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Do
you have
a good imagination?
Well
just
imagine that Condoleezza Rice announced that all airport
security checks were cancelled. Imagine Ms. Rice proposing
that regardless of the actual attacks done by airplanes and
the attacks that were thwarted since 9/11, airport security
must be done away with in fairness to all travelers who suffer
from security-check congestion. The most important thing is
not to create ill will with long lines. If a few more planes
are used as weapons and more lives are lost, it wouldn't
outweigh the "goodwill" we would be creating with
the public.
You
wouldn't need too
much imagination to visualize the uproar. You can probably
hear the radio talk show hosts, view the seething political
pundits on television, read the scathing op-eds, all decrying
such a foolish move which threatens the security of every
American who would be a sitting duck either as an airline
passenger or an innocent bystander.
So
why is it that
I hear no outcry, no objection, no protest when US State
Secretary Rice met Israeli Prime Minister Olmert in Jerusalem
and made some inane effort to push the peace process back on
track by pressing the Israelis to lift some of the border
restrictions in Judea and Samaria. This was advised to ease
the traffic for Arab day workers to enter the country.
However, if this advice was followed, G-d forbid, the path
would also be eased for terrorists who want to enter Israel to
blow up its citizens.
In
your wildest imagination
you probably couldn't dream up this diplomatic effort by an
American Secretary of State while terror warnings continue to
stream into Israel. Even imagination has some sanity and
clarity and certainly the only way such a conversation would
take place would be if Israel feels no threat.
Alas,
this is not the case.
Rice's
idea
to ease traffic for nomad terrorists comes as Israel suffers
from terrorist threats. Israeli
defense sources say they cannot make major changes in
checkpoints because of the continued warnings of intentions to
carry out terror attacks in Israel. Over the past couple of
weeks a large bomb designed to attack IDF forces was
discovered in Jenin, and two terrorists were killed in
northern Gaza while transporting explosives for use against
Israelis.
All
the while that Israeli borders
are closed off, terrorist bombings in Israel have gone down
almost 100%. Yes, threats abounded, but the tight and secure
borders, made so by check points, assure the Israelis that
they have control over their own borders and can stop any
suspicious character from entering. I wonder if Ms. Rice would
feel the same about lifting checkpoints in Baghdad to ease
tensions there, thereby putting American soldier's lives at
stake?
Do
the Israelis really need
Condoleezza Rice to help make peace in the region? The
Israelis seem to be doing fine right now without the help to
open their borders to terrorists. In the past making peace has
cost Israeli citizens many lives. While we all want peace in
the Middle East, I think it's important to ask ourselves the
following question: "At what cost?"
And
the next time you
travel, or even notice an airplane overhead, or cross a
border, with the "inconvenience" of security checks
you can ask yourself if you think it's smart for Israel to do
away with their security checks and allow terror in.
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