Friday, May 18, 2018

Security Tiyul - Caleb Ernst

 Last Wednesday, Kitat Keshet had it's final real tiyul which focused on three main things, Second Intifada, The Israeli Supreme Court, and the separation fence. Leading up to this in class we were learning about the wars that Israel went through to insure its freedom. Following that we learned about the rising tensions  between Israelis and Palestinians including the First Intifada which was a series of terror attacks on Israelis by Palestinians. 
We started out with a quick stop at a memorial of fallen soldiers who helped to capture Har Adar during the Six day War. It was surrounded by a Jewish village that was over the 1948 borders but is now very clearly Israeli territories ans is on the Israeli side of the Separation fence. Here we learned about the supreme court which we went to visit later.


After that we went to the site of a bus bombing that took place
during the Second Intifada. 8 people died in this attack and 52 were injured. Then we sat down at the Liberty Bell Park and learned about the Second Intifada. In it there were 1064 Israelis died, 319 were security personnel. In response to this Israel launched operation defensive Shield which involved building a wall around Jerusalem and a fence separating the rest of the west bank and Israel. 
One short Bus ride later we saw the Israeli Supreme court. It was a beautiful building that had a lot of strait edges because law is supposed to strait and defined. in front of it there is a big open space that allows for people to protest if they want to. We learned that there are two parts to the supreme court, a appeals court and the B'gats which deals with decisions based on morality and justice.

 Our final stop was just outside of Jerusalem, here we had an
excellent view of the Separation Barrier. We were told about the good and bad aspects of it. For one thing, after its construction following the Second Intifada, when there was hundreds of terror attacks,  there has been only one terror attack. One the other hand it makes it hard for Palestinians to go from their homes on one side to work or family on the other side, trips that used to take 20 minutes could take hours after its construction. so like most things in Israel, the wall is a very grey issue which means there is lots of room for discussion and opinions. To end this I'd like to ask just that, what is your opinion about the wall? is it moral? is safety worth the suffering of others? is the wall even the reason for our safety in the first place? 
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11 comments:

  1. Hannah CohenMay 18, 2018 at 10:36 PM

    The wall is one hundred percent needed. It is a known fact that suicide bombings has greatly decreased with the addition of the wall. I do not think it is right for civilians to die, but saftey of Israel comes first. The first and second intifada were horrible times for Israeli's. The wall is a proven method that increases safety.

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  2. UnknownMay 18, 2018 at 11:22 PM

    The Security Fence is the best solution for our safety. Since the wall, we have had only one bus bombing. However, the security fence is not a permanent solution. First off, it inhibits others from thriving and obtaining equal oportunities is society. Likewise, if we ever want peace, the wall inhibits any peace. Peace, in my opinion, can be achieved in many ways, but it can’t be achieved if it divides the people.

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  3. UnknownMay 19, 2018 at 9:41 AM

    While the wall is definitely the cause of a diminishing number of suicide bombings, I'd say its necessity has waned over the past few years. Though right now we are at a point in tension due to the 70th anniversary, generally violent actions have slowed down and become fewer in numbers. I think that the wall is a structure that is currently needed right now, however in the future it may find less and less purpose, and thus we can get rid of it in the future when violence becomes even less prominent and things have generally calmed down. That is to say, IF those things happen, not when, because they're not guaranteed to happen. In the event that these things do not happen, I say that the wall should stay put.

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  4. UnknownMay 19, 2018 at 1:43 PM

    I think that the wall is necessary, even statistics prove that. The numbers of suicide bombings before the wall was put up to afterwards have drastically decreased. Even though it may be inconvient for people living on the other side of the wall the saftey of Jews and Israeli citizens should be valued more than a little inconvience. And if they are truly innocent then they should pass whatever "tests" you have to do to come into Israel just fine veen though i may be a pain in the neck.

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  5. jordanMay 19, 2018 at 2:28 PM

    I believe that the wall provides the necessary life-saving protection from members of terrorist and anti-israel organizations. However, I become melancholic when I start to think about the perspective of the normal, (anti-terrorist) Palestinians on the other side who are born into war and chaos, and simply desire for a normal peaceful life. We need to create peace on both sides before the wall can come down.

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  6. Jordan SpiegelMay 21, 2018 at 1:33 PM

    The wall is moral because it protects us. No matter the inconvience it brings to others, life should be put above all else. Plus, it works so enough said in my opinion. Life above all else is the moral decision. Our safety for their “suffering” more like our safety at their inconvenience.

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    Replies
    1. Jordan SpiegelMay 21, 2018 at 1:34 PM

      Suffering is losing a child in a bus bombing, not taking a longer bus ride to get to your school.

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  7. UnknownMay 21, 2018 at 2:34 PM

    Yes the wall is very necessary. It is sad that in order to insure our own safety we have to block out others who may or may not be dangerous. I hate to deny people the right to live and be where they want. I wish that we could live in peace and I am not an expert but I think it is almost impossible. Many children growing up in the West Bank are told by there parents how the Israeli’s are a terrible people that ruined Palestinian prosperity. This hatred, what many of us may classify as brainwashing, is very dangerous to the Israeli people. It can escalate to measures to jeopardus to allow.

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  8. UnknownMay 21, 2018 at 8:24 PM

    The wall is unfortunately necessary for Israel's safety. The wall and it's check points have stopped a countless number of attacks on Israel saving a lot of lives. It is unfortunate because the wall makes it harder for people living in the west bank to thrive which perpetuates this cycle of hatred we have now.

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  9. Max YoungMay 21, 2018 at 10:19 PM

    I wasn't on this tiyul, but I really wish I was. From prior knowledge I believe that the wall is for Israel's safety, and is therefore a necessity. Sadly this affects public view on Israel, and consequently makes life harder for the people living on the other side of it that mean no harm, but when it comes to Israel, you can never be too careful.

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  10. UnknownMay 22, 2018 at 3:46 PM

    I think the wall is doing its purpose but it is only a place holder. I don't think it should be permanent. I think that one day there will be peace and we will all be able to care for one another in the Middle East. Do I think that will happen with a single peace negotiation... no! I am sadly certain there will be another war (hopefully not WWIII) that will cause there to be peace.

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Security Tiyul - Caleb Ernst   Last Wednesday, Kitat Keshet had it's final real tiyul which focused on three main things, Second Intif...