The Palestinians' Judgment Day

I DO understand just how delicate the situation in the Middle East is and I DO realize that the discussion about the situation can evoke different emotions from different people; however, change and progress will not be made through Viewpoints articles in the Daily. It is a given that this campus is filled with liberal ideas and values and that is fine. However, at one point or another during our Tufts careers many of us will need one another in some way or form, whether as a new friend or a vote for a prestigious elected position. The only way for positive change to come about is through the actions of those in the Middle East today. The only way for peace to come about is through the realizations of the reality in which we are forced to live.

Let us take it as a given that the Oslo Peace process happened and failed. Anyone who says it is still alive is lying to themselves. Both sides have broken promises that were made in the peace accords and debating who broke what is irrelevant at this point. I like to think that Oslo failed not because anyone wanted it to fail, but because it was ahead of its time. No matter what, what has happened has happened and we must look forward toward a brighter future.

The reality of the situation can be seen throughout the streets of Israel. Unlike what was suggested, I do not need to walk through West Bank cities to know what is going on. Three weeks ago when I walked into the rebuilt Sbarros pizzeria (that was blown up by a Palestinian terrorist in the summer of 2001) in Jerusalem, I saw the reality of things. When as walking off a bus, a man patted me down to see if I was carrying a bomb, I saw the reality of things. Upon walking into a mall and being scanned for a weapon in Tel Aviv, I understood the situation. As I was sitting in my apartment in Givataym ( a suburb of Tel Aviv) on January 3, 2003, I heard two huge explosions go off maybe one minute apart, seconds later I heard ambulances racing through the streets trying to tend to what we would later find out to be 23 dead and hundreds wounded. That is the reality of the situation, innocent people are dying, people who have no connection to the conflict and just want to live in peace, are dying. Despite contentions that I am radical, narrow-minded or unfair, I will go out and make it clear now that I DO support the existence of a Palestinian State living side by side with Israel. I DO support the right of the Palestinians to govern themselves in a democratic fashion.

Ariel Sharon is going to sit in Jerusalem as the Prime Minister of the State of Israel for at least the next four years. The Israeli people have spoken their minds, not with their "swords" but with their casting of a ballot. It must be understood that the huge triumphant win by Sharon and his Likud party is almost a direct effect of the Intifadah. The Palestinians' actions have brought this new makeup of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). They must understand that they will be accountable for their actions. For example, the economy and social situation inside Israel today are disgusting and far from acceptable, yet, despite that, Sharon will serve another term. Despite the unemployment, despite the secular vs. religious debates, Sharon is going to be given another chance to quell the Intifadah. By shifting to the right, and electing the Likud so strongly, Israelis have spoken and have told the world, "We will not be pushed around by the Palestinians, we will not live in fear, we will live in peace, It will either be a mutual decision by both sides to cease the fire, or Israel will implement its own rules on the area."

Ariel Sharon is a man whom I greatly admire for not only his long successful military career, but also for his political career. Ariel Sharon is NOT a war criminal of any sorts. His actions as Defense Minister during the Israeli presence in Lebanon were meant to solidify the security of Israel's Northern boarder. The "massacres" in Sabra and Shatilla were committed by Christian Arabs who at the time were aligned with Israel. However, Israeli forces did not take part in the attack. Furthermore, while denouncing this "massacre", I feel it should be noted that these Christian Arabs' hatred for the Muslims stemmed from the Syrian presence in Lebanon which resulted in the persecution of the Christians there. Sharon did not have direct involvement in this attack and blatantly labeling this man a war criminal is unacceptable and a scathing low-level attack on a man whom I admire dearly.

But what is next? The Israelis have already spoken in the elections. It is now the time to hear the voice of the Palestinians. I dare them to speak up. I dare them to stand up to Arafat and take matters into their own hands. If they so passionately desire a state of their own, then they must prove so by ousting their current leadership. The violence must end and the notion that they can defeat Israel must cease to exist. The Palestinians cannot change the results of the election and they cannot bring back the lives of the hundreds of Israelis killed in terrorist attacks. What they can do is look at the reality of things. Sharon is once again, Prime Minister. If need be, he will use extreme force to quell the violence, but he is also willing to go back to the negotiation tables once the terror has stopped. The path he chooses will solely depend on the Palestinians actions. It is judgment day for the Palestinians; they now have the chance to change the course of history with peace and a state, or they can suffer and further lose that small glimpse of hope in their minds.

Ilan Behm is a Freshman majoring in Environmental Engineering