Holy City’s conflict has lasted decades
Rev. John Paarlberg shares his experiences as a peace observer in Hebron this week (story at left). University at Albany political science professor and terrorism expert Victor Asal earned his masters at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and understands Israeli politics. He shares his insights about Hebron, home to about 800 Israelis and 208,000 Palestinians .
“Hebron came under Israel’s control after the 1967 Six Day War ... tension and volatility has never really ended; it goes up and down,” Asal said.
Paarlberg’s descriptions of anti-palestinian bias sound familiar to Asal.
“Think of what it takes to be an Israeli settler in Hebron,” he explained. “Instead of living in a settlement two or three miles from the city, the settlers choose to live surrounded by Palestinians. The settlers are ideologically zealous. They believe that God gave the land to Abraham so that means it belongs to them. Many don’t always feel that they have to be too nice about this.”
But Palestinians can also trace generations on the land over centuries.
Asal said that over the decades both Palestinians and Israelis have been guilty of terrorist attacks on each other. But he estimates Israel has about 90 percent of the West Bank’s political power.
He sees some similarities to Northern Ireland’s Troubles — Belfast divided by military checkpoints and religious disputes. But he cautions that the Middle East can be more complex.
What happens next may depend on Israel’s April 9 election, which polls show conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likely to win. Some Israeli media liken him to President Donald Trump for his fervent rhetoric.
“What Israelis and Palestinians need is a heroic leader like (former Israel Prime Minister) Yitzhak Rabin, someone willing to take on the risks of negotiating peace,” said Asal.
Rabin was a military leader who helped win the Six Day War. He won the Nobel Peace Prize with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Tragically, Rabin was assassinated a year later by an Israeli citizen who passionately opposed the peace accord.