Middle East Peace a Fantasy
On February 8, amid wide smiles and handshakes, newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reached across the negotiating table and declared a cease-fire. While staged a bit better for the cameras, this scene was simply the latest "agreement" between the country of Israel and the terrorist Palestinian Authority, and following today's homicide bombing in a Tel Aviv nightclub, just as transitory.
According to Palestinian security officials, it took all of just over two weeks for Hezbollah to find yet another crazed Moslem willing to blow himself to pieces and take a few Jews with him. Immediately, serious-looking representatives from the Palestinian Authority condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms". Saeb Erekat, the regimes chief negotiator, said that the unknown bombers were "attempting to sabotage all efforts being exerted to revive the peace process". And he sounded so sincere, too, but Moslems are often instructed from a very young age in the skills of lying to the infidel.
If past history is any guide, the PA knows exactly who is responsible, and today's bombing most likely comes with the express support of the Authority itself. After all, Abbas, like his pedophiliac predecessor Yassar Arafat, is a hard-core terrorist supporter. He was one of the founders of Fatah, the Palestinian Liberation Organization's largest terrorist faction. During his recent political campaign, while his opponents were being threatened and shot at, Abbas was campaigning with members of the al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade, and riding on the shoulders of Zakaria Zubeidi, a notorious terrorist and one of Israel's most wanted men. In December, he traveled to Syria to meet with members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and later his Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath reported that there were "no differences in objectives" between the terrorist groups and the Palestinian Authority. He has vowed to shelter terrorists from Israeli justice, and indicated an unwillingness to clamp down on terrorism. During his campaign, Abbas said that he would continue to seek the dreams of Arafat, and force the Israelis back to 1949 borders, eliminate all Jewish settlements, tear down the highly effective security fence, and make Jerusalem the Palestinian capital. But this is not all he pursues or believes in, and his philosophical agreement with the world's largest terrorist organizations makes this clear. From a moral perspective, the "moderate" Abbas has made no secret of his belief that terrorism is justifiable, if such action is intended to support a greater cause. For Palestinians, and for Moslems in general, that cause is the progressive degeneration, leading to the ultimate destruction, of Israel as a country.
Sharon and the Israeli government know what Abbas and the Palestinians really hope to achieve with a cease-fire: time to regroup and re-arm for the next intifada. But pressure from the U.S. State Department and an Administration inexplicably blinded from seeing the true nature of the Islamic threat, and coupled with an invasion of secular Jewish peace freaks into the country in recent years, forces Israel into actions against its own interests time and time again. As Israel struggles to maintain the peace, under the critical eye of a world against them, Palestinian surrogates like Hezbollah are free to murder, maim and destroy at will, and any self-defensive actions by Israel will be universally criticized. And through it all, Abbas and his representatives will express great moral outrage and pledge to bring the terrorists to account. But no arrests will ever be made, and no terrorists will ever be brought to justice, unless an Israeli missile finds its target.
There is the stink of murder on the Palestinians, but even worse, the stink of self-destruction on Israel. Appeasement will only lead to more dead Jews, and stronger enemies. Instead of mustering its substantial military might, and destroying those who threaten her, Israel's leaders reach out in friendship to terrorists like Abbas, in a fantasy of peaceful co-existence that will never come.
As the Palestinian regime gains strength, Israeli existence is a dead man walking.
According to Palestinian security officials, it took all of just over two weeks for Hezbollah to find yet another crazed Moslem willing to blow himself to pieces and take a few Jews with him. Immediately, serious-looking representatives from the Palestinian Authority condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms". Saeb Erekat, the regimes chief negotiator, said that the unknown bombers were "attempting to sabotage all efforts being exerted to revive the peace process". And he sounded so sincere, too, but Moslems are often instructed from a very young age in the skills of lying to the infidel.
