By Menachem Froman
Is peace possible with Islam? The question that I wish to pose is the
opposite: Is peace possible without Islam? Ever since the beginnings of
Zionism, the best of Israeli thought has dealt with the question of how to
live in peace with the reality in a country surrounded by another nation -
the Arabs. Is it possible to live in peace with the Arab reality without
trying to get to know the life of the Arabs? Can anyone who opens up to Arab
society deny that religious life is central to it? In Israeli society the
secular element is dominant and therefore it was natural that leading
Israeli thinkers would assume that Palestinian society is also led by
secular thinking. But is this the Palestinian reality?
I would like, from my experience, to address the burning question of the
week: Is it possible to live in peace with Hamas? However, I would like to
begin by relating something from my own dealings with the Palestine
Liberation Organization. I invested a great deal (in opposition to the
opinion of my community and friends in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and to the
opinion of the governments of Israel) in speaking at length with Yasser
Arafat. Did I find at the head of the PLO a secular leader who was prepared
to suppress the Islamic forces for the sake of the future of the two
peoples? It is hard to find words to express how far the man was from this
miserable delusion. It may be put quite strongly: Denial of the man?s
religious character, which is the denial of the religious character of his
people, is the main reason that the goodwill of Israeli, American and
European peace-seekers led to the Al-Aqsa Intifada.
Over the years I have sent greetings to religious Palestinians on the two
main holidays of Islam, Id al-Adha and Id al-Fitr. In recent years - ever
since the terror attacks on the United States - I have repeated a single
idea in my greetings: Both of our peoples are small peoples, but they could
have a great role. The Israelis as representatives of Western culture and
the Palestinians as representatives of the Muslim world can build the bridge
between the two worlds. Indeed here in the Holy Land it is possible to build
the inter-religious bridge that is so needed for peace in the entire world.
The chairman of the PLO became enthusiastic anew each time at this religious
vision, and again and again would order the publication of the letters of
greeting in the Palestinian press.
Thus far I have dealt with the easier part: making the case that the Muslim
element is very strong in the heart of the PLO and not only in the Islamic
movements. But here, of course, it is necessary to ask the harder question:
If this is the case - is peace possible with a people in whom religion is so
strong? And this week, of course, it is necessary to concentrate on the
question of whether it is possible to live in peace with Hamas.
First of all, gratitude must be expressed to Shimon Peres. It was he who
(despite the objections of the Shin Bet security service) opened the gates
of the prison to me to enable long discussions with Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, and
I will offer something of these discussions here. The truth must be
acknowledged: Those (secular people?) who think that a devout Muslim will
have a profound problem that is not just political in associating with an
Israeli who sends out a message of atheism, and also often scorn, with
respect to religion in general and Islam in particular - are correct. But
what can be done? More than once I have heard in conversations with Hamas
leaders the extravagant witticism: "With you we could make peace in five
minutes."
We talked for many long hours. I spoke with Yassin about a truce on a
religious basis. The religious leaders clearly heard the statement: "We
Jews
believe in our vision of the future, and you Muslims believe in your vision
of the future. All believers know who runs the world. Why not leave
something to him, blessed by he? The prophet said: 'He that believeth shall
not make haste' (Isaiah 28:16). Why be infected with the impatience of the
Western atheist who wants people to solve all the problems right now?
Perhaps it is right and worthwhile for the believer to expect strengthening
and revelation in the future, and in the meantime to live with arrangements
that take into consideration the sensitivities of religious people and
enable every religious community to live within its faith."
When I sat with the head of the Shin Bet, I told him what Yassin said. He
did not believe it. I suggested to him that he send someone on his behalf to
our conversations, to listen and report back to him. He considered this and
decided not to, and said that he did not believe the religious can make
peace with one another.
When Nachshon Waxman was kidnapped by a Hamas cell, I spoke with Dr. Mahmoud
al-Zahar, who agreed to a cease-fire as a result of which the two hostages
would be released from both the sides. But the government of Israel replied:
We do not make agreements with a terror organization.
When Israel was compelled to release Sheikh Yassin in the "Khaled Meshal
affair," I went to visit him in his home in Gaza with a letter from the
chief rabbi of Israel and requests from many rabbis to turn over a new leaf
in the relations between the religions. He received me publicly and before
the eyes of hundreds of his followers and many representatives of the media,
whom Hamas had invited mainly from the Arab world, and declared: "This
is
the rabbi with whom I had conversations several times in prison. He always
suggests a cease-fire on a religious basis. And I agree to a cease-fire on
a
religious basis."
But the government of Israel did not respond to this declaration. And
afterward quite different pronouncements were made.
If the government of Israel gives the rabbis of Israel the opportunity to
act for peace within their field, the inter-religious field, perhaps we will
be granted peace with Islam, which is so needed for this holy land. The
entire world will be grateful to us for that.
The author is the rabbi of Tekoa in the West Bank.