TUESDAY, April 2, 2002 — For all the talk about the "fog of war," sometimes conflict has a way of illuminating truth. Such is the case in the wake of the unfolding war between Israel and the Palestinians. The almost-daily drumbeat of Palestinian suicide-bomber attacks — and Israel’s responding military action — has made clear where some really stand. Two unmaskings stand out in particular: those of former Seeds of Peace worker Adam Shapiro and French anti-globalization activist José Bové.

Prior to last week, the argument could be made that Shapiro and Bové were people of goodwill determined to make the world a better place. Shapiro is the former camp director of Seeds of Peace, a project rooted in the notion that individual contacts between Israeli and Palestinian youths could help end the conflict. Bové is the French farmer most famous for fighting the World Trade Organization. While specific arguments could be made against both their efforts, they seemed innocuous at worst (as in the case of Bové’s anti-McDonald’s rhetoric) and even beneficent at best (as in the case of Shapiro’s attempts to foster friendship between enemies).

But the events of last week irrevocably altered the reputations of both men. First, take Shapiro, a Sheepshead Bay–reared New Yorker. When news of Israel’s decision to isolate Arafat broke last week, Shapiro, according to the New York Post, rushed to his side. Newspapers reported that the activist was determined to evacuate Arafat guards who had been injured by the Israeli attack. Shapiro described Arafat’s mood to reporters: "He is still in control, but he is certainly sort of feeling the weight of the situation. I think he is greatly saddened by the loss of life."

Suddenly, Shapiro had transformed himself from liberal do-gooder to flack for Arafat. The Palestinian Authority president was "saddened" by the loss of life, Shapiro would have us believe. I guess that’s why Arafat’s done so much since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 to fight terrorism. Shapiro’s actions have led the Post to dub him the "John Walker Lindh" of his home neighborhood. Click here for Post columnist Andrea Peyser’s coverage of Shapiro. (http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012002/commentary/44873.htm; http://www.nypost.com/commentary/44891.htm). In a sad twist, Shapiro’s family is now receiving death threats, which must be condemned even more heartily than his misguided actions (http://www.jta.org).

Now let’s turn to the mustachioed Bové, who fancies himself a modern day Robin Hood. Bové led a group of international activists into Arafat’s compound. The plan was for the activists to serve as "human shields" for the Palestinian Authority leader. The group stayed with Arafat and then exited, bringing out with them Palestinians who are suspects in terrorist acts. Israel later detained 13 of the Europeans, including Bové, and deported them.

Somehow these people — Shapiro and Bové, in particular — have gone from standing in sympathy with the Palestinian people, an understandable position, to helping to defend terrorism, which is morally repugnant. If these interlopers truly had the Palestinians’ best interests at heart, why didn’t they encourage a thoroughly peaceful movement of civil disobedience? As New York Times columnist Tom Friedman has pointed out, the Palestinians could have achieved their goals through such a movement years ago. By embracing nonviolence in the Gandhi–Martin Luther King fashion and denouncing all forms of terrorism, including suicide bombings, Shapiro and Bové would better serve their stated goal of helping the Palestinians.

But this is not what they have done. They have rallied to the defense of a leader who is unquestionably thuggish, autocratic, and violent. New reports, based on documents seized in Arafat’s compound, demonstrate not only Arafat’s acquiescence in the terrorism, but also his complicity (http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=5941). Where were these activists when former prime minister Ehud Barak made his generous offers at Camp David and Taba in 2000? Did they argue to Arafat that he ought to take the deal in the interest of the Palestinian people?

No, of course, they didn’t. Shapiro and Bové have utterly besmirched their activism. While we don’t yet have the full facts, Bové may even have helped killers get away. In this, they are not unlike the activists of prior generations who allowed themselves to be used by Hitler and Stalin.