The Middle East is full of complexities. This is one of the first facts that should be understood. There are also some issues of great simplicity. This may sound like a contradiction, but I have learned that these two rules must be true, especially in the Middle Eastern country that has captured my heart and imagination, Israel. I have traveled there six times and spent a lot of time learning about its rich culture and history. So my interest was roused when Athens for Justice in Palestine held a demonstration at the Tate Center several weeks ago protesting the security barrier in Israel. Based on my experience, the protest simplified the issue to such an extreme as to preclude any potential for discussion or resolution. While the actual issue of the security barrier is complex, the means by which we should discuss it are not. It is always vital to show two sides of the issue, especially with such a controversial topic. Athens for Justice in Palestine blatantly ignored the facts that contradict their argument, so I must shed light on what was conspicuously left out.

My family lives in Israel, and since the barrier’s construction there has not been a single suicide bombing in the cafes where they eat or on the buses they use to get to work. That is in large part because Israeli intelligence officials have been forced to become experts at stopping terrorists from entering the country. The barrier has been a major part of their effort, and in many areas it has cut down the amount of terrorists entering the country by as much as ninety percent. It is a tragedy that a barrier must be constructed to stop determined bombers from murdering civilians, but that is the reality of the current situation.

The effects of this barrier comprise the complicated part. While I want Israel to be secure and viable, I will be the first one to say this barrier has hurt many innocent Palestinians who have the same goals for their families as Israelis. That is why one must remember that measures meant to secure Israel are not measures taken to deter peace. On the contrary, supporting Israel’s security and advocating peaceful solutions to this conflict are two sides of the same coin. As former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin said, "We should negotiate as if there were no terrorism and fight terrorism as if there were no negotiations." I do not believe it is in either side’s best interest to have this barrier as a permanent fixture on the landscape. However, as long as Hamas holds power in Gaza and threatens to overthrow Fatah in the West Bank, all the while advocating the annihilation both of Israel as a state and the Jews living within its borders (as stated in Hamas’ charter), then there are no other alternatives.