Don't get hit

Letters

Editor: I never understood why, in the struggle for peace and justice, people get caught up in the media battle. Sally Rogow's comments in the Jan. 25 issue of the Bulletin entitled "Israel is not to blame," in my opinion, are irrelevant to what the real issue is. Her comments remind me of the story of two people standing on a corner waiting to cross a busy intersection. The light turns green and they begin to stroll to the other side, all the time staying in the crosswalk as all good, law-abiding citizens do. As they reach the midway point, one of the pedestrians sees a large truck barreling down at them at 100 kilometres an hour. He quickly grabs his companion and attempts to pull him out of the way, but meets with a strong protest.

"What are you doing?" exclaims his friend. "Why are you pulling me out of the street?"

"Don't you see the truck out of control. He will kill us for sure," responds the first one desperately.

"But I am obeying the law. I have a right to cross the street when the light is green. He is breaking the law. He is wrong. Why should I move?"

Even if we assume that Sally Rogow is right on every single point, what does it matter? I served as a combat soldier with the Israeli army in the West Bank and Gaza. I have seen firsthand the consequences of the occupation, not only on the Palestinian civilian population, but also on the individual Israeli soldier in particular and society in general. The occupation is killing Israel, plain and simple. It is destroying its moral fibre, draining precious resources and, at the same time, not providing any security or safety to Israel's citizens whatsoever. Without an end to the occupation, Israel will never know any peace or security and will slowly become a society empty of moral values atrophying into a fearful garrison state. Comparing Israel to the Palestinians may "score some points" in the propaganda war, but it will not stop the bloodshed, will not heal the wounds, will not narrow the social gap, will not bring equality, justice or a humane society. All that this comparison does is bring us down to a lower level of integrity and blind us from looking at the real issue. For the sake of Israel, the occupation must end now, before it is too late. Leave the propaganda wars to the fools arguing in the crosswalk and encourage people to look at the real threat.

Rafi Silver
North Vancouver

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