Breaking the law of 'fear thy neighbor'

You turn off the lights and lie down against your pillow. As you push your thoughts away, you close your eyes to slumber. But, sitting in the dark, you dwell on the thought, wish, and prayer that the roof above your head won’t smother you in your sleep.

This is the tragic reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. More powerful than any government legislation, security measure, or United Nations resolution, fear is the greatest impediment on the path to peace.

Fear is the one denominator that will ultimately control people’s thoughts and feelings. The abject fear of the capabilities of the other side has built a wall of hatred and mistrust in the conflict. These emotions have been the cause of and justification for countless wars, countless bombings, countless oppressive security measures, and, worst of all, countless deaths.

Mistrust began in the region 60 years ago with the formation of the state of Israel. Throughout the region, an atmosphere of apprehension and insecurity erupted with the redistribution of land and emergence of the new nation. In the following years, this has blossomed into the contruction of a wall, the implementation of numerous checkpoints, and the destruction of the homes of a number of terror suspects by members of the Israeli Defense Forces. The conflict has also caused the massacre of innumerable innocent people, defiance of peace accords, and open loathing of the Israeli people by Palestinians within the West Bank.

So, what is peace?

Is it embodied in the peace signs that emblazon T-shirts, jewelry, and the occasional tattoo? Or, perhaps it can be captured by the peace and love mottos on purses, backpacks, and swimwear? Maybe, just maybe, it is rooted in celebrities like Miley Cyrus, who frequently flash the two fingers for the “photogs.”

These expressions of peace can be purchased with a piece of plastic and are definitely “in” today, but, at the end of the day, are idealistic expressions. From our relatively safe vantage point in Morningside Heights, we can toss this word around without really understanding its meaning. Unfortunately, peace means more than singing “Kumbaya” in the context of the Middle East peace process.

Peace in the conflict will quell of the fears in the hearts and minds of individuals throughout the region. Achieving this reprieve from fear cannot be about winning or losing or which side is right or wrong. Coexistence is the only potentially harmonious solution, as neither side will ever disappear. To move towards this goal, fear of the people on the opposite side of the border must be removed through a dialogue and the removal of the objects of terror.

Hopefully, this dialogue will be sparked at Thursday’s lecture regarding the conflict. However, lectures and academic discussions can, unfortunately, only go so far in furthering the prospects of Middle Eastern peace.  Debating from the safety of Columbia’s halls will do little to ease the worries of a mother who fears letting her child ride the bus, or of a father who fears that his child will get shot at a rally for peace, or of a child who fears that the people a mile away are intent on killing him in his slumber. As long as these are real fears, there can never be peace.

By now you are probably wondering how this grand concept of peaceful coexistence is of any consequence to your current lifestyle. As children of privilege at this great university, we will inherit the power and influence of our parents and politicians. Though we may currently shrink from the responsibility, we are likely to become the leaders of the next generation.

With this responsibility, it is time that we change the dynamics of the current discourse on the conflict. Through our influence, we can shift the focus of the people and leaders of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is essential to transition the conversation from debating what has been to discussing and pursuing what can be and what will be. Fostering dialogue is the only nonviolent method that can remove injustices, make amends for wrongdoings, and protect the rights of all people.

Once abject fear is eliminated, the people of the Middle East can move towards the common desire for a chance to live and plant the seeds of a lasting peace.
 
The author is a Barnard College first-year.