not one believes Israel has a right to exist, and then, at what cost. So where does that leave us?
Does Israel institute racist and unjust policies? Yes, sometimes.
So if Israel played fair, would the neighbours accept its existence? I kind of doubt it.
Then, is the use of excessive force justified? I don’t know, maybe.
So is it worth it? Who am I to say one way or the other.
* Meshugaas mean craziness in Yiddish.
It’s a disaster in the Middle East. Some of you might be wondering why I have yet to post on this most recent phase of horrific events in that region. What can I tell you…What’s to say that isn’t totally obvious and futile and pointless, and that hasn’t been said before 1000 times by people smarter than me?
Yes- Israel is currently using an extreme and egregious over-use of force. Something akin to trying to kill a fly with a jackhammer… Yes- the number of Lebanese civilian dead FAR outnumber the number of Israelis…Yes- Israel is clearly the Goliath in this epic yet stupid tale of biblical proportions…but it’s just not that simple.
Israel is at war with Hezbollah, because some of their fighters crossed on to Israeli soil and captured two of their soldiers. Hezbollah is a sworn enemy of Israel, supported by Syria and Iran. Iran’s president has made several public statements this year about his desire to “wipe Israel off the map”. So what’s a country to do? Say, “excuse me, but we’d really like our soldiers back, and please don’t invade our country again”?
And then, like vinegar in a paper cut, Israel goes and bombs a UN post and kills 4 unarmed peacekeepers….talk about shitty optics. Interesting thing is that this particular UN post dates back to 1948- the year that Israel declared its statehood. When I found this out today, I was suddenly struck by the fact that Israel’s been fighting this war not for the past 3 weeks, but for the past 58 years.
Since its inception, Israel’s neighbours have been quite vocal and active about their hopes for its destruction. The country that began as a haven for victims of genocide has had to defend itself from the very beginning. Yes, it’s true that the Zionist dream germinated in a context of European colonialism, but it’s also true that Jews had been victimized and decimated in that very same context. The nation of Jews were to be given a state in their biblical homeland; unfortunately, there happened to be other people living there and the neighbours weren’t too thrilled about the new arrivals. As a result, in order to exist as a sovereign nation, the victims have in many instances become the oppressors. I guess what it comes down to is whether or not one believes Israel has a right to exist, and then, at what cost. So where does that leave us?
Does Israel institute racist and unjust policies? Yes, sometimes.
So if Israel played fair, would the neighbours accept its existence? I kind of doubt it.
Then, is the use of excessive force justified? I don’t know, maybe.
So is it worth it? Who am I to say one way or the other.
* Meshugaas mean craziness in Yiddish.
posted by Emma Jo Aiken-Klar, PhD at 8:21 PM
2 comments
