By Brigitte L. Nacos
The faces, the bodies, the ruins--what we see on the screens or in print project eerily similar scenes of death, injury, and destruction. Terrorism, counterterrorism, war--however we define what Israel and Hezbollah and Hamas are involved in these days, innocent human beings suffer. The unbearable pictures of devastation caused by bombs and rockets in Beirut and Haifa and elswwhere beg the question why no efforts are made by Washington and other influential governments to stop the blood-letting. As the New York Times reports this morning, Washington's plan is to let Israel hit Lebanese targets for another week in order to degrade Hezbollah's capabilities. If this plan is executed, many more human beings will be killed and wounded. There will be pain, anger, and hate.
One wonders, what will happen when the hostilities finally end. There will be new initiatives to solve the number one problem in the Middle East, the perennial conflict between Israelis and Palestinians peacefully. But, as we know, all of such efforts have utterly failed in the past. Whereas non-violence worked to settle deep-seated differences, conflicts, and oppression elsewhere in some cases--think of Mahatma Gandhi in India, Martin Luther King and the American Civil Rights movement, and Nelson Mandella in South Africa--, non-violent efforts have not advanced the goal of peaceful coexistence in the case of Israelis and Palestinians. Whenever a settlement seemed at hand, the most extreme elements committed terror acts to derail the peace process. And Israel's withdrawal from the South of Lebanon did not curb Hezbollah's hostile actions. Even if Israel's current military campaign succeeds in weakening Hezbollah in significant ways, the organization will surely rebuilt with the support of its backers. In short, the cycle of violence is likely to continue.
Since the latest hostilities began, I have heard one comment repeated in a number of conversations, namely, that all sides must compromise, that otherwise peace will never be achieved. But all the compromises in the world cannot result in lasting peace between Israel and her neighbors unless organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah as well as states like Iran accept once and for all Israel's right to exist. Unfortunately, the latest hostilities will not be helpful in removing this highest hurdle from the road to lasting peace.
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