Outbreaks of violence land close to home for students

By Todd Belie

Daily Bruin Contributor

With the death toll nearing 100, violent clashes in the Middle East show little sign of stopping in the days ahead.

The fighting and bloodshed that continues half a world away has sparked a divided reaction on campus.

“I saw students from both sides who are very emotional because everyone has such close attachments to the situation” said Al Tsarovsky, president of the Jewish Student Union. “It’s such a sensitive subject and it brings out anger and pride, but I don’t think there’s a better place for dialogue than on the UCLA campus.”

Many Muslim students also showed their support for Palestinians and Israeli Arabs by wearing green armbands.

“A lot of people are concerned here because many have family and strong ties to the area,” said Ghaith Mahmood, president of the Muslim Student Association.

Despite increased conflict abroad, many on campus remain calm.

“I would be misinterpreting my faith if I harbored any negative feelings toward Muslims, or anybody,” Tsarovsky said. “That’s not what Judaism is about.”

“Once you put a face to the title it’s much harder to harbor negative energy,” he said. “Having friends who are both Muslim and Arab, it makes it impossible for me to ever harbor negative intentions toward the entire culture.”

Israeli forces retaliated Thursday for the mob killing of two captured soldiers by striking at several Palestinian targets, including Yasser Arafat’s residential compound.

Since Sept. 28, the clash between Palestinians and Israelis has left at least 94 dead and hundreds wounded.

“This is a declaration of war – a crazy war,” senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat told the Associated Press.

In addition to helicopter strikes, Israeli forces destroyed six Palestinian Naval vessels and a security headquarters building.

With stepped-up peace negotiations in Paris occurring only weeks ago, the conflict comes at an unfortunate time.

“The tragic dimension is that the parties were on the brink of a breakthrough agreement and precisely at the point when there was a chance for resolution, a provocation unleashed a furor and rage that has hurt the process, hopefully not irreparably,” said Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, director of Hillel at UCLA.

Thursday morning, Israeli Communications Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer declared on Israeli radio, “The peace process is dead. Arafat’s clear desire is for war; that is what he wants.”

Muslims have argued that the escalated conflict was forced upon the Palestinians.

“The Palestinians are not a violent people, but they are sick of being treated as second-class citizens,” Mahmood said. “They are a small group of unequipped people standing up against gunships and tanks.”

“It takes a lot for 16-year-old males to come out and confront Israeli soldiers. That’s not something that someone can do just by feeling pressure,” he continued.

Gabriel Piterberg, professor of Near East History, said he does not believe peace can be achieved any time soon.

“I don’t believe Clinton can reach a peace agreement because he doesn’t want to affect his wife’s campaign and the important Jewish vote, so I don’t believe he will intervene,” he said. “The killing of Palestinians will continue.”

Professor Steven Spiegel, an expert on the conflict in the Middle East, also has his doubts about a peace settlement coming any time in the near future.

“By thinking the process was easier than it really is we’re taking a very American, very simplistic approach and our expectations have been too high” Spiegel said.

“I think the mistake in the past two years has been people thinking you come to an agreement one day and things will then be great and people will be very friendly. People need to think of it as a process that may take decades,” Spiegel said.

Piterberg also noted a difference in how the conflict is viewed in America.

Seidler-Feller mentioned the possibility that an agreement might still be reached without tensions rising between factions on campus.

“This conflict does not in any way diminish the resolution to peace on my part,” Seidler-Feller said. “There’s no reason in my mind to develop unnecessary antagonism outside of the Middle East. There are confrontations such as these that are, in an ironic way, part of the process.”

With reports from Daily Bruin wire services.