"This is a republic of peace. We seek peace, cooperation and friendship … peace with our neighbours … and friendship with the great nations of the world." South African Prime Minister Verwoerd made these remarks in celebration of the nation's fifth anniversary.
Who was Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd? In September 1956, Verwoerd became prime minister of South Africa. During his tenure, he implemented such policies as the Extension of University Education Act, which made it illegal for non−whites to attend South African universities. Prime Minister Verwoerd also oversaw the banning of the African National Congress headed by Nelson Mandela, as well as his eventual arrest that landed Mandela in prison for the next 27 years of his life. The words of Prime Minister Verwoerd give us a telling example of how peaceful rhetoric does not always align with government actions.
In an article about Israel Peace Week on IsraelCampusBeat.com, Friends of Israel Vice President Natalie Milstein, a sophomore, was quoted saying that the organization hopes to "provide the Tufts community with an honest representation of Israel, its thriving democracy, and efforts toward peace." As Israeli leaders and their supporters in America continue to proclaim their efforts towards a peaceful settlement to the Israeli−Palestinian conflict, we must ask ourselves, do their words align with their actions?
In November 2009, Israel issued a temporary moratorium on building its colonies in the West Bank, which hold approximately 300,000 settlers in contravention of international law. The freeze did not stop the construction of several thousand buildings and did not extend to East Jerusalem, where Palestinians hope to establish their future capital. Settlement construction has exploded over the past couple years, with a whopping 60−percent increase in settlement building in the area that the Palestinian leadership and the international community hope will be the future state of Palestine.
Also in 2009, during the Israeli incursion into Gaza in January, the Israeli military killed more than 1,300 Palestinians — 773 of them civilians and 320 minors, according to Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem. The Israeli death toll was 13 (including the four who were killed by friendly fire) according to the same source.
Since then, Gaza is still a virtual prison, with the vast majority unable to leave the strip for any purpose. Furthermore, Israel prohibits many items from reaching the people of Gaza. Items such as toys, musical instruments and supplies to rebuild Gaza after the incursion that destroyed much of its infrastructure are banned by Israel. The government maintains this policy in order to punish the entire population for the actions of a few.
More recently, on Oct. 11, 2010, Abdallah Abu Rahmah, leader of the nonviolent demonstrations against the Israeli separation wall that was built on private Palestinian land, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for incitement, or "the attempt … to influence public opinion in the Area in a way that may disturb the public peace." The law, which effectively criminalizes the right to assembly, truly illustrates the peace that Israel desires: a peace in which Israel may steal land and get away with it. Abu Rahmah was released yesterday after being held for 16 months, four more than the original sentence.
These actions illustrate the type of peace that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes for when he proclaimed to the Conference of Presidents of Major North American Jewish Organizations in February that "the people of Israel are committed to peace." As he spoke, Abu Rahmah, termed a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, sat in jail for standing up against the theft of his people's farmland and sustenance.
While I understand that many in the American Jewish community support Israel based on fear stemming from past injustices perpetrated against us, we cannot allow this to justify further injustices perpetrated against the Palestinians. It is only when our actions illustrate a true concern for Palestinian rights that peace will be possible.
Instead of highlighting Israel's achievements in order to deflect criticisms of the actions listed above, I believe that a more productive approach would be to debate the merits of Israeli policy in an open forum, so as to conclude which party is the true obstacle to peace.
If you would like to know more about the Israeli−Palestinian conflict, I implore you to come to the Norman Finkelstein lecture tonight in Cabot Auditorium at 7 p.m. Dr. Finkelstein, the son of Holocaust survivors, is an outspoken critic of Israeli policy, and will explain how we as Americans are complicit in these gross violations of human rights.
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This article mistakenly stated that Abu Rahmah was released from prison after four months. In fact, he was released after 16 months, four more than his original sentence. Updated March 15, 2011.
