How Gaza affects the WA Jewish Community

A West Australian (non-Jewish) school student recently asked a Jewish Community member : "I have been recently interested in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, over the Gaza strip. As this issue may have an affect on many of the Jewish community, I would like to ask, if possible, to provide me with an opinion that reflects how the issue has affected the Jewish community here in WA........"

Here is my opinion...

The Gaza disengagement affects the Jewish Community of WA in two ways

As Jews
Jews in WA are affected as are all Jews around the world. We are connected to Israel and concerned for the nation’s welfare. Israel is our spiritual homeland and place of sanctuary. Many of us have relatives who live in Israel. Thus we are very aware of events there and want Israel to be successful, viable and secure. There are many varied opinions within the Jewish Community about the Gaza disengagement.

• Many support it, recognising that it will be easier to protect citizens behind a well-defined demarcation line.
• Another large group believe that it is a flawed decision because it will be seen by some as a vindication of terrorism – proof that terrorism works and can actually win territory. Those terrorists, who believe so, will be encouraged to continue their terror and attempt to expel Jews from the Middle East or even totally wipe out world Judaism in another attempt at genocide.
• Others oppose it on the grounds that they believe the land belongs to Israel and no citizen, or even government has the right to give it away.

However the WA Jewish Community, while it recognises differing opinions here, also recognises that Israel is a democratic nation, and has confidence in its democratic processes. Israel’s citizens are the ones in harm’s way, at war with its neighbours for decades, and therefore they must decide. We in WA will support Israel’s decisions.

Also all members of the community, regardless of their view about the wisdom of unilaterally disengaging, are very saddened by the fact that 8,000 people have been uprooted; their homes destroyed, their communal buildings including places of worship destroyed, and even the remains of their loved ones disinterred and moved with them. It is sad that this is necessary, that our neighbours have so much hatred for us that they continually harass and attack civilians, and that we cannot even rely on them to respect our graves.

As citizens of Australia, a free, democratic Western nation
Jews in WA, like all Australians, respect human life, freedom and democratic rights to determine our own future. The disengagement (whether you agree or disagree with it) reminds us all that there are forces that want to control others by deadly force. Dictators and corrupt, murderous criminals lead whole nations and subversive groups and are working to undermine the values we cherish. Gaza is part of the front in the global war against terrorists and those who want to destroy the Australian way of life. Like all Australians we are watching apprehensively to see if moderate forces in Gaza will disarm the terrorist gangs, establish the rule of law and give the Palestinian population the freedom and self determination that they yearn for and deserve, or whether the forces of armed gangs will use Gaza as a base to amass weapons and continue their attacks on innocent civilians in Israel, USA, Australia UK and around the civilised world.