A Man of Peace in a Land of War

Eric Alterman gives us a link to the Israel Policy Forum where M.J. Roseberg reports on an Israeli father whose 19 year old son Arik was killed by individuals affiliated with Hamas in 1994. Rather than being consumed by hate he went to work on dealing with the root causes of Arik's death. The Arik Institute was established to do this work. Now that Hamas has won control of the Palestinian government, Yitzhak Frankenthal's words and actions seem especially relevant.

Peace or ... War will still often be how I close my posts yet this article reminds us on the dangers of not seeking reconciliation as these efforts, and it is hard and long work often, are truly the only way to avoid the failures of war. We've surely seen the damages done by projecting power when it was surely avoidable and how more harm than good often results. Mr. Rosenberg comments on and gives us this man's words as follows:

Frankenthal believes in communication. He thinks that both Israel and the United States should open up a dialogue with Hamas as soon as it “removes its covenant calling for the destruction of Israel. Israel should challenge the Hamas in positive and constructive ways." ... “My son, Arik, was born into a democracy with a chance for a decent, settled life. He loved his life and believed that we had to achieve peace with the Palestinians or we would not survive. Arik’s killer was born into an appalling occupation, humiliation after humiliation, ethical chaos. Had my son been born in his place, he may have ended up doing the same. Let all the self-righteous who speak of ruthless Palestinian murderers take a hard look in the mirror.”