"In a sign of a calming atmosphere, Israeli army cranes yesterday began removing a concrete barrier that shielded a Jewish neighborhood bordering the West Bank from gunfire."
In a sign that the apocalypse is upon us, or that pigs in hell are flying, Israel took down a portion of its system of defense barriers - walls and fences - that separate Israel from territories under Palestinian authority. This is something that many said could not - and would not ever happen. And yet, it did.
Will anyone make note of this, or see it as a sign of progress - or at least a sign of positive steps toward peace? Unfortunately, I think not. It will either be ignored or side-stepped as a half measure. This attitude, as much as any violence, is what hinders progress toward a long sought after two-state solution. This attitude, is what we can all help change.
According to a story published by the Associated Press, "The Israeli military erected the 600-yard concrete barrier nine years ago on the outskirts of the Gilo neighborhood in southern Jerusalem because of repeated Palestinian shootings from the West Bank town of Beit Jalla."
"The barrier is being taken down over the next two weeks ... because of a reduced security threat and improved coordination between Israeli and West Bank security forces."
As someone who's profession it is to communicate how Israel, the Israeli Government, and the Israeli people are not the demons everyone thinks they are, this is a particularly noteworthy event. Despite the hundreds of checkpoints removed over the past few years; despite the gradual but real improvements in relations between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank; and despite the improvement in the daily lives of Palestinians living under the PA, one would think we would no longer have to put up with distortions and lies about Palestinians being subjected to atrocities and murders on a daily basis. Yet, that is the perception that many around the world and in the United States still have of the situation. Seaprating for a moment what happens in Gaza from the West Bank - since Hamas is a very real and hostile threat to Israel on a daily basis - these events should be cause for either celebration or at least serious acknowledgment. Yet, I fear, no news shows will be talking about this, and no global movement will think twice about releasing their latest press statement about the evil occupiers. Even if you did not want to separate Gaza events from events in the West Bank, on the whole, despite the many civilian deaths caused by the war in Gaza, why can't this event be seen in a clear context and contrast to those regrettable deaths? Why can we not accept the intractable nature of dealings with Gaza - and still, at the same time - understand that progress is being made in the West Bank.
I ask these questions rhetorically of course, because half the reason why no one thinks about Israel and Palestine in those rational terms is because most of the press and extremists all over the globe push the discussion toward the demonization of Israel. Yes Israel and her proponents on the right often try to demonize Palestinians, but my friends, cry all you want about "Jewish" control of the media - the sheer weight and volume of press space and political coverage around the globe tilts very far in the other direction. If, in fact, Jews do run the media, they are doing a horrible job "controlling" it. This is the myth and folly of the anti-Israel movement. How can Israel or "the Jews" control anything that is so tilted against them? Is this some diabolical plan maybe to win people over through reverse psychology? I think not.
Whatever it is, it is a shame. Again, you will not see much about this move from most media outlets. In fact, even in the piece this information is taken from, this was not the leading headline. What was the headline? It was that "Israel insists on talks without preconditions." Yes my friends, this is the world where even good press is bad press. Can you really doubt what I am saying with clear evidence like this?
I encourage bloggers and readers alike to spread the word about progress like this and help shift the dialogue. I don't know what the solution is for Gaza and Hamas, but today at least, can we begin to talk about what both sides are doing well? I spend a good deal of time reminding people that when it comes to the security barrier, a wall put up can also be a wall taken down. I remind people to review the statements associated with the inception of the project - that the barrier, the fence, the wall, was meant to be temporary. It was meant to come down when it was no longer needed. And lo and behold, it has come to pass. This is not just a checkpoint being taken down. This is the demanded action that no one believed Israel would ever take. Just like leaving Gaza. Whatever you think about the way Israel left, or its handling of the post Gaza situation, it did in fact leave. Being around Gaza is not being in Gaza. Going into Gaza to attack in response to attacks is not staying in Gaza. Israel sometimes does do what it says it will do, as do the Palestinians. In the same report - also not placed in the headline - we are told that ...
"In another sign that Abbas is trying to counter Hamas influence, his religious affairs minister told a news conference yesterday that the government has taken control of all the territory’s mosques, including content of the main weekly sermon, to ensure that houses of worship are not used for political recruiting."
Now this is significant, and is also something demanded of Abbas. Will this too get much press. Not likely I fear. Mosques were once a Hamas stronghold. Since 2007, Abbas has been cracking down on the militants to make sure they don’t attempt a West Bank takeover. And he too is making progress, but we don't focus nearly enough on it - and both sides are at fault.
None of this "doubting" of the other side should really surprise anyone though. There have been plenty of retreats from positions. There have also been numerous times when agreements have been satisfied and no one believed it - right up until the proof was delivered. A Palestinian friend of mine once told me that even the day before the final evacuation from Gaza, he and his moderate friends did not believe Israel would actually leave completely. And they did. So let this removal of a barrier, or a wall, be another sign that more is possible than we think.
But of course this is the culture of distrust that has arisen and this is the culture of distrust we must all help to defeat. It is one thing for people to distrust each other for good reason and be proven wrong. It is quite another for that distrust to be fomented in the face of numerous reasons to believe that trust is possible.
Trust is possible. Let events like these be the first steps toward commending a very real process of trust building and positive steps toward a two state solution - a solution that while imperfect, is the only thing that presents a positive future for each side.
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