New Archive:
June 2001 Issue
The Peace Process: Land, Money, and Hope
By James A. Bornstein
The Jews have always been considered a strong people. According to Mark Twain, "All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains." Historically, Jewish strength has been a product of our spirit and our dedication to perpetuating the Jewish tradition. Today, however, the Jewish people possess a strength that has not been enjoyed since the early days of our existence in ancient Israel. Jews are now a military power in the world, with the capability of defending the land of Israel with Jewish hands.
Having lacked this capability for the majority of our existence, the acquisition of this strength over a mere 50 years, is quite a remarkable achievement. Not only has Jewish military strength been achieved over a relatively brief period of time, it has developed as the horror of the Holocaust continues to linger vividly within our collective Jewish consciousness.
For years Jews have operated with an instinct for survival. Given the tumultuous nature of Jewish history, external threats to Israeli security and sovereignty are naturally met with harsh militaristic repercussions. Am Yisrael (The nation Israel) is not about to lose what has taken thousands of years to achieve, and the Israeli Defense Force demonstrates this sentiment every day throughout the land of Israel, in the ongoing conflict against the Palestinians.
Recently, I have begun to contemplate whether the Israeli use of force as deterrence and punishment for terrorist activity is the best strategy to achieve peace. I have also begun to contemplate whether the conflict as it exists today is truly about the Israeli occupation of "Palestinian" lands.
My perspective on the situation in Israel is admittedly unrefined and perhaps even pedestrian. I do not claim to be a military strategist, nor do I pretend to think that I, as an American Jew, can totally understand the complexities of this ongoing conflict that continues to baffle the greatest political minds of our time.
Despite my limited qualifications as a political commentator, however, there is one very simple issue that even I have identified: The Palestinians and the Israelis are not partners in peace. After more than 50 years of ongoing violence, perhaps it is time to reassess our strategies. Perhaps a radical new approach must be considered.
My proposal can best be expressed by four simple words uttered by James Carville during the 1992 Clinton campaign: "It's the economy, stupid." In other words, I do think that the Palestinians are very attached to the land now occupied by Israel, but I do not think that the Palestinian anger and hatred of the Israeli people stems entirely from the occupation of land.
The political unrest in the region is directly related to the horrible economic conditions in Palestinian controlled territories. Although Israel must protect herself and the lives of her citizens, the threat of military retaliation alone is not the key to limiting terrorist activity and returning to the negotiating table.
What would happen if Israel adopted a policy of economic renewal rather than military destruction? That is to say, how would the Palestinian people react if the Israeli government built Palestinian homes rather than destroyed them? How would their perception of the conflict change if Israel funneled money into their economy--building hospitals, parks, schools, providing them with books, and creating jobs?
Israel's economy is vibrant and explosive compared to that of the Palestinians and it continues to grow stronger each year. A policy of economic engagement, where the Palestinian people would be brought into the economic fold of the Western world would raise the spirits of the Palestinian people.
I understand that the Palestinian people want a country to call their own on the land of their ancestors. Palestinian mothers, however, are no different from mothers in any other part of the world. They wish to raise their children in a safe, loving environment. They wish to provide decent clothing, food, and education.
All parents dream of a life for their children that is more prosperous than their own. In short, the Palestinians are lacking something even more important to their morale than land: They are lacking opportunity. As Jews, we might not all agree that a Palestinian state should exist with Jerusalem as its capital; however, as a humanitarian people, we should agree that Palestinian children, like all children of the world, must benefit from opportunity.
Creating this opportunity for the Palestinian people would surely decrease the tension in the region. When there is no opportunity for life to improve, people naturally turn to violence. Where there are great economic disparities and poverty, there is bound to be political unrest. Israel's investment in the Palestinian economy could ease the cycle of violence that has plagued the region for years, at least for a period of time.
Furthermore, the Israelis would stand out in the world a philanthropic force, willing to assist even their worst enemies. This act of goodwill would embarrass the Arab nations of the Middle East who have failed to assist their Palestinian brothers and sisters.
By letting the Palestinian people suffer, by offering little economic assistance, the Arab nations hoped to destroy the world's public opinion of the Israelis, portraying them as a violent and oppressive people. The Israeli policy of economic engagement would instead expose the insensitivity of the Arab world towards their own people, and the Israelis would enjoy a wave of international acceptance.
Most importantly,
a father who is able to provide a comfortable home for his family, making
a respectable wage, will not be willing to strap explosives to his body
in hopes of killing the "Israeli oppressor." When a people reach a point
where life can seemingly be no worse, this is when they lose hope and
turn to violence. Once we give the Palestinian people opportunity and
the ability to hope for a better life, this is when we will see a cessation
to the violence. We are Jews, a strong people, who like the Palestinians
know what it means to yearn for HaTikvah, "the hope."
James
Bornstein recently graduated from Skidmore College and is now working
as Program/Research Associate for the Wilstein Institute of Jewish Policy
Studies in Boston, MA. Please send comments and/or questions to jbornste@yahoo.com.
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