Bullets shatter process, not peace

editorial cartoon by Monica Schwarze
editorial cartoon by Monica Schwarze

Perhaps the greatest war Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin ever fought was not as a general, but as a world leader seeking peace as the avenue to end his country’s suffering at the hands of its long-standing rivals, the Palestinians. This peace process was violently derailed on Saturday with Rabin’s assassination by a Jewish law student, Yigal Amir.

The three fatal shots fired at the pro-peace rally in Tel Aviv made it clear that one of the most dangerous enemies to the peace accord, conceived in September 1993 by Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat, may be Jewish extremists who view the agreement as a betrayal of the word of God.

The agreement uses territorial compromise as a means to pacify Israeli-Palestinian relations. The peace accord would grant Palestine authority over the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in exchange for security in Israel. Amir and other extremists believe that God intended for Israel to keep hold of the West Bank forever. “I acted alone on God’s orders and I have no regrets,” Amir told officials.

The bullets that rang out in Tel Aviv ended the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s life and have put the peace process on hiatus. Now, Israel’s great conflict is whether peace or war will be the aftermath of this tragedy.

The opportunity for peace should not be passed by because of this senseless tragedy. In fact, the process should be expedited in honor of Rabin and to show those against the process that terrorism will not be tolerated. Israel is known for not being a victim of terrorism and now is not the time to let extremists, from any side, begin to think that the nation has become weak.

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, known as the architect of the peace accord, has inherited the torch of peace and task of holding together the coalition that helped Rabin campaign for peace as the weapon to end war. Known as a visionary, Peres has to confront a nation in mourning and extremists satisfied with the assassination while implementing a peace process that has divided a nation.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the opposition Likud party, announced “that his party would not challenge any government that acting Prime Minister Shimon Peres might form.” Others are yet to feel remorse for Rabin’s assassination. Avidor Askin, a member of the Kach party has been quoted as being “satisfied” with the killing of Rabin.

Rabin was a warrior made peacemaker who hoped that a 180-degree turn from war to peace would also be in Israel’s future. In his address to the Israeli people at Saturday’s peace rally, Rabin said, “I was a military man for 27 years. I waged war as long as there was no chance for peace. I believe there is a chance for peace, a great chance, and we must take advantage of it for those standing here, and for those who are not here—and they are many.”

There is hope that peace for Israel did not die with Rabin, that Peres can lead Israel and that the nation founded 48 years ago on the premise of not tolerating terrorism will keep true to its creed.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Monica Schwarze, Features Editor
Monica Schwarze
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