Peace now, or later?

January 11, 2009 - 1:44 PM by David · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, Life, War

Whether it's the right move or not, Israeli society is open to debate on whether the Gaza campaign should continue.

While it’s Israel’s robust democratic nature that enables a vigorous debate on every issue that’s vital to the country, there’s been a noticeable walking on eggs attitude adopted by the country’s traditional doves toward Operation Cast Lead.

In fact, Haim Oron, the leader of Meretz, the flag bearer of the Zionist Left, spoke out in favor of a military operation in Gaza to stop the Hamas rocket attacks on the South. But now, two weeks into the campaign, the general support for the operation is being frayed. And last night marked the first demonstation by Peace Now and Meretz against the continuation of the campaign.

The Jerusalem Post reported:

“Even though we supported initiating the operation after Hamas broke the cease-fire, now we are saying enough,” Meretz head Haim Oron said at the rally. “A cease-fire must be reached now. We must do everything possible to reach a peace agreement under the umbrella of the Arab League. Only an agreement between us and the Palestinians can end terror.”

Peace Now expressed understanding for the operation when it began, but started calling for a cease-fire six days into the fighting. “Calls for a cease-fire are not anti-IDF,” Peace Now secretary-general Yariv Oppenheimer said at the rally. “We just don’t want the soldiers to lose their lives in an operation that should not be continuing. The Left was divided at the start of the fighting. But when the choice is between staying in Gaza for years or leaving now, it is clear what we support.”

As caualties mount, the IDF prepares a ‘phase three’ of its offensive which will likely take troops farther into Gaza toward Gaza City, and efforts intensify to find a formula that will enable both Israel and Hamas to accept a cease-fire, the calls for a withdrawal will likely increase.

And the debate is intensifying too. A weather vane of public opinion, Facebook is full of back and forth whether the status report that many supporters of the IDF efforts have adopted, which tracks each Kassam that falls on Israel, is ‘jingoistic’. And there have also been reports of a similar status report on the other side labeled ‘body count’ which marks each Palestinian fatality at the hands of the IDF.

Friends by any definition, are turning on each other with increased exasperation and lack of understanding for the other side. Self-criticism has long been a tenet of the Israeli way of life, and now is certainly no time to stop. It keeps us in check, reminds us that we, as a people, abhor war and killing, and sets us apart from our enemy, which doesn’t seem to have any internal debate or qualms about the suffering and death it causes.

Share with others