Readers Write: Israel and Palestine, violence in Minneapolis

Violence does not happen in a vacuum. As the catastrophic humanitarian crisis mounts in Gaza and the obvious disparity in human and infrastructure costs between the two sides is starkly highlighted in the press, I have paradoxically grown angrier with Hamas and the Palestinian Authority's handling of the Palestinian cause, not just now, but also over the past decades.

Let me first clarify that I am in no way justifying or supporting the grossly disproportionate use of force by the Israeli side, and Israel certainly bears a heavy responsibility in this long-standing conflict through its continued brutalization, marginalization and humiliation of the Palestinian people. What angers me even more, however, is the disturbing failure by Palestinian leaders to understand that violence is not, and never was, the answer to the issue of statehood. Why is it not clear that levelheaded, long-term negotiations, with small but meaningful progressive steps aimed at improving the plight of the Palestinians, would have a far better chance at building local and international trust and delegitimizing the tired old refrain of Israel's security needs, which would make the establishment of an autonomous Palestinian state an inevitable conclusion? It seems that the simplistic answer is because it suits the hawks on both sides by strengthening their respective bloodstained political powers, and it might just be as simple as that, for none of this appears to be for the benefit of either people despite all the claims otherwise.

International intervention will eventually bring this latest bloodshed to an end, but make no mistake, this will be only a temporary reprieve unless visionary, compassionate and above all courageous leaders emerge in both Israel and the Palestinian territories, take a long hard look at the grim road map ahead under the status quo, stand up and say "enough"! I have a dream indeed ...

Walid Maalouli, Eagan

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In Ahmed Tharwat's May 19 opinion piece "Why is there no free press 'unity march' for Gaza?" he makes a stunning and manipulative statement that most readers do not know "it all started when white settlers escaping persecution in Europe came over and started the ethnic cleansing of native Palestinians after 1948." The conflation of Jews in Israel with white supremacy and genocide can only be intended to inflame and convince the reader that this is a racial issue, that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is a Middle Eastern version of Black Lives Matter in this country, and that Jews are behaving like their Nazi persecutors in the 1940s.

I hope the regular reader of mainstream media would have enough historical knowledge to know that the Jews fleeing Europe were hardly considered "white" by their Nazi oppressors, nor were these immigrants in any way bent on ethnic cleansing of an indigenous population in Palestine. On the day my grandparents arrived at Auschwitz, and were sent directly to the gas chambers, I doubt the color of their skin mattered much to their murderers.

It's time to stop the finger-pointing, along with the misleading allusions to this being an incidence of racial injustice and agree to sit down like human beings and talk about the potential for salaam and shalom, peaceful coexistence.

Rabbi Sim Glaser, Minneapolis

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For readers of mainstream media who are unaware, it is worth pointing out that the Gaza Strip was under Egyptian control for close to 20 years. This was a period known for its repression and repeated crackdowns. Tharwat is likely aware of this period, but he makes no mention of it in his recent commentary. Moreover, the blockade around Gaza has been maintained by both Israel to the north and Egypt to the south. Perhaps Tharwat would care to speculate why so many Sunni Arab states have despaired of the present Palestinian leadership and would like nothing more than to see an overdue breakthrough that requires concessions by both Israel and the Palestinians.

These are small but relevant points that are related to decades of death and destruction. Oversimplifying the cause of the conflict and "facts on the ground" does no one any favors and does nothing to promote solutions.

Finally, it is insulting to read Tharwat's reductionist and dismissive description of Zionism. He has consistently distorted the driving factors behind the Jewish return to Zion and Jerusalem, as he has likewise grossly oversimplified the creation of the modern state of Israel. It might be useful for Tharwat to reassess his own motives in how he has characterized a movement of national liberation that extends well beyond race and nationality.

Robert Rees, Minneapolis

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Regarding "American, Israeli Jews inhabit different worlds" (Opinion Exchange, May 19): It's an interesting take on the current problems in the Middle East. No, Canada or North or South Dakota have never launched attacks on Minnesota. We are, of course, at peace.

Then again, the government of Minnesota doesn't forcibly evict residents of Winnipeg or Fargo from their homes so Minnesotans can take up residence there. If this were to occur, some resistance would be understandable.

If all people learned to respect the property rights of all others, regardless of how they pray to God or who their parents are, I believe we would all have a more peaceful world.

Bruce K. Kivi, Fridley

MINNEAPOLIS VIOLENCE

We must improve ourselves

I don't think there's a worse pain than having one's child shot while they are playing in their yard or riding in their car ("Innocents caught in the crossfire," front page, May 19). It is beyond heartbreaking and is often unbearable. It is understandable and necessary that parents want their neighborhoods to be made safe. But how can people demand that government make their neighborhoods safe when the whole culture is glorifying violence in TV shows, movies, video games, the internet and music? What are officials supposed to do when competition and violence are glorified in the citizenry? Does it make sense to have social workers answer 911 calls to troubled areas? When one area of violence is addressed, another one just breaks out somewhere else.

Our culture of violence has to change instead of expecting the government to do something to stop the violence from occurring. It is an impossible task for the government as long as the citizens worship competition and violence. This problem can only be solved by looking within ourselves to see how we are the problem, and we have to solve it by seeing through our shoddy values. We have to stop being personally entertained by violence and competition and even participating in it while expecting the government to stop the violence when it comes to our own doorstep. If we don't take personal responsibility to end this violence in ourselves, we are responsible for the shooting of innocent children. As we are working on ourselves, order must be maintained or we won't even be able to survive to work on ourselves.

Jeanne Long, Minneapolis

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Expecting the mayor to take a "more aggressive approach" is blame-shifting ("Violence a 'crisis' on North Side," May 19). There are members of the community who know who the shooters are. Unless and until these members of the community come forward, the thugs will continue to shoot at whomever they please. This crisis can be mitigated immediately and permanently by people who are willing to protect their families and their friends by providing leads, tips, evidence, testimony and courage to identify and convict the perpetrators. Aggressive behavior is the source of the crisis, not the solution. Meanwhile, long-term efforts to reform policing, provide stable housing, employment and health care can proceed. The time to put an end to the violence is now.