In this week’s portion – the final chapters of the Book of Genesis – Jacob died and the brothers who had sold Joseph into slavery came to a scary realization. Joseph was the second-most powerful man in the world and he had every reason to want to punish them for their actions. Now that their father was gone, who could stop him?
So, they did what any self-respecting group of offenders would do – they groveled! They went before Joseph and said, “Please forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father… we are prepared to be your slaves (Gen. 50:17-18).”
The collective fate of his brothers was in Joseph’s hands. He could determine if they would live or die. If he decided to let them live, he could determine the quality of that life. His power and authority in this matter were limitless. How would he respond?
Joseph answered his brothers graciously and intelligently by saying, “Have no fear! Am I a substitute for God? Besides, although you intended me harm, God intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result – the survival of many people (Gen. 50:19-20).”
I could not help but think of this exchange as I watch events unfold in the Gaza Strip. We could have a long conversation about the efficacy of Israel’s actions over the past two weeks. Will the rockets stop? Will Hamas be diminished in power and esteem? Will there be a workable, lasting truce between the two warring parties? No one knows the answers to these questions.
However, I think it’s important to take a moment to consider the failed leadership of Hamas. Like Joseph, the leaders of Hamas have the collective fate of their Palestinian brothers and sisters in their hands. They will determine whether the Palestinian people will live or die. If they are to live, Hamas has the power to determine the quality of that life. How has Hamas responded?
They have responded by turning a generation of disaffected youth into suicide bombers – rather than inspiring them to peacefully resist like MLK or Gandhi. They have responded by using their hospitals, schools and mosques as weapons depots and missile launching sites so that Israel will necessarily destroy these institutions when returning fire. They have responded by taking children with them wherever they go – rather than building shelters for their children – so that attacks on the Hamas leadership will inevitably cause the deaths of children – a P.R. coup for them.
In short, Hamas is not necessarily interested in the survival of the Palestinian people. They are more interested in the destruction of Israel, which explains why they do not care how many of their own people will die in their effort to destroy Israel and why they are unwilling to negotiate or compromise.
Israel is not perfect, but as a nation, Israel has a history of establishing peaceful relationships with Egypt, Jordan and Turkey among her neighbors. Hamas has not even made peace with their fellow Palestinians of the Fatah movement.
The power is in Hamas’ hands. Will they continue to punish their people or will they realize the possibilities that are open to them through compromise and negotiation? I fear it will be the former and not the latter for quite a while yet to come.
RAF.
