The Palestinians

Sooner or later (hopefully the former), Israelis will come to the understanding that they cannot stop a lone attacker anywhere in Israel. Whether in Jerusalem, the West bank, or any other place, an Arab (Palestinian) can easily shoot Israelis at any time. The fact that Israel may subsequently catch them all will not deter them from continuing these attacks.

The question arises – what kind of a response should Israel pursue? We have learned the hard way that all the “macho” talk of our officials does not slow the Palestinians. On the contrary, they come out on top after each terrorist attack, losing only one person who is all too happy to sacrifice himself. We must understand that pride and honor are deeply rooted in the Arab character and that these values may precede the value of life.

This being the case, where do we go next? It behooves us to seriously look into other approaches to this problem. Perhaps offering a better way of life to Palestinians living in the West Bank, since high unemployment is surely part of the problem. We have seen through history that a stable economy is essential for peace. It also appears that our new government could be a part of the problem, seeing as some of the officials are set on force alone in order to settle the conflict.

While judicial reforms are top of mind for many Israelis these days, we must not lose sight of an even greater need for all Israelis – the basic need for safety throughout the country.

Jack Molad