By Ameinu Policy and Advocacy Committee
The current violence in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip is harrowing and heartbreaking to us, progressive American Zionists who want to connect with and support Israeli counterparts who are working for peace and social justice.
On the one hand, we know that Israel cannot have a secure future until its borders are protected from terrorist incursions, until Arab extremists understand that kidnapping Jewish soldiers and raining rockets on Israeli cities and towns will have dire consequences. Since July 13th, when Hezbollah marauders violated the internationally recognized border with Lebanon, fired rockets at an Israeli village, murdered three Israeli soldiers and kidnapped two more, we have defended Israel’s right to strike hard and often in order to neutralize the threat from Hezbollah.
On other hand, the television images of innocent Arab civilians who have been killed and wounded in the recent carnage-like the images of Israeli victims-are deeply disturbing. We do not believe that Israel’s intention is to inflict indiscriminate, collective punishment but that is how its military actions are being perceived by many people around the world. We are dismayed by the one-sided depictions of its efforts to defend itself, but also know that, fair or not, perceptions about its actions and motives are creating more hatred of Israel in the hearts of the Lebanese, Palestinians and other Arabs. Moreover, the ongoing violence is bolstering the arguments of those Jews and Arabs who claim that pursuing a comprehensive, negotiated two-state solution is futile-arguments that we cannot and will not accept.
So we were heartened when Israeli Prime Minister Olmert indicated on July 23rd that Israel would consider an international force in Southern Lebanon, on the condition that it carries out UN Resolution 1559, which calls for the disarming of Hezbollah.
We urge the international community to step up to the plate and lend military forces that will create an adequate buffer between Israel and Hezbollah, strengthen the Lebanese government and end the violent nightmare that has been shared by both Israeli and Lebanese citizens.
We were equally heartened when, after staying on the sidelines for an unconscionably long time, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice finally arrived in Beirut on July 24th and tried to intervene in order to stop the violence.
We call upon the U.S. to press for an agreement that would include a ceasefire as soon as possible along with a political arrangement that returns the abducted Israeli soldiers and restores stability and calm without giving Hezbollah a chance to return to Israel’s borders and wreak havoc once again.