If past history is any guide, the PA knows exactly who is responsible, and today's bombing most likely comes with the express support of the Authority itself. After all, Abbas, like his pedophiliac predecessor Yassar Arafat, is a hard-core terrorist supporter. He was one of the founders of Fatah, the Palestinian Liberation Organization's largest terrorist faction. During his recent political campaign, while his opponents were being threatened and shot at, Abbas was campaigning with members of the al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade, and riding on the shoulders of Zakaria Zubeidi, a notorious terrorist and one of Israel's most wanted men. In December, he traveled to Syria to meet with members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and later his Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath reported that there were "no differences in objectives" between the terrorist groups and the Palestinian Authority. He has vowed to shelter terrorists from Israeli justice, and indicated an unwillingness to clamp down on terrorism. During his campaign, Abbas said that he would continue to seek the dreams of Arafat, and force the Israelis back to 1949 borders, eliminate all Jewish settlements, tear down the highly effective security fence, and make Jerusalem the Palestinian capital. But this is not all he pursues or believes in, and his philosophical agreement with the world's largest terrorist organizations makes this clear. From a moral perspective, the "moderate" Abbas has made no secret of his belief that terrorism is justifiable, if such action is intended to support a greater cause. For Palestinians, and for Moslems in general, that cause is the progressive degeneration, leading to the ultimate destruction, of Israel as a country.
Sharon and the Israeli government know what Abbas and the Palestinians really hope to achieve with a cease-fire: time to regroup and re-arm for the next intifada. But pressure from the U.S. State Department and an Administration inexplicably blinded from seeing the true nature of the Islamic threat, and coupled with an invasion of secular Jewish peace freaks into the country in recent years, forces Israel into actions against its own interests time and time again. As Israel struggles to maintain the peace, under the critical eye of a world against them, Palestinian surrogates like Hezbollah are free to murder, maim and destroy at will, and any self-defensive actions by Israel will be universally criticized. And through it all, Abbas and his representatives will express great moral outrage and pledge to bring the terrorists to account. But no arrests will ever be made, and no terrorists will ever be brought to justice, unless an Israeli missile finds its target.
There is the stink of murder on the Palestinians, but even worse, the stink of self-destruction on Israel. Appeasement will only lead to more dead Jews, and stronger enemies. Instead of mustering its substantial military might, and destroying those who threaten her, Israel's leaders reach out in friendship to terrorists like Abbas, in a fantasy of peaceful co-existence that will never come.
As the Palestinian regime gains strength, Israeli existence is a dead man walking.
posted by Mark Outland at 3:58 PM
5 Comments:
Hello Mark,
Reading your previous posting, I doubt you’re very informed about the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict; it would take ages to convey a crystal clear picture from an Arab perspective. I do pray you answer the following question: If your house has been bulldozed or taken over by an occupant, if your girlfriend, wife or sister has been raped right before your eyes, what kind of action would you take?
What you describe as “Terrorist Actions” is actually retaliation for abuse by a terrorist nation “Israel”, perhaps you should google the massacres commenced by Israelis, and read about zionism. Personally I don’t condone blowing yourself up, it’s ridiculous and very uncivil. However, If we look at it from a Palestinian perspective, most of them do not possess the weaponry or the military training to go against an Israeli Soldier. Would you fight a tank with a rock? Or risk being shot by attacking a soldier with an automatic weapon? I didn’t think so.
You should take notice that every Israeli settler is actually a potential Israeli Soldier, given the fact the obligatory military training they have for both genders. So an attack against civilians is actually an attack against potential soldiers. It’s not by any means the right way to go about your cause, it’s homicide in my opinion, but it maybe be right for some, afterall they're acting with brainwashed pride.
Political officials don’t have to condone an attack for it to happen. Despite what the media might tell you, I’m quite certain Palestinians act at will.
I’m quite certain you’re an intelligent man, and I certainly hope you’d meticulously look and analyze the media presented, and compare it with different views to piece out the puzzle.
Regards,
Yazan Mj MalakhaPalestinian Refugee in Jordan
Thank you for your response.
