Don't we Israelis have a right to live
in peace in our own land?
By Yossi Amrani,
Consul General of Israel in San Francisco

December 3, 2001

As I write, ambulances are speeding to a nearby hospital. Another terrorist attack happened minutes ago, this time in my hometown of Haifa. No place, no city, no person seems to be immune anymore.

Last week in Afula and Hadera, Saturday in Jerusalem and now in Haifa, Israelis are being assassinated by Palestinian terrorists. More then 32 people have lost their lives in less then a week. Why?

Out of my window, it is a sunny winter day, but the skies are filled by the wail of sirens. People are glued to their radios and televisions, calling family and friends, trying to find out what happened. Nowhere is safe. Another phone call, another worrying relative. The TV is broadcasting live, showing the disaster, the horror, the victims.

The question, again, is why? Emotions are running high. We are not just scared but disillusioned with our long hope for peace with the Palestinians. Do we dare dream of peace? Israel still strives for a political solution to the conflict with our neighbors but we are not sure if there is a Palestinian partner.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has again failed to exert his authority, while his lieutenants are directly involved in planning and perpetrating terrorism. Though they issue public statements of sympathy and condemnation, no one is impressed with this any more.

The sirens drown out any hopes, any dreams, of a different future. The sirens remind us again of the reality in this world of ours. As I listen to more live reports on the radio and TV, people are crying, mourning friends and relatives, lamenting the collapse of a vision of a different Middle East. People are grieving.

There are those who call for vengeance, but they are a tiny minority. The ruling reaction is one of shock, concern and despair. The vast majority is only debating the question why. Why do they target innocent people? Why do they kill young children? Why do they try to eliminate any chance for peace? Why do they refuse to accept us in this land?

The assumption of so many Israelis now is that Arafat has failed, that there is no counterpart, and that we cannot trust the Palestinians with a future of coexistence. People are asking if there is an alternative to the failed leadership of the Palestinian Authority. The radio keeps reporting. Now the names of yesterday's attack victims in Jerusalem are being released.

Ten Israeli boys, the youngest is 14 years old, the oldest is 19. What crime have they committed? Don't we Israelis have the right to live? Don't Israelis have the same rights as anyone else, to live in peace and security in our own land, our own country? How should we defend ourselves and dispel the terrorist threat?

We are being asked not to generalize, to restrain ourselves, not to give up a chance for peace, not to see all Palestinians as enemies, but how can we proceed when every day innocent people, young men and women, are slaughtered in terrorist attacks? Are we doomed to sacrifice our lives? Why shouldn't we enjoy security in our homes, roads and buses?

This is our land, this is where we were born, where we built our homes and families, and this is where we are going to stay. Fifty-three years ago, Israel was born to provide the Jewish people with security and peace, giving us the homeland we had been aching for. We strive for peace, but we will not give up our country. No terrorist, no assassins, no hate or extremism is going to push us away.

There is no justification for terrorism and there can be no compromise with terrorism. We will wage an unwavering war against terrorism and its leaders and perpetrators, since there is no other way.

We expect the international community to support us in this just war. We will not falter. It is our life. It is our responsibility. More attacks took place today. A man was killed in his car on his way to work in the Negev desert.

Everyone is a target. Relatives are rushing to the hospitals to identify the new victims, and the question again is why? We refuse to get used to this bloodshed and terrorism.

There must be an end to it, but we know that the end will come only when the Arab world kicks extremists and terrorists out and when the Arab media stops inciting hatred and praising suicide bombers. It is their responsibility to put an end to this vicious cycle, or they will pay the price.

I open the window again, and now it is dead quiet outside. The road is empty, except for emergency vehicles. The radio brings more bad news. Fifteen Israelis lost their lives in a second in Haifa.

Haifa, my hometown, is known for its long and successful coexistence of Jews and Arabs. The suicide bomber aimed at Jews and at any chance to end hostilities and bring peace. We will overcome; coexistence in this land will triumph.

This land belongs to its sons and daughters, Jews and Arabs. It is no place for terrorists and their leaders. Together we will fight them and together we will be victorious.

Consul General Yossi Amrani was in Haifa on business at the time of the terrorist bombing.