By Bruce Morris. Bruce Morris is a hazzan student in the Aleph Ordination Program (Jewish Renewal). He came to Israel just before Sukkot to tour with his family for two weeks. Since that time he has been in ulpan studying Hebrew with his wife, Cassandra Sagan, a Renewal Maggid and Interplay Torah Study leader. Bruce and Cassandra return to the United States at the end of December. This is a reply to an opinion piece about the conflict.
Having been in Israel for almost 2 months now, I think there is a large disconnect between the American Jewish left and most Israelis, including many on the left, or what remains of it here. You say you have empathy, Arthur (and I’m sure you do), but I can tell you they aren’t feeling the love.
You talk about condemnation of the Hamas rocket attacks, but that only happens in subsequent conversations. It doesn’t happen in the initial post.
Hamas brags about using its citizenry as human shields. This isn’t new, but people forget when it isn’t repeated. Have you forgotten also? You talk about the immorality of deaths due to collateral damage. But Hamas purposely bases its military operations where collateral damage and deaths will occur, hoping this will shield them from Israeli attacks (it often does) and using the deaths and destruction for PR purposes when it doesn’t. Given this situation, what reasonable option are you holding out for Israeli defense? They already leaflet, telling people attacks are immanent and to stay away from Hamas fighters. By your logic, the Israelis can never take out even a single rocket launcher.
An American friend of mine who lives here part time was listening to NPR yesterday. Apparently an NPR reporter was in one of the media center buildings in Gaza when it was attacked. He had seen the Hamas fighters just outside the building setting up and launching rockets. Then the Israeli attack came. Only then did the light bulb go on for him – his position was attacked not out of carelessness or indifference to innocent bystanders, but because he was standing in the middle of a war operation. This is one of the few times my friend has heard acknowledgement of that fact from NPR. My friend just shook his head. When the US news media mentions collateral casualties, they seem to forget that Hamas purposely fights its battles from the middle of residential and commercial areas.
This is what makes the television news here: Footage of Israeli strikes on Hamas strongholds in residential areas, clearly showing the primary explosion, then multiple secondary explosions as stockpiled bombs and other weapons ignite. The damage from the secondary explosions is usually much greater than the initial strike, causing much collateral damage. Israelis ask me if this is reported in the American media. Of course, I have to answer, no it isn’t. When Israelis hear the complaints about collateral damage, they just think Americans are mis-informed (which they are) and stop listening.
Everyone here knows about Jabari and Gershon Baskin. They acknowledge the possibilities, but most people feel as Yoram does. Baskin did two long pieces in English for different newspapers. I read both. Personally, I think you are overstating the case. Baskin was not that close to Jabari. Remember, they never spoke in person, only through intermediaries. Baskin was pissed, but even he wasn’t predicting success.
The American Jewish Left implies, as you have done in your letters, that Hamas is a fairly elected government, but I’m sure you know there isn’t democracy in Gaza. Democracy needs more than just polling places. It needs an independent media, which doesn’t exist in Gaza. Hamas killed, maimed, and otherwise chased off members of the PA, the original government in Gaza. There is no opposition. A few days after Jabari’s assassination, Hamas did one of its own. They brutally and slowly killed a man in the public square whom they suspected of sympathizing with Israel, perhaps giving away Jabari’s location. Of course, there was no trial and no evidence. Hamas made sure everyone knew about it, though. After killing the man publicly, they left his body in the street with a large sign telling all why he was killed. I’ll bet that news was buried deep inside the front section and didn’t make the nightly newscast at all in America. This isn’t democracy, or something even close to what most Americans would consider legitimate. This is government by thuggery, but you don’t acknowledge that in your missives, even if you know it. Israelis aren’t appreciative.
Americans don’t seem to care or get involved until Israel retaliates. The root of the current escalation started 5 weeks ago when Hamas began lobbing multiple missiles on a daily basis. Didn’t make news in the USA, but it was certainly big news here. There was no American response, Jewish or otherwise. When Jabari was assassinated and things started heating up, all of a sudden the American giant wakes up, and condemnation comes raining down like missiles from the American Jewish Left. That may not have been the intention, but that is what it feels like here.
You (and many others in the USA) have mentioned time and again that you believe Netanyahu is escalating the war for his own political gain. If you were living here now, you would know how ridiculous that sounds to most Israelis. Again, in the course of this discussion we have acknowledged that Hamas also has a vested interest in destabilizing the situation to affect the election, but as above, that is rarely, if ever, acknowledged in your initial postings. But the part that makes Israelis scratch their heads in wonder is the idea that a war could help Netanyahu. He was already way ahead in the polls before any of this started. Bibi doesn’t need a war to win this election. In fact, the war is quite risky for him. Everyone here remembers Operation Cast Lead as a failure. If a ground war starts and bogs down, as it did before, or many Israeli soldiers are killed, Netanyahu will bear the brunt of that anger. There is no advantage here for any politician to start a war at this time.
If it seems like I am coming down hard on you, think again. I have friends here, some old, some new. My high school girlfriend lives here. I talk with my ulpan teachers every day. I am speaking their feelings. I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, not to be uninformed and appear naïve. Most everyone I know here is center-left. (Yep, I live in my little bubble, even here.) Many used to be much further left, but that died years ago. They are tired of being bombed. They have extended their hand in peace, only to be slapped again and again. They have tried peace treaties and hudnas. These fail, broken time and again by Hamas. The international community promises over and over again to prevent rockets and war supplies from entering Gaza. That works for a few months until the international monitors get tired, get lazy, go home, or otherwise fail to keep their promises. The Israelis do everything they can to care for the people of Gaza while protecting themselves from the government of Gaza and what they see as the Hamas government’s total failure to reign in insurgents. When you don’t acknowledge that in every post, every post, they shake their heads and sadly turn away. All they hear is condemnation. They think we are uninformed and naïve. They don’t see anything coming from the American Jewish Left that they haven’t tried before. They aren’t listening. And they aren’t feeling the love.
On Thursday night, while all of you in the USA are enjoying Thanksgiving dinner (or preparing it – time difference, you know), I’m going to the ulpan where they are organizing a care package drive for all the soldiers who have been called up. I intend to wear my best Pacific Northwest flannel shirt. Says lefty-liberal all over it. If anyone reading this wants to contribute, I’ll figure out how you can do that, and convey your love, care, and support as well. Let me know.
