JERUSALEM -- The Sep. 11 anniversary undoubtedly will bring back the terrible memories of that fateful morning when America was hit by terror in the symbol of its power. The gruesome scenes will be shown again on TV screens, and eyewitnesses will retell their stories.
Israel, too, is approaching an anniversary this month. Two years ago, the Palestinians decided that what had been offered to them on the negotiation table (95 percent of their demands) was not enough and launched a well-orchestrated attack of suicide bombing and other means of terror, hoping to bring Israel on its knees. Although the two anniversaries mark the shock of democracies when attacked by terror, there is a difference: The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, while horrible in their audacity and grim results, were a one-time event; for Israelis, the onslaught on their way of life has become a routine. Hardly a week passes by without a suicide bomber blowing himself up him or herself, or a car bomb being stopped just before exploding in the midst of our cities.
Can one get used to such conditions? It seems that one can. Israelis have adapted to the new situation by keeping an extra watchful eye, by taxing the already busy police, by hiring legions of guards who check clients at cafes and restaurants, and most of all, by showing resilience. "Life must go on" is not just an empty line used by camera-happy politicians; it is what Israelis tell themselves when they board a bus, go to a mall or send their kids to school. Israelis simply refuse to surrender to the terrorists.
No doubt the Palestinians took a heavy blow of surprise when they realized that, contrary to their expectations, the Israelis did not mellow down but instead seem tougher than ever.
No doubt the Palestinians made a big blunder when they believed that the good life in a developed country -- or the openness of the Israeli society, with its free press and vocal anti-establishment groups -- would spoil the Israelis to the point that they would be unable to stand up and fight.
With the second anniversary of the intifada approaching, the Palestinians should better ask themselves two main questions: What have we gained with our intransigence? Are we better off than they were two years ago?
There are some lessons that Americans could learn from the Israelis:
? There is far greater willpower and resilience in a democracy than most people imagine.
? It is much harder for a democracy to fight terror, because of self-imposed restraints, but eventually, it works.
? By carrying on with their precious way of life, democracies slowly but surely are defeating their enemies.
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Uri Dromi is publications director of the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem.