How I Learned to Love the Wall

New York Times ^ | March 18, 2006 | IRSHAD MANJI

[West Coast Conservative]

ON March 28, Israelis will elect a new prime minister to replace the ailing Ariel Sharon. But I'd bet my last shekel that I'll continue to hear the phrase "Ariel Sharon's apartheid wall." It's a phrase spoken — make that spewed — on almost every university campus I visit in North America and Europe.

Among a new generation of Muslims, this is what Mr. Sharon will be known for long after he leaves office: unilaterally erecting a barrier, most of it a fence, some of it a wall, that cuts Arab villages in half, chokes the movement of ordinary Palestinians, cripples local economies and, ultimately, separates human beings.

The critics have a point — up to a point.

They're right that Palestinians are virtually wailing at "the wall." When I went to see its towering cement slabs in the West Bank town of Abu Dis last year, an Arab man approached me to unload his sadness. "It's no good," he said. "It's hard."

"Why do you think they built it?" I asked.

The man shook his head and repeated, "It's hard." After some silence, he added, "We are not two people. We are one."

"How do you explain that to suicide bombers?" I wondered aloud.

The man smiled. "No understand," he replied. "No English. Thank you. Goodbye."

Was it something I said? Maybe my impolite mention of Palestinian martyrs? Then again, how could I not mention them?

After all, this barrier, although built by Mr. Sharon, was birthed by "shaheeds," suicide bombers whom Palestinian leaders have glorified as martyrs. Qassam missiles can kill two or three people at a time. Suicide bombers lay waste to many more. Since the barrier went up, suicide attacks have plunged, which means innocent Arab lives have been spared along with Jewish ones.

[CIDKauf]

"Among a new generation of Muslims, this is what Mr. Sharon will be known for long after he leaves office: unilaterally erecting a barrier, most of it a fence, some of it a wall, that cuts Arab villages in half, chokes the movement of ordinary Palestinians, cripples local economies and, ultimately, separates human beings" .....and increases life expectancy of normal everyday civilians....evil people

[WarEagle]

Good piece. Surprised it's in the Slimes.

[rbg81]

Are you being sarcastic? If not, I think you should check your premises. Poverty has very little to do with terrorism.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Welcome, n00b.

[GoforBroke]

I like "wish you were here" just a little better than The Wall.

[HostileTerritory]

Welcome to Free Republic. Try some more subtlety if you plan to hang around.

[goldstategop]

A surprisingly sympathetic portrait of Israel's reasons for building the Wall, from an American Muslim woman. The Palestinians have only themselves to blame for the separation between them and the Jews and they have to live with the consequences of their support of terror. I can't imagine Israel taking it down now, that the PA is being converted into Hamastan.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[FoxInSocks]

"Ariel Sharon's apartheid wall." It's a phrase spoken — make that spewed — on almost every university campus I visit in North America and Europe.

She needs to get out and hear what others are saying in the real world.

[goldstategop]

She's quoting the far Left's slander of the Wall and then contrasts it with her on the scene experience in Israel. Manji did go to Israel to see for herself and as the title of her column shows, she found a lot to like about it and it was far from being an "apartheid wall." Real life is different from what the moonbats believe on the university campuses. No one who visits Israel can believe that kind of nonsense for a moment. Here its a Muslim woman putting the Left straight.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[poindexter]

I like "wish you were here" just a little better than The Wall.

Animals, baby, Animals.

[Popman]

Looks like a serious mistake was made here, somehow the NY Times ran a New York Post article.

Amazing how that can happen.

[Theresawithanh]

Yes, how awful, to build a wall that prevents Palestinian mothers from passing out sweets and celebrating that their sons and daughters have murdered innocents.

[GoforBroke]

The chances that someone will meddle here in a subject they know nothing about will surely land them on the dark side of the moon.

[Draco]

I know the wall's purpose and agree with it. Is there any hard data as to suicide bombings before and after its erection? I heard that suicide bombings virtually halted, but that was just hearsay. If so, a mighty good legacy, PM Sharon.

[JerseyHighlander]

The IDF keeps these statistics available for the world to see. I don't know where to find 2005 statistics yet.

http://www1.idf.il/dover/site/mainpage.asp?sl=EN&id=22&docid=16703

[JerseyHighlander]

Here are 2005's statistics

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+and+Islamic+Fundamentalism-/2005+Terrorism+Review.htm