Shut up.
It just has to be said.
To all foreign diplomats, citizens of free countries, journalists, politicians of all kinds…basically: anyone who does not live HERE – SHUT UP!
You have no idea what you are talking about when you speak Peace through your a--. Peace is for two or more peace-loving individuals or groups who want to find common ground, or who wish to coexist peacefully. There IS NO PEACE when talking with terrorists.
You got that?
In case you still want to sit down and discuss the Middle East problem with me, let’s get some things straight. Do you live here? No? Then you don’t get no say. You want a say? Come on over. I have a free guest room or two. You can even bunk in if there’s a lot of you. Live here. Drive the roads at night and send up a prayer and hold your breath every time a car passes you by. Feel time slow down as the car passes in range. Wait to hear the gunshots...and then release that breath you have been holding when they finally pass.
Ever have that thought cross your head of, “If I am driving and someone starts to shoot, how do I keep driving to try to get us to safety AND throw my body over my sleeping son in the back seat at the same time”?
Didn’t think so.
Has your 13 year old ever asked to leave the country for a few months because she fears for her safety and for the safety of those she loves?
Does your 17 year old text you while you are out to find out when you are going to be on the roads so she knows exactly when and how long to worry until you arrive home? Does she tell you to be careful and have a safe trip, knowing your life is at risk simply for driving home from baseball practice??? Does she?
How often do your kids feel sheer panic when they can’t reach you for ten minutes because you put your phone down at a wedding to dance?
How many funerals of terror victims has your family attended? And how many victims just from your community?
Has your young son told you that he doesn’t want to go to the army because “it is an easy way to die” while at the same time your teenage son is doing his level best to get into incredible physical shape to defend his 2 hour wide by 6 hour long (by car on the highway) strip of country to the best of his G-d given abilities?
How do we even breathe over here?
And how DARE you tell us what our policy should be to deal with this life?
Shame on you.
You have no clue. None. And until you do, we would really appreciate if you would shut up and let us do what we need to to stop 18 year old girls from stabbing us in the street. To stop repeat terrorists (that’s right – the same terrorist that killed a woman from our community years ago was released from prison and then shot a 24 year old man from our community a few months ago. Yippee for him – back on the job…) from shooting at us on the roads. (And in case there is more than one ignorant out there – a few months back I responded to a comment on an article about this issue. Someone said, well – if you are driving on their roads, you deserve what you get. Guess what? Same advice – shut up. Don’t know – don’t say. They are not their roads. The shootings happen on Israeli roads that connect Israeli communities. You think we don’t get enough terror on our own roads that we would dare drive on theirs? WE DO NOT HAVE A DEATH WISH. You must have us confused with our co-inhabitants.)
So, if you still really want to talk to me about peace in the Middle East, come on over. After two weeks here, I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Friend, or....death by drive-by shooting?
I have to add: do not think I hate all Palestinians. Do not think that - even with all the above - I believe they ALL want me dead. I know there are some who just want to live their lives peacefully here, raise their kids, make a living, live a quiet life. I comisserate with those who are degraded by having to be searched and have their cars stopped at the checkpoints when they only want peace. I understand they are the silent mass that can not speak up or they, too, will die. But, alas, we are not able to deal with that silent population...we can not know for sure who they are without risking getting stabbed. The ones that do want us dead - not peacefully coexisting beside them in the same land - D.E.A.D. - they are who we are dealing with. They are our challenge.