The following is a Counterpoint column:
By Max and Jane Carter
What are we to make of Israel's disengagement plan in Gaza?
Trudy Rubin made excellent points on Ariel Sharon's unilateralism in her July 22 column, "Unilateral pullout from Gaza would embolden Hamas." But by choosing that headline, the News & Record allows those afflicted with our culture's 15-second attention span to jump to wrong conclusions.
To the casual reader, the headline can imply that a pullout plays into the hands of extremists and that Israel is wrong to abandon settlements in Gaza. Rubin's argument is certainly not that. Rather, she seeks to show that "unilateralism" is the problem and that Israel, Palestinians and the United States would be better served by restarting the peace process through bilateral negotiations.
Rubin's observations were certainly confirmed by our experience in Israel and the Palestinian territories during a study trip in June and July. Israelis and Palestinians with whom we talked spoke with deep concern about the dangerous road ahead if Israel continues -- with U.S. backing -- to replace the "road map" to peace with its own Gaza pullout plan.
The director of the Palestinian Authority's department for planning in Gaza after an Israeli pullout told us he has been left in the dark about Israel's intentions. This, along with Israel's plan to control Gaza's air, sea and borders, makes it almost impossible to develop a comprehensive plan for successful Gaza redevelopment.
Many Israelis told us they reluctantly support the Gaza disengagement, not because they favor continued Israeli occupation, but because they recognize that the Sharon government's intention is to deflect attention from the expansion of Israel's occupation of the West Bank.
Indeed, it is easy to see the cause for concern when traveling in the West Bank. Israel's security barrier follows its own political route, effectively annexing a large amount of Palestinian land. Rapid expansion of settlements, economic strangulation of Palestinian towns, isolation of Jerusalem, the devastating grid of bypass roads, demolished Palestinian homes, and limits to Palestinian travel and building permits make the possibility of a two-state solution more remote and create the tinder box for a third Intifada.
The absence of a peace process, replaced by Israel's unilateralism, will probably assure that the next Intifada is coming. Our government would serve Israel, the Palestinians, and our own interests by urging bilateralism and a return to the "road map." A Gaza pullout is not the problem; the way Israel is going about it is.
Max Carter is director of Friends Center at Guilford College; Jane Carter is Middle School Grade Head at New Garden Friends School. Together, they lead annual work/study trips to Israel and Palestine.
Comments (5)
Listen carefully to Max & June Carter's words. They speak of a potiential peaceful conclusion to very volatile situation. Again, a peaceful resolution to a warring situation.
And Peace IS patriotic.
Posted by Darryl | July 28, 2005 9:28 AM
Darryl:
Shame on me - I can't read this post because the Israel / Pali' "quagmire" is going on for so many years I have no confidence in anything. I can't read about it any more - only wait for something long lasting to really happen.
Posted by James D. Rockefeller | July 28, 2005 9:28 PM
JDR, then why even comment on my comment. That seems counterproductive to the context of my post.
That is the problem now, people are just disgusted with the lengthy quagmire of this situation. It will also be the same with the US/Iraqi situaion. And it will be as it was with the US/Vietnam situaion. Quagmires breed disgust, which leads to protest and upheaval. See what else happens then. I am not for that type of unrest. I prefer peaceful solutions to situations/problems. Disgust with quagmires only helps to breed the aforementioned unrest.
Posted by Darryl | July 28, 2005 10:06 PM
Darryl, there wouldn't have been a quagmire as some like to call it , in Vietnam if the idiots in Washington had allowed the military do their job instead of paying attention to the beating drums of ignorance played out in the streets and on TV every night of the week by the dope smoking "peaceniks" and other assorted cowards and misfits.
Posted by mrproduce | July 28, 2005 11:21 PM
MRProduce: Amen on this: "... there wouldn't have been a quagmire as some like to call it, in Vietnam if the idiots in Washington had allowed the military do their job ... "
Darryl: You're right, I was really commenting on the letter, not your post - mea culpa.
Posted by James D. Rockefeller | July 30, 2005 5:35 AM