While I was in Israel, the
International Court of Justice declared the security fence
being built to shield Israelis from terrorist killings a
violation of international law and ordered it to be torn
down.
A few weeks before that,
Israel's Supreme Court upheld Israel's claim that the fence
is being built for defensive purposes and not for political
reasons. However, it did order the state to change the route
of part of the fence in an area which would harm Palestinian's
welfare. It called upon Israel to take care to balance legitimate
security needs to that of the welfare of the people who
will be most affected.
My unofficial opinion is that a majority of Israelis
agree with this position, as well as most of the participants
in the Hartman Institute.
The fence is often called a wall. Only a few miles of
the fence can be called a wall where it is close to Palestinian
areas overlooking a highway on which snipers would target
cars traveling below.
Most of the area is a fence with electronic sensors to
detect any penetration. There has been a 90 percent drop
from the 73 suicide attacks in the 34 months before the
barrier was built. In those attacks, 293 people were killed
and hundreds of others wounded, some still in hospitals,
and others have lost limbs.
According to Israel security statistics, in the year
since the fence has become operational, just three suicide
attacks got through. While any attacks are bad, the sharp
decrease has led Israelis to overwhelmingly support this
barrier.
A friend on mine in the Israel Defense Forces provides
international media access to security areas in Israel.
He gave me a tour of the fence, not all of it of course,
as there are some areas that are off limits.
He grew up in Iowa and is not a radical settler or a
religious fanatic. He is not religious at all, but to
me symbolizes the average Israeli who sees the fence as
a necessary evil until there is an agreement.
In my opinion, the ICJ ruling will only give ammunition
to extremist elements in the Palestinian areas in their
desire to annihilate the Jewish state. They see the ICJ's
ruling as a victory for themselves, which it undeniably
is. It is a victory with no positive outcome - either
for them or for the Israelis.
Both sides have huge moderate elements that yearn for
peace. When that day comes, the fence will come down.
Rabbi Hartman tried to put this into a theological framework
that I can only give the barest of hints now. He believes
that at one time, during the heady days of the Oslo agreement,
there was a Messianic like feeling - that peace was ahead
if only Israel did this or that, then the other side would
accept Israel.
That was shattered with the Arafat, Barak, Clinton summit
at Camp David when Arafat refused to accept the deal that
would have led to a Palestinian state. Now we are living
in a period where Israelis have no hope that there is
anyone to talk to. So they believe it's time to protect
lives and just wait for someone who genuinely wants peace.
There is always hope, but unfortunately on both sides,
it is a rare commodity today.
Jeff Portman is the rabbi at Agudas Achim Synagogue
in Iowa City. You can respond to this or any Voices of
Faith column by sending e-mail to life@press-citizen.com,
or by calling 337-3181.
