Striving for peace despite terror
Visit to Kibbutz Metzer, which lost several members in terror attack, proves it is possible to keep believing in coexistence
Last week I had the opportunity to visit Kibbutz Metzer, located in central Israel on the green line with the West Bank. The trip left a deep impression on me of tolerance conquering fear and anger.
The community was founded in 1953 by a group of left-wing socialists from Argentina. These early pioneers were idealists and from the kibbutz's inception they lived in peace with their Arab neighbors. The Jews living in Metzer learned farming techniques from the surrounding Arab villages and in exchange, assisted with technology and legal advice.
Throughout the history of the kibbutz there has been amazing cooperation between Jews and Arabs in the region. In the first years of the kibbutz, residents were unable to locate a water source for farming. The neighboring Arab village of Meiser graciously opened up access to their well.
When the Israeli government installed water pipes, residents of Metzer agreed to share their water with the neighboring Arab village. During the 1950's, firemen from the Jordanian legion helped save the Kibbutzniks at Metzer by putting out a brush fire that threatened their crops.
Arabs living in Meiser increased interaction with the Jews for decades. Arabs were invited to share swimming pools, parks, and public facilities at the kibbutz. The two communities even joined together to form joint football teams in the 1970s. Despite all the wars and violence between Israel and the Arab world, these communities were able to live in peace for nearly 50 years.
In 2002, leaders of Kibbutz Metzer led an active campaign to protest the construction of a security fence by the government of Israel. The Kibbutzniks hoped to convince the government to re-route some of the fence borders as to not deprive Arab farmers of olive groves. After a prolonged protest campaign, the Jews of Metzer secured a meeting with Defense Ministry officials to help the Arab farmers. This effort of goodwill did not go unpunished.
The evening before the meeting was supposed to take place, a Palestinian gunman from the al-Aqsa Marty's brigade, the military wing of Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization, brought heartbreak to the residents of Metzer. The gunman entered a home at random murdering a mother and her two children. Before fleeing the scene two other kibbutz members were fatally shot.
'No other solution'
Upon hearing this story you cannot help but be full of anger. How is it possible to murder people who are only interested in peace and who advocate on behalf of the Palestinians? Had I been living in Metzer, I don't think I could ever forgive these crimes and would have switched my focus from peace to security. It seems rational not to want to help a person farm if they are only going to stab you in the back.Despite the atrocity, the residents of Metzer did not forget their history of peace and cooperation with their neighbors. Following the attacks kibbutz spokesman Dov Avital released a profound statement.
"Although the thirst for revenge is natural, we need the strength to remember our message, and remain firm believers in our desire to live in peace with our neighbors…the IDF has to go after and kill these terrorists, but the government needs to remember that most Palestinians are not terrorists, and that it is imperative to give them a diplomatic horizon. There is no other solution".
During my time in Israel I have been really impressed in the fact that Israelis have not given up on peace. Through all the wars, terror attacks, and innocent civilians killed, peace remains the unwavering goal.
