Adventures in Guangzhou!

It's becoming increasingly clear that Israel is pushing too hard and overusing their military strength in order to cull as much of Hezbollah as possible. However, I'm not entirely sure I see the alternative right now. I will be the first to admit that it is slightly problematic to keep an unbiased perspective on the situation as an American Jew, yet doing so is almost more important than an outsider being impartial. Israel tends to be under a microscope for all matters of international relations, and for good reason. With the Middle East as volatile as any area on Earth, there's a great deal of pressure on Israel to make thoughtful, responsible decisions.

But how do you make rational decisions in the face of government sponsored terrorism?

It pains me to think that Israel is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Lebanese and that the efficacy of the killings is questionable at best. Hezbollah will simply retreat for a short time after a cease-fire is achieved and return in the future. Meanwhile, with every day and every death, Israel alienates and angers the Arab world to the point where I can picture lines around the block to sign up for Hezbollah and Hamas. This, in turn, creates a lose-lose situation in which Israel feels it necessary to overlook the general international consensus. It seems that they are often held to a higher standard than other countries but that's not the issue--all countries should adhere to higher ethical standards. Rather, the issue seems to be finding the right balance between the classical realism of protecting state interests and the more optimistic approach of adhering to international aspirations for peace in the region.

But would the benefits of stepping back and standing on the moral high ground outweigh the fear and harassment of constant terrorist attacks?

It seems that much of the world inadvertantly neglects to remember why there is a State of Israel in the first place, yet it has only been a little over a half-century since the nefarious horror of the Holocaust. A lot has changed since then but it will always stand as a stark reminder that Jews are different. As Elie Wiesel reminds us, people of the world must never forget. I am not trying to suggest that the rockets landing in Haifa and the Golan are akin to the slaughters from Nazi Germany. On the contrary, I feel that it's important to keep in mind that there is a great deal of irrational hatred for Jews around the world. Unfortunately, Israel seems to be fed up with this malevolence to the point where they too are contributing to an unnecessary loss of life.

But is it possible for both sides to agree that violence simply begets more violence?

Once again I find myself in an awkward position as an American Jew living abroad. My friends here from other European and South American countries seem to be looking to me to explain or somehow expound at least a modicum of America's response to the conflict. While I think Condoleeza Rice comes across as both ignorant and pompous when discussing the birth of a new Middle East, I think it's clear that there need to be some changes in the region. Israel has been in some sort of war or battle at least once a decade since its inception. And that's not even mentioning the thousands of years of previous strife in the area. America, as reigning superpower in the world, is responsible for attempting to broker some sort of peace resolution.

But will they ever look beyond their own self interests and focus on the root of the issue?

I have a few Chinese teachers and friends here who know I'm Jewish and ask me to explain what's going on. This is, sadly, a very telling reflection of the events, as I'm forced to use my elementary vocabulary to explain one of the most heated and complex problems in history. My explanations tend to center around the basic idea of both sides killing people. Not surprisingly, they don't get it. In what is truly a sino-centric society, most Chinese can't explain even the most primitive differences between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It's hard for me to render these age-old differentiations comprehensible in any sort of way. They, in turn, process the current events in only the most elementary sense- Israel's killed way more than the other side.

But is there any reason for them to think differently?

The bottom line for me right now is that I want the whole thing to stop as soon as possible. Much as I oppose everything about the war in Iraq, I hate the fact that young Israeli men have to go and die in the battles up north. I hate the fact that there are innocent people getting killed in Lebanon and innocent civilians under fire in Israel. I hate the fact that the gorgeous countryside up north is being ravaged by soldiers on both sides. I hate the fact that I have friends living in Tel Aviv who are actually within missile range. I hate the fact that I've been to the border with Lebanon and can picture Israeli tanks rolling over the hills, getting fired upon by Hezbollah fighters. I hate the fact that there are no answers for the questions I've raised. I hate the fact that my sister is only a short bus ride away in Jerusalem. And I hate the fact that I can't even foresee any sort of realistic solution for the near future.