I am very well aware of the specifics of this conflict, having studied it from both Israeli and Palestinian perspectives. I appreciate your response, but I do not neccessarily need to know the intricacies of the Arab mind-set to know the truth when it is so evident. I am not a Jew, and therefore have no religious affinity for Israel, but I do know history, so please allow me to respectfully refresh your memory, and then I will comment on other assertions you have made.
For starters, there is no "country" of Palestine, nor has there ever been. The name "Palestine" was given to a region of Roman oversight, inhabited by mostly Jews, and spitefully named thus to be an insulting derivation of "Philistines", a Jewish arch-enemy. Much later in history, the Turks and the British used the name to describe the region during their tenure in the area. At no time has the area ever been recognized as a separate country or entity, but merely as a geographical area inhabited by a broad range of peoples, including Jews and Arabs,as well as Christians.
Prior to the establishment of Isreal, beginning in the 1800's, Jewish settlers began to purchase and inhabit areas of this region, paying top dollar to Arab landlords for what Mark Twain described as some of the most desolate and worthless land he had ever seen. Since the area had originally been the historical home of the Jews, this "Zionism" was simply returning the rightful residents to their previous home. As the Jewish settlers moved in, life for the Arab inhabitants greatly improved, from increased life-expectancy and decreased child mortality to farming techniques and improved food production. There are no credible cases in the historical record of any Arab being forced off his own land because of a Jewish settler,and by most accounts the relationships were good and mutual.
Most of this took place under the dominion of the Turkish Empire, which was very pleased to have such a rough land so positively transformed. Following WWI, Turkey's claim to the region was passed to the British. It was at this time, a movement to establish a Jewish homeland and re-establish Israel began to grow. After WWII, Israel became a nation, and within hours was immediatly attacked by anti-Jewish Moslems from the surrounding countries, who could not stand the thought of a Jewish country next door. Many Arabs stayed in Israel and fought against the attackers during this invasion, but many left at the urging of the surrounding Moslem nations, who expected a quick victory. When Israel beat it's enemies soundly, and sent them limping back from whence they came, Israelis were understandably hesitant about allowing the return of those Arabs (Palestinians) who had supported the invasion and not stood in defense of Israel. That group may have included your mother and father, grandfather or grandmother,since you claim to be a Palestinian refugee.
In the following years, Israel has been invaded numerous times by these same Arab countries, none of which, by the way, have ever offered as much as an acre of land to settle the Palestinians, and have actively forced them into refugee camps as a political tool to further their own anti-Jewish hate. So much for Arab support of the Palestinians.
As far as bulldozing homes, I do believe this is a justified action if the home was used for terrorist or anti-Israeli action. As far as your claims of rape by Israeli soldiers, that charge is certainly not a common one, nor has it ever been widely asserted by the Palestinian Authority or any other credible Palestinian group. If this has happened to you, then I can understand your anger, but such actions are certainly not common or widespread. In reference to "massacres", the most well-reported massacre in the Lebanese refugee camps were actually perpetrated by Christian Phalangists, acting alone, and were contradictory to Israeli policy.
As far as targeting Israeli civilians because both are trained as potential soldiers, what would you say about Israel targeting all Palestinians because they are potential homocide bombers? There is no logic in either argument.
The greater picture here is the inability of Arab and Moslem peoples to behave in a manner conducive to religious tolerance and acceptance, and the "scapegoating" of others such as Jews and Christians and America for your own substantial and deep-rooted problems. The greatest enemy to the Palestinian people are your own leaders, and the other Arab nations that use you daily as a political pawn against Israel and the religious fanatics that warp your children's minds. This is the enemy you should fight, not a country that is the only democracy in that region, one that gives Arabs a vote, and grants full citizenship to many.
I am not immune to the suffering that this conflict has caused, on both sides. Any war has consequences. For the Palestinians, the consequences of their actions immediately following the establishment of Israel have been brought upon themselves, and antagonized by other Arabs for selfish purposes.
