Peres Statement Powerful to All

BHC, 1/4/09

Israeli President Shimon Peres has made a statement on “Operation Cast Lead,” Israel’s attack on the Hamas terror infrastructure in Gaza, and the ongoing Palestinian rocket fire on civilian areas of southern Israel.

The statement can be read online at www.huffingtonpost.com/karin-kloosterman/israels-president-shimon_b_152749.html, and a transcript also is available on video from the Associated Press and Reuters news service.

It is the most emotional statement I have ever heard coming from the Israeli side of this conflict.

I have seen recent headlines saying things like "150 Feared Dead in Israeli Attack", and while I grieve for the Gazan people-and I have particular concern for the few, very persecuted believers left there, I resent the word "feared". Israel has continued to be under attack from Gaza, even during the cease-fire. The rockets can now reach as far as Ashdod. Citizens in southern towns such as Sderot live in constant fear of these random rockets.

The anxiety is almost unbelievable.

What would the U.S. do if Houston or San Diego or Detroit or Buffalo were subject to constant attacks from our neighbors? Consider our visceral reaction to 9/11, and yet that sort of suicide attack has been a constant threat throughout Israel for decades. Per capita, the populace of Israel has lost many more of its citizens than we lost in 9/11.

Are the people of Gaza suffering? Yes, incredibly so. Yet they are suffering because collectively they chose a government of terrorists. The Peres statement addresses that more poignantly than I ever could.

Yet suffering brought upon a people by the irrational decisions of their own government should not be blamed upon those who must respond to those irrational decisions.

Rather than focus only on the civilians lost in these surgically focused attacks, why not explore the reports of Hamas purposely placing their own citizens, their own women and children, in danger by building and storing rockets and bombs right in the middle of residential neighborhoods and right in the basements of residential apartment buildings?

If Hamas truly wanted to protect its citizens, it would keep such facilities away from their own civilians. Instead, for propaganda purposes and because its own culture does not value the life of the individual, they inbed such operations right under the cribs of their own children.

Where is the public outcry against that? Where is the public outcry for Jordan and Syrian and other Arab neighbors to give land and aid to the Palestinians? The press condemns Israel for building a wall to protect itself (not to keep its own citizens in, like Berlin, but to keep terrorists out--its effectiveness has been proven by the dramatic drop in suicide attacks), but who points out that Egypt has also closed its borders to Gaza in an effort of self-preservation?

My heart goes out to each and every individual hurt by this horrible war, but to say that this war is all about religion is distorted. For Israel, this war is all about survival, for there is no other place in the world that they can go where a Jew may be safe from his neighbors.

During all the time of the occupation of Jerusalem by Arab forces Jews were not allowed to go to the Temple Mount. Now, Israeli forces protect the Muslim administrators of Al-Aqsa; Israeli forces prohibit Jews from openly praying near the mosque; Israeli forces allow Jews and Muslims access, with the exception of some prohibitions at times to prevent violence.

Muslims want the Temple Mount to be in their territory, but they already have access to it. The Temple Mount is not their primary holy place, but it is the only Jewish holy place of significance.

What is unfair or inappropriate about allowing access to the Temple Mount while protecting it from violence? The historical record shows the difference in Israel's administration of the area versus Arab administration.

Is Israel without blame? No, no human nation is without blame in a conflict. I am not saying that they have not made mistakes, nor am I saying that they will not make mistakes.

What I am saying is that our press should carefully examine the emphasis we have on reporting on this conflict. Which nation in the Middle East is the only democracy, the only country with equal rights for women, the only country trying at all to treat other religions with at least a modicum of respect? (I contrast them with Saudi Arabia, for instance, that did not allow our own military clergy to wear crosses on their collars when we were helping them in the first Gulf War!)

I appreciate you at least allowing me to vent on this matter. I urge everyone to take a moment to read Mr. Peres’ statement and reflect on it.

Susan Fiedler

PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE

Sunday, December 28, 2008

President Shimon Peres Has Made A Special Statement on "Operation Cast Lead" and the Ongoing Palestinian Rocket Attacks

This morning, President Shimon Peres made a special statement to the media regarding Operation Cast Lead (Israel's attack on the Hamas terror infrastructure in Gaza) and the ongoing Palestinian rocket fire on civilian areas in southern Israel. A transcript of the statement, which is also available on video from the Associated Press and Reuters, is below.

It is the first time in the history of Israel that we, the Israelis, cannot understand the motives or the purposes of the ones who are shooting at us. It is the most unreasonable war, done by the most unreasonable warriors.

The story is simple. Israel has left Gaza completely, out of our own free will, at a high cost. In Gaza there is no single Israeli civilian or soldier. They were evacuated from Gaza, our settlements, which called for a very expensive cost. We had to mobilize 45,000 policemen to take out our settlers from there. We spent $2.5 billion. The passages were open. Money was sent to Gaza. We suggested aid in many ways - economically, medically, and otherwise. We were very careful not to make the lives of the civilian people in Gaza difficult. Still I have not heard until now a single person who could explain to us reasonably: why are they firing rockets against Israel? What are the reasons? What is the purpose?

And I must say also that the phenomenon about Israel is the restraint of the army and the unity of the people. The army waited and waited; the Palestinians asked for a ceasefire, and we agreed. They themselves have violated the ceasefire. Again, we didn't know why, until it came to a point where we were left without a choice but to bring an end to it. The operation was planned carefully and the army was true to its principles: namely, to be precise in its targets and careful not to hit civilian life. There is a problem because many of the bombs were stored in private houses. We have contacted the owners of the houses, the people that dwell there, and told them leave it. You can't live with bombs. We have to bring an end to the source of the bombs.

Israel doesn't have any ambition in Gaza. We left out of our free choice. We have never gone back to the idea of returning to Gaza. It's over. But we cannot permit that Gaza will become a permanent base of threatening and even killing children and innocent people in Israel for God knows why. I feel that in our hearts, we don't have any hatred for the Gazan people. Their suffering doesn't carry any joy in our hearts. On the contrary, we feel that the better they will have it, better neighbors we shall have. Now that Hamas is turning to the Arab world for help, the truth is that the Arab world has to turn to Hamas for the help of Hamas. If Hamas will stop it,20there is no need for any help. Everything can come again to normalcy. Passages: open; economic life: free; no Israeli intervention; no Israeli participation in any of the turnarounds in Gaza.

As a nation, we feel united. As a nation, there is wholehearted support for the army, the way they handled it, their restraint, their discrimination, and their responsibility. The great winner can be reason, and reason will lead to peace. We are very serious, in a serious mood. Many of our children are still in the shelters, and we would like them, like the children of Gaza, to breathe fresh air again. This is the story, and whoever asks us to stop shooting - they have to change the address. Let them turn to Hamas and ask them to stop shooting, and there won't be shooting.

Thank you very much.

For additional information:

Ayelet Frish - Spokesperson for the President of Israel - 050.620.5111

Meital Jaslovitz - Assistant Spokesperson for the President - 050.420.5230