By Rabbi Dow Marmur
JERUSALEM –At least 15 Gaza residents lost their lives and some 800 were injured by Israeli fire during the fateful march from the Strip last Friday and the seeming attempts to cross into Israeli territory. Much of the world is outraged as a result. Israel may have succeeded to secure its border but in the strange world in which we live, it’s Hamas – the terrorist organization that rules Gaza and orchestrated the march – that has achieved at least some of its objectives.
Like most people, I don’t know enough to form an independent opinion of what happened. In our ignorance we tend to follow our prejudices. Those who side with Israel will cite its official statements that most of the casualties were known terrorists – named with photos – and that others were duped or forced by the terrorists to expose themselves to Israeli fire.
Critics of Israel, within the country and abroad, have other versions. The statement by Gisha, the Israeli human rights organization concerned with the plight of Gazans, is particularly relevant. Here’s a part of it:
Gisha expresses grave concern that the lethal force used yesterday in the Gaza Strip could have been avoided had the rules of engagement been dictated by international law rather than a desire to quash protest. Reports indicate the protesters were shot merely for approaching closer than 300 meters from the fence, even in cases where they posed no danger. According to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The mere mention of the United Nations may be enough for many Israelis to discredit the above, because of the organization’s notorious anti-Israel record, even though this time its Secretary-General has also called for “a transparent investigation” rather than settling for the usual blanket condemnation.
The Government of Israel has responded by stating that there’s no need for an outside investigation, though Israelis assume that there’ll be an internal probe within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that’s likely to remain secret for many years to come.
As shocked and dismayed as I am at what happened I don’t know enough to dispute the official statements from Israel that see the event as an unavoidable action against terrorists in defense of the integrity of the Jewish state. An article by the editor of the Times of Israel, David Horovitz, whose opinions I’ve learnt to respect, tells readers that “Gaza’s terrorist rulers…. are out to destroy Israel.”
The timing of the march was nominally related to the Palestinians marking their Land Day in protest against allegedly Israel having taken lands that rightfully belong to them. For Jews it may have been a further illustration of the truth of the words we recite in the course of the Seder that “in every generation there’re those who seek to destroy us” emulating the Pharaoh of the Exodus story. The reflection concludes with the assurance that the Holy One Blessed Be He saves us from them. The Gaza march may be seen by some as the IDF doing God’s work.
However, the conclusion of the statement by Gisha seems to better reflect the spirit of Passover. It calls upon the leaders of Israel “to respect the rights of Palestinians in Gaza and to refrain from excessive use of force.”
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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto, Canada. Now a resident of Israel, he may be contacted via dow.marmur@sdjewishworld.com
Of course Marmur had to find and quote a text coming from a notoriously anti-Israel organization, and not even pretend being balanced by quoting an official one from the Israeli government. And he expects readers to take him seriously? Seriously? Besides, the quote in question explains nothing. What does “the rules of engagement … dictated by international law” mean? Can we be a little more specific here? Everyone who has a grudge against Israel claims it violates international law without ever being more specific (and betraying in the process that they don’t have the lisghtest idea of what they’re referring to). It seems Marmur belongs to that crowd.