Last week Ashraf Morrar, in his column "Rabin was a terrorist who wanted control, not peace," wondered why "The whole world is in an uproar over the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin." Perhaps I can help him understand.
Morrar wrote that the "Israeli people don't want peace," that they only "want more effective control of the occupied land."
It is true there are some Israelis who don't want peace. In fact, one of them killed Rabin. However, most Israelis crave peace, but only disagree over how to achieve it.
He said Rabin is a "terrorist", responsible for thousands of Palestinian lives. Thousands of Israelis have died too. By calling Rabin a "terrorist", Morrar used the word incorrectly, but I guess certain words are helpful when dehumanizing your enemy.
What made Rabin great was not his skill as a warrior, but as a peacemaker, that he had the vision to see beyond the enmity.
It does not take greatness to find reasons to fight. It takes greatness to find reasons not to.
This is why he can not understand why Rabin is being honored around the world, all he sees are the excuses to keep fighting.
Perhaps there will be a day when Morrar can see beyond his own hatred, the way Rabin did, the way Arafat is doing. If and when that day comes, he will understand why the world mourns Rabin's death. He will see how Rabin's murder was a loss for everyone. He will pay homage to him for his courage, his vision and for helping to ensure that someday our grandchildren will be playing together, instead of killing each other.
Sam Cohen is a humanities student and member of the Zionist Action Committee
[ Golden Gater Online November 21, 1995 ]
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