In my opinion, although certainly not without some blame, Israel is the victim. Since it has every right to protect itself against enemies, and protect it's own existence as a sovereign nation, any Palestinian who presents a threat is a justifiable target.
I hope that your life is one of constructive endeavors, and I am glad to see that you apparently have not fallen victim to much of the hate that grips many of your own people.
Thanks again for your comments.
Thank you for your response.
I am very well aware of the specifics of this conflict, having studied it from both Israeli and Palestinian perspectives. I appreciate your response, but I do not neccessarily need to know the intricacies of the Arab mind-set to know the truth when it is so evident. I am not a Jew, and therefore have no religious affinity for Israel, but I do know history, so please allow me to respectfully refresh your memory, and then I will comment on other assertions you have made.
For starters, there is no "country" of Palestine, nor has there ever been. The name "Palestine" was given to a region of Roman oversight, inhabited by mostly Jews, and spitefully named thus to be an insulting derivation of "Philistines", a Jewish arch-enemy. Much later in history, the Turks and the British used the name to describe the region during their tenure in the area. At no time has the area ever been recognized as a separate country or entity, but merely as a geographical area inhabited by a broad range of peoples, including Jews and Arabs,as well as Christians.
Prior to the establishment of Isreal, beginning in the 1800's, Jewish settlers began to purchase and inhabit areas of this region, paying top dollar to Arab landlords for what Mark Twain described as some of the most desolate and worthless land he had ever seen. Since the area had originally been the historical home of the Jews, this "Zionism" was simply returning the rightful residents to their previous home. As the Jewish settlers moved in, life for the Arab inhabitants greatly improved, from increased life-expectancy and decreased child mortality to farming techniques and improved food production. There are no credible cases in the historical record of any Arab being forced off his own land because of a Jewish settler,and by most accounts the relationships were good and mutual.
Most of this took place under the dominion of the Turkish Empire, which was very pleased to have such a rough land so positively transformed. Following WWI, Turkey's claim to the region was passed to the British. It was at this time, a movement to establish a Jewish homeland and re-establish Israel began to grow. After WWII, Israel became a nation, and within hours was immediatly attacked by anti-Jewish Moslems from the surrounding countries, who could not stand the thought of a Jewish country next door. Many Arabs stayed in Israel and fought against the attackers during this invasion, but many left at the urging of the surrounding Moslem nations, who expected a quick victory. When Israel beat it's enemies soundly, and sent them limping back from whence they came, Israelis were understandably hesitant about allowing the return of those Arabs (Palestinians) who had supported the invasion and not stood in defense of Israel. That group may have included your mother and father, grandfather or grandmother,since you claim to be a Palestinian refugee.
In the following years, Israel has been invaded numerous times by these same Arab countries, none of which, by the way, have ever offered as much as an acre of land to settle the Palestinians, and have actively forced them into refugee camps as a political tool to further their own anti-Jewish hate. So much for Arab support of the Palestinians.
As far as bulldozing homes, I do believe this is a justified action if the home was used for terrorist or anti-Israeli action. As far as your claims of rape by Israeli soldiers, that charge is certainly not a common one, nor has it ever been widely asserted by the Palestinian Authority or any other credible Palestinian group. If this has happened to you, then I can understand your anger, but such actions are certainly not common or widespread. In reference to "massacres", the most well-reported massacre in the Lebanese refugee camps were actually perpetrated by Christian Phalangists, acting alone, and were contradictory to Israeli policy.
As far as targeting Israeli civilians because both are trained as potential soldiers, what would you say about Israel targeting all Palestinians because they are potential homocide bombers? There is no logic in either argument.
The greater picture here is the inability of Arab and Moslem peoples to behave in a manner conducive to religious tolerance and acceptance, and the "scapegoating" of others such as Jews and Christians and America for your own substantial and deep-rooted problems. The greatest enemy to the Palestinian people are your own leaders, and the other Arab nations that use you daily as a political pawn against Israel and the religious fanatics that warp your children's minds. This is the enemy you should fight, not a country that is the only democracy in that region, one that gives Arabs a vote, and grants full citizenship to many.
