WINNIE LU / GAZETTE
To the editor:
In light of the recent events in Israel, I have decided to take a stand against ignorance and blind absolutism. I have studied the topic, lived in the heart of the conflict as a little boy, have been to the five borders of Israel, met UN soldiers in the area and have yet to find any certainties.
I meet people who approach me with statements such as: “Israel is committing genocide and is an apartheid state,” and “All terrorists are Muslims; therefore, Islam is bad.”
My problem with these statements is the detachedness from the situation. As a seven-year-old kid growing up in Jerusalem, I knew where every bomb shelter was in the neighbourhood, I had my own gas mask and I knew never to answer the door.
I now live in Canada where I take for granted the liberties I am granted. It would be so easy to come out and say, from the comfort of my home, that Israel should militarily act a certain way or that Palestinians should drop their weapons, accept a two-state solution and we can live peacefully ever after. Have we ever fought in a war? Have we been to these areas? Do we understand all the political, social and economic environments of the area?
I do not preach for indifference; rather, to think before making a statement. My heart tells me to be happy with any support for my side of the conflict, but my head tells me the person should think deeper.
My goal is no longer to convince a person to choose a side. I am happy when well-founded criticism arises because it puts the actions under the purview of public discourse. These moral dilemmas should be argued in our never-ending pursuit of “just” wars.
The more the public knows, the more accountable we become for our actions. This is a dangerous, slippery slope because we can bend towards specious judgments, which can bleed into racism and absolutism. Or we can take an avenue to pursue a better situation, where we can discuss morality, minimize casualties and aid the situation.
• Yoni Abres
Psychology IV
The post Stay informed on Israel-Palestine appeared first on The Gazette.
