The Case for the Israeli Security Wall
So let me see if I can understand this.
Palestinian suicide bombers cross into Israel for the past 2-3 years to bomb civilian targets like restaurants and buses, killing civilian men, women and children. Israel targets the leaders of the militants and cracks down on supporters of the bombers. The world blames Israel for the violence.
Israel offers unprecedented land-for-peace deals, offering over 90% of the West Bank and the entire Gaza Strip if the Palestinians would simply stop killing innocent civilians. Palestinians refuse the offer, their goal is to push "the Jews" into the sea. The killing continues; the world blames Israel for the violence.
Israel starts building a security wall to keep the Palestinian suicide bombers out - and the number of bombings decreases drastically. The world criticizes Israel for building the wall and takes it to the world court. Israel even starts dismantling a small portion of the wall.
Today, just before the court is supposed to hear the case, a Palestinian suicide bomber crosses in one of the locations where the wall is not yet complete, to bomb yet another civilian target.
Let me guess what will happen:
- The world will blame Israel
- Not a word of criticism deploring the bombing nor the civilian deaths
- The bomber's farewell video will be played worldwide (already happening), encouraging more suicide bombers
If something similar were happening to us, there would be folks calling for nuclear retaliation, for creating a "Lake West Bank" (like the calls for a "Lake Afghanistan" or for a glassy, radiation-glowing parking lot where Afghanistan used to be, back in 2001). (No doubt there would also be folks calling for U.N. approval of our own self-defense - again, like in 2001. But I digress.)
Israel's responses, like bulldozing suicide bombers' homes (after evacuating the families!) and missile strikes against the terrorist leaders, are unbelievably restrained. Even if it encroaches on land the Palestinians want, the Israeli security wall is a grand humanitarian gesture, far more lenient than what the Palestinians deserve.
The wall works - it keeps the terrorists out. Israel should complete it as soon as possible. To hell with world opinion. Really, does the world prefer more bloodshed on both sides? Or does the world condone Israeli civilian deaths?