The Essence of the Conflict in the Middle East
I had a rather disturbing interaction a couple of weeks ago while having lunch with the instuctor of a sales seminar I had the pleasure of attending. Generally, when people discover that I have studied Biblical Criticism and Hebrew they wonder why on earth I chose this field of study and why on earth I lived in Israel of all the wonderful places on earth.
The instructor asked me what I thought of the situation in the Middle East and without waiting for me to offer an explanation proceeded to tell me how Israel is at fault for not making concessions and for not making an effort to bring about peace.
I am not taken by surprise anymore by these sort of reactions: I have grown used to them over the two and a half years that I have lived here. Time is no cure though for the frustration I feel at such remarks which clearly have no basis in reality.
Why is Israel so unjustly accused of not making concessions when the facts--recent and past--show otherwise and Hamas and other Islamic all or nothing organisations and nations clearly declare their intention of destroying Israel and establishing a Palestinian state from the Jordan to the Mediterranean.
Hamas, Hizbollah and Ahmadinejad of Iran, amongst others, want to destroy Israel and create an Islamic, Palestinian state that extends from the Jordan to the Meditrranean sea.
Before going into facts, statistics, dates and numbers, this statement and declared goal should be internalised and understood.
All the negotiations, diplomacy, education, presentations, United Nations resolutions, Quartet Road Maps, Oslo Agreements, Camp David agreements, handshakes and promises mean absolutely nothing when weighed against the above statement.
The above declaration is real. It has not been fabricated by Israeli Hasbara (Public Relations for Israel). This plan is declared in every international forum where these fanatics are invited to speak whether it is the United Nations, Universities, television, newspapers and official state speeches.
What does "Occupation" mean to you?
Occupation for Hamas, Hizbollah and Iran means all of Israel. (Video 9) In their eyes Israel is here illegally: Israel is an abomination which needs to be destroyed, uprooted, thrown into the sea: The land of Palestine needs to be cleansed of the infidels and the land returned to its rightful owners, the servants of Allah. In fact, this is the Koran's command to Muslims for the entire world.
Do you subscribe to this point of view? Do you allign yourself with this view of occupation?
Occupation for others means Israel's presence in Samaria and Judaea, the Jewish heartland, also known as the west bank and Israel's former presence in Gaza.
Five years ago Israel removed the army and forcefully uprooted the Jewish residents of Gaza with the hope of peace, in order to allow the Palestinians autonomy and self government. Hamas took over and declared war on Israel by firing rockets at innocent civilians. Israel showed unprecedented restraint after which it rightfully defended it citizens for which it was internationally condemned.
There is no logic or justification to this condemnation
An almost identical chain of events followed when Israel left Southern Lebanon in 2000. Hizbollah expelled UN peace forces and rained down rockets on the citizens of northern Israel provoking Israel to attack Hizbollah to protect its citizens an action which also drew international condemnation.
There is no logic or justification to this condemnation
Israel makes concessions and is rewarded with attacks
There are many such examples.
Unfortunately, Israel's enemies do not see concessions as compromise and willingness to make peace: Israel's concessions are interpreted as weakness by Israel's enemies: Israel's concessions are used against her to pull her into war after war, international condemnation after international condemnation in the hope of delegitimising not only Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, or The Jewish people's right to a state, which is actually the cornerstone of Zionism (there is nothing racist about Zionism), but also to delegitimise Israel's every action.
Although the issue of the conflict in the Middle East is a very sensitive one with facts, statistics and history to fill many books, the essence of the conflict is actually extremely simple: For over sixty years Israel has been painfully reaching out for peace to an enemy that has no intention of making peace and who in fact makes it quite clear that it wants to destroy Israel and create an Islamic, Palestinian state that extends from the Jordan to the Meditrranean sea.
Israel is ready to discuss peace, is prepared to negotiate and is willing to make concessions and to compromise while rockets are still raining down on southern Israel from