We met with Dr. Landau in Sderot on July 1, 2008. He guided us through the community to an outlook over the Gaza showing us the Security wall and how close the Gaza is to the surrounding communities. He showed us a school with half of the roof with reinforced steel that can withstand the current generation of missiles. If there is an alarm sounded while the children are in class or outside for recess, those teaching in one side of the building or overseeing the kids at recess must hustle their children over to the protected side of the school within 15 seconds. I cannot imagine what must run through a parent's mind as they drop their child off in the morning for school.
Landau took us to a neighboring kibbutz to show us the damage and the trauma that you can see in the children's faces. This kibbutz has had numerous hits, with one death and many near misses. One rocket fell about 40 feet from the day care center. Fortunately the kids were inside napping, or the loss of life could have been catastrophic. I am attaching a picture showing a map with the sites where missiles and rockets have hit in the last several years. Just imagine that you were living in Brookline and the good people of Brighton were launching missiles at you. Well, that is everyday life in Sderot and all of the towns in Israel surrounding the Gaza. It should not be allowed.
After a long and distinguished career in public service, Uzi Landau quit the Knesset recently over the government's handling of the Hamas terror launched from the Gaza. As the former Homeland Security Minister, Dr. Landau is as qualified as anyone in the country to brief us on the security issues facing the people of Sderot and the surrounding region. Having Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge with us enabled us to have an even more thorough briefing. Landau was asked why more people do not leave. He said that "If we leave today, then Ashkelon will be next, followed by Ashdod and finally Tel Aviv. That is why we stay, even under these circumstances"
Landau was very clear and was echoed by the more than 50 people with whom we met and spoke in the market and kibbutz where we visited after the briefing. The Israeli government needs to reenter the Gaza and stop the terrorism, if the cease fire fails. Dr. Landau said, "We have a truce, but a rocket was fired on us yesterday. We need to listen to our enemies. They say that they intend to destroy us, so we should hear what they say." The other people with whom we spoke reiterated their frustration as a result of the lack of retaliation by the political leaders to authorize IDF intervention.
Most of these people with whom we spoke feel that Israel is too concerned with how the world will perceive them as the bully and the terrorists as victims, rather than Israel simply looking out for its own interests. The terrorists launch their attacks on Israel from day care centers, schools, hospitals and other clearly civilian structures. They want the IDF to respond and kill civilians, so that they can play victim. To paraphrase Prime Minister Golda Meir, if only the Palestinians cared as much about their children, women , elderly and sick as the IDF cares about the Palestinians most vulnerable, there would be a chance for peace.
Minister Landau said that there are two different views about the security of Israel that are fundamentally and diametrically opposed to each other. One group believes that Israel is in a conflict with the Palestinians over territory, that the Palestinian attackers are guerrilla fighters, not terrorists, that these are Israel's workers and employees. Many consider this approach untenable. Until such time as those Palestinians who disagree with the Muslim extremists are willing to take the risks that many have taken throughout history when faced with murderous tyranny, and have made the ultimate sacrifice, dying for their cause, this accomodationist approach will never bring peace: the Refusniks in the USSR, many of whom now live in Israel; Desmond Tutu and the many who opposed apartheid; Lech Walesa and Solidarity in Poland.
The opposite view is that until the leadership changes, we (and it should be driven by the United States and Europe, since they provide so much of the money) change education and dismantle the terror structures, there is no chance for peace. We are in a state of war between Arab Palestinians (and much of the rest of the Arab world) and Israelis over Israel's right to exist. If we do not believe that this extreme view is held by so-called mainstream (which means that they are not totally radical and over the edge) is the agenda of many Arab nations, then look at the 8 Million Christian Copts in Egypt, the 8-15 Million Sudanese under almost daily attack and torture, or the Kurds in Iran and Iraq. When you add in Muslim radicalism, an already difficult situation is exacerbated.
Dr. Landau believes that the objective should be victory, victory at all costs, not accommodation. In the Middle East, there is no mercy for the weak. From my meetings with the people of Israel, even those who say they are moderates, feel it is imperative that Israel must remain strong in order to eventually find peace.
Visiting Sderot was an eye-opening experience as to the life-threatening stress that many Israelis live under every day. It is a situation that we would never tolerate in America, and we Americans should not expect the Israelis to have to endure such consistent attacks. Those who believe that if only the Israelis will make one more concession, there will be peace, are hopelessly and dangerously naive.
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