[HANASHIR:11390] Re: Arab Peace Songs

[ChuckR528 <ChuckR528...>]

In regards to the discussion about the Israel / Arab war, I have heard both 
sides compare the other side to the Nazi's with good examples etc.  To me 
this is pointless.  Neither side are Nazi's.  The atrocities that are 
occuring in Israel are happening to both the Isaelis and the Arabs and are 
perpetrated by both the Arabs and the Israelis.  

There is now a group of over 500 "refuseniks."  These are people who are 
willing to serve in the military to protect its borders but are not willing 
to fight in the occupied territories because of the atrocities they have 
observed there perpetrated by the Israelis.  

I am particularly bothered by people who are able to blame everything one 
side.  This is unrealistic and unproductive.  Presently this blaming game is 
tearing apart the Jewish community where I live.  I am hearing Jews call 
other Jews anti-semitic.  I am hearing Rabbi's being accused of being 
anti-semtic.  Eli Wiesel was recently (4/21) interviewed on Nightline and had 
some interesting things to say about the right to disagree with Israel's 
politics or policies.  He stated that this is not anti-semitism.  However, 
when you start calling people Nazi's you have crossed over a line.  This is 
not disagreeing, it is simply inflaming.....

The Israelis and the Arabs are not Nazis.  To state that they are ignores 
what the Nazi's were about.  Sure there are some similarities, but the 
differences are very important.  Most Jews and most Arabs want to find a way 
to peacefully co-exist.  The Nazis did not.  There certainly are Arabs that 
want to get rid of Israel, but they are a small minority.  

Yesterday at a fund raiser for Israel I sat next to a person wearing a shirt 
that had the word Palistinians on it crossed out - presumedly to mean "no 
palestinians."  This type of attitude flames the fires of hatred and causes 
damage to the chances of peace in Israel.  Is this any different than the 
Arabs the want to drive Israel into the sea??? I believe that is why so many 
people want to reach out and make connections between Arabs and Jews. It can 
happen and it does happen.  If you want examples, email me....

I certainly believe the the Arabs do their share of flaming the fires of 
hatred.  Killing of innocent by-standers by suicide (or homicide) bombers is 
unconscionable.  Hatred is not the answer to the safety of Israel.  
Atrocities on either side are not the answer to the safety of Israel.  
Blaming is not the answer to the safety of Israel.  

Many people, including a large number of Israelis, question who is wrong is 
Israel.  The problem is not who is wrong and who is right but how can the two 
sides connect and make peace.  I believe that anything that we can do in this 
country to reach out and make peaceful connections helps.  There are many 
such organizations doing this in the United States.  

Chuck Rosenberg

The statement of the position of the "refuseniks" can be found at 
http://www.shalomctr.org/html/peace83.html