It is hard to say who exactly is qualified to speak about the situation in the middle east. Politicians certainly have had
their chance, as have many "experts". I do not claim any such title. Instead, I trust my personal experience in the Israeli military to be an accurate gage of the various anti-terror methods applied in Israel.
For the last eleven years I have been an Israeli citizen and at the end of October my three-year mandatory military service will come to an end. For the past three-years I have personally been involved in the
war on terror.
The name "war on terror" is not appropriate for the circumstance in Israel, as I believe that it fails to correctly portray the situation here. Israel is the only jewish state in the world, while there are currently over 25 arab countries and regions, all with muslim majorities, and most are literally surrounding my tiny country. Our war is not just a war on terror, but a day-by-day war for existence as well.
A short history lesson:
It is easy to forget that in 1948 the palestinian people had land several times the size of what they have now, and yet they refused to allow the jews a tiny strip of coastal land. The
palestinians declared war, and were soundly defeated. This war became known as the Israeli Independence War. In 1967 Syria, Egypt and Jordan, three powerhouses of the arab world, massed weapons of war and pompously prepared for a three way assault on the tiny newborn state of Israel. This time Israel was ready and launched a surprise triple-headed attack on its three neighbors, each many times its size both geographically and demographically. Once again, Israel managed to defeat its enemies, pushing all three nations well behind their respective lines. It was during this war that Israel captured the Jordanian side of Jerusalem, the west bank territories and the Golan Heights. Israel was not the aggressor in either war.
Israel has been a steadfast american ally for longer than any other country in the region, exchanging technology, information and weapons with a country it has come to see as an older brother. When it comes to support, America could always count on Israel. Which is why it's a shame Israel can't rely on America in the same manner. It's a shame americans are so quick to forget the pictures of palestinians rejoicing in the streets, throwing candy and singing anti-american chants after 9/11. Check youtube if you need a reminder.
There is one important thing to remember when judging the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in terms of violation of basic rights, and that is the main target of offensives. Israel spends billions upon billions every year on sophisticated weapons designed to minimize civilian casualties. Our soldiers train for years on target selection and precise shooting, this I can tell you from personal experience. All of this is done because our main target during offensives is always limited to terrorists and terrorists only. Regretfully mistakes are made and civilians are occasionally killed by accident. Such cases are reviewed by military disciplinary courts to rule out the possibility of intentional harm.
When the Palestinians issue an offensive the target is always the same: jews. Sure, a soldier is more highly prized, but babies, elderly, women, all are and have been "legitimate" targets of suicide bombing in buses, malls and hotels, all have been the targets of rockets fired from Gaza at the homes of jewish families, all have been targeted by drive by shootings, roadside bombings, and most other terror activity imaginable. The innocent are their main target, and the more the merrier, as America witnessed in 9/11.
So the next time you hear about some conflict or offensive in my country, I'm not asking that you accept it, but rather be open to our side of the story as well.