Editor,
Ariel Sharon is using his declaration of war against terrorism as a ruse for Israel's ongoing brutal occupation of the Palestinian people, now in its 35th year. Under the occupation, millions of Palestinians have been subjected to daily humiliations and a complete and total negation of their rights as a people. One can only wonder what kind of an impact this has on a child's psyche who only knows life under occupation.
Indeed violence begets violence, but when one is left with few, if any options, and little hope for living a life of freedom and dignity, desperation takes over.
This desperation will surely deepen as Israel proceeds with its current incursion of Palestinian cities, towns and villages. Thousands of Palestinian civilians are now facing a dire humanitarian crisis. The Israeli army has severed electricity and water lines to entire Palestinian cities. Ambulances and medical personnel are repeatedly being denied access to injured Palestinians. Families are prisoners in their own homes, many faced with the threat of being shot by Israeli soldiers and snipers using U.S manufactured weapons should they venture outdoors. Many are either running low on food or have exhausted their food supply. Palestinian males, including boys as young as 14, are being rounded up and detained. Israeli soldiers have taken over numerous private homes, destroying personal property, physically abusing residents and traumatizing children.
These children need hope. Only an immediate end to Israel's siege and an end to the Israeli occupation will bring this about. As an American Jew, I appeal specifically to fellow Jews to demand that our U.S officials assume a more aggressive role in ending this quagmire. Without their intervention, I fear we will witness many more losses of lives - both Israeli and Palestinian.
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Lori Rudolph
Doctoral candidate and women studies instructor
