Don't 'Agree to Disagree' With Pro-Israel Column

Ah, how refreshing. Another piece of misguided, ignorant garbage printed on the subject of Israel and Palestine.

Sadly, I am used to this unjust portrayal of Palestinians, but Jeremy Burton's column "Agree to Disagree" in the Jan. 14 issue is so one-sided and so misinformed, yet so typical, that I felt compelled to respond.

Burton states Israelis want peace but the "fundamental difference" between them and Palestinians is that Palestinians do not want peace and only crave war because of their hatred.

It's easy for Israelis to say they want peace in the luxury of their reality, devoid of check stops and random raids and arrests, but did Jeremy ever try living in a Palestinian town? Did he ever try living the life of a Palestinian to try to determine just what these people's deal is? I'm guessing the tour guide overlooked the Palestinian refugee camps in lieu of a day of rock-climbing (like the pictures I have seen on the "Birthright Israel" posters. Looks like fun).

Of course Palestinians want peace. Who doesn't? But you cannot compare Palestinians and Israelis because Palestinians (contrary to the belief of the Jeep driver, who casually determined that Palestinians in fact do have human rights) are oppressed and imprisoned by a supposed democracy in a way that is truly inhumane.

If Jeremy had left his hotel and his armed Israeli guard to venture to the Palestinian towns, he would see just how beautiful Israel is. He would see the beauty of Palestinians arrested in the middle of the night and imprisoned for no reason in particular. He would see the beauty of breadwinners stuck at home, unable to go to work because Israel's "great" democracy believes in collective punishment, meaning that every Palestinian man is guilty for the crimes of a few and therefore cannot leave the house or town. He would see families on house arrest and on curfews, whenever Israel deems necessary, and he would see bright, energetic children unable to go to school for weeks at a time.

When I visited Palestine (unlike Jeremy, my visit was not free. I paid $1,200 of my own money for my "birthright" trip), I stayed in Ramallah; and although all of the things I described happened there and in nearby cities, this is a breeze compared to the atrocities that happen in Gaza and the refugee camps (does the Jenin massacre ring a bell?) that contain displaced Palestinians living in poverty and squalor. There is a feeling of defeat in the air, but most people mainly try to live their lives and enjoy the good aspects of life, overlooking their overwhelming struggles.

What people like Jeremy do not realize is that Palestinians do want peace. In order for peace to truly be achieved, however, there needs to be many changes in Israel's treatment of Palestinians. Palestinians must be given some form of government and basic human rights. Contrary to Jeremy's claim, the Israeli army has shown anything but restraint towards Palestinians (and even Americans like Rachel Corrie), killing indiscriminately and basically terrorizing anyone who says anything against their occupation. Israel needs to stop making settlements that violate U.N. resolutions by stealing the little land Palestinians have for their own towns. Israel needs to allow Palestinians mobility and let them go to their jobs, to hospitals and live their lives with the freedom that any Israeli has. This apartheid system needs to end.

Of course, suicide bombings need to stop. No more blood should be shed, especially innocent blood. This is a futile attempt by a small minority. With no army and no say in anything, some Palestinians resort to these measures, but this only keeps the vicious cycle going. No one is happy in this situation.

In conclusion, I want to reiterate that no, Palestinians are not warmongers who love to hate. Palestinians only hate oppression, like anyone else would and merely want a semblance of a normal life. Before the notion of Zionism was ever created, there was a small minority of Jews in Palestine who Palestinians lived with peacefully as neighbors. Palestinians do not care what your religion is. They just want peace more than anything and they want the ability to live on their own land just like they have been doing for countless generations. Anyone who thinks otherwise is sadly mistaken.