Distortions in the Sand

The recent violence between the Israelis and Palestinians has been reported in numerous places as the 'result of Israeli aggression and provocation.' This requires more than a little twisting of the facts.

Knesset member and leading opposition candidate, Ariel Sharon, made a visit to the Temple Mount (Haram al Sharif) with his security contingent right before the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana. His purpose of visiting, as he spun it, was to view this contested area personally and to do so in the name of peaceful relations.

However, shortly after his visit began, crowds of Palestinians arrived on the Temple Mount and began stoning the crowds of Israelis at the Western Wall and those Israelis still on the Temple Mount.

The violence spread to other parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The violence escalated as some Palestinians began firing upon Israeli soldiers and civilians. Israeli soldiers escalated their use of force in response, using missiles to destroy buildings used by the Palestinians for cover. Regrettably, there were numerous casulties of civilians and those not involved in the violence.

However, this should not be grounds for condemning the Israeli policy in this case. The Palestinians, most notably Yasir Arafat, have all but sanctioned this violence because they feel they are not getting what they want at the bargaining table.

They want all of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount for themselves. Israel should not be able to exert even the least amount of control in their eyes. Israel and Jews around the world look towards Jerusalem as their eternal capital and the Temple Mount is their holiest of sacred grounds. Maintaining a presence on the Temple Mount to allow continued access to the holy sites is paramount for Prime Minister Barak.

The recent violence has sparked condemnation around the world against the Israeli violence. This has not helped their hand against the Palestinians whom they feel were responsible for this unfortunate situation.

What both sides must get past, and this is becoming all the more unlikely, is that both sides must take responsibility for the violence and the 'cult of violence' (which I will describe in my next article) that perpetuates the seemingly endless bloodshed.

Without this, the peace process will be nothing more than a bunch of empty promises.

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