I am not immune to the suffering that this conflict has caused, on both sides. Any war has consequences. For the Palestinians, the consequences of their actions immediately following the establishment of Israel have been brought upon themselves, and antagonized by other Arabs for selfish purposes.
In my opinion, although certainly not without some blame, Israel is the victim. Since it has every right to protect itself against enemies, and protect it's own existence as a sovereign nation, any Palestinian who presents a threat is a justifiable target.
I hope that your life is one of constructive endeavors, and I am glad to see that you apparently have not fallen victim to much of the hate that grips many of your own people.
Thanks again for your comments.
Hello Mark,
With utter respect to your convictions, allow me to respectfully remind you of the following facts:
1- Till the early 1900s neither Palestine or Israel existed as countries. Palestine harbored Jews at a certain point, so did the rest of the world, even our present day extremely Islamic Saudi Arabia did have a Jewish population at some point. Chronologically speaking, those very Jews converted to Christianity or Islam overtime, some didn’t, some migrated, some stayed. Towards the beginning of the 1900s there were approximately 80,000 Arab Jews (or Arabic speaking Jews if your prefer) in Palestine.
2- The existing Palestine-Israel conflict has it roots in World War I when Great Britain allowed the Jewish to settle in the Palestine territory in order to get them to support fighting in the Middle East (Belfour Declaration), resulting in a massive change of population on this relatively small area.
3- Following the massacres commenced by Hitler and his regime, Jews and Zionists gained the sympathy of the entire world. However no one wanted them on their land, so they moved to the Palestine territory, the great tension between Arabs and Jews at that time, resulted in Great Britain pulling out from Palestine in 1948, and thus creating the state of Israel.
4- It’s curious that you described Israelis as attackers and invaders in your comment “Many Arabs stayed in Israel and fought against the attackers during this invasion”. I’m tempted to conclude that you do understand where Arabs or Palestinians are coming from. This very exact feeling has been carried over the decades. That won’t stop until peace dawns upon us.
5- In 1948 my grandparents fled an attack on Javo (Yafa), and settled in Jordan. True there are several Palestinian Refugee Camps, since most of the economies aren’t strong enough to accommodate them. If you take a look at Jordanian population you’d find that approximately 80% are Palestinians, living ever so prosperously.
6- Zionism’s acceptable (at least to me) goal of wanting to find a home for Jews/Israelis, led to the desire to establish sovereignty; paving way for the indiscriminate razing of houses, and creation of settlements for Jews, in order to make the country as Jewish as England is English. The lack of media coverage from a Palestinian perspective, and Palestinian leaders unable to utilize it, led to the world’s belief (and yours) that nothing of that kind ever happens.
7- With regards to Massacres, I suggest reading on Dair Yaseen, Areeha & Aqsa Massacre and many more. Of course Israel would state these actions are against their policies, in order to keep the world sympathetic. If their statements were true, it’s tempting to think “Israel had no hand in this, as Palestinian leaders have no hand in suicide bombings”
8- Religious tolerance is one of the root principles of Islam by the way, its prophet co-existed with Atheists, Christians and Jews, and only fought against the oppression Muslims were suffering back then. It’s conquerors such as Omar Bin Al Khattab feared praying near a church so that his followers wouldn’t raze it and build a Mosque instead. Unfortunately extremists convey a completely different picture.
I find it amusing that “Philistines” a name dubbed probably thousands of years ago still holds the very same meaning for the population. Like yourself my thoughts are unbiased, given the fact that I’m a secular Muslim (more of an Agnostic actually) and have never even stepped foot on Palestinian Soil (Filesteen In Arabic)
Respectfully,
Yazan Mj Malakha
Thank you Yazan. I truly hope and pray that the two peoples can move ahead in peace, with mutual respect and empathy. I very much appreciate your perspective, as my opportunities to actually discuss this with a Palestinian is quite limited im my small-town in California! God bless you.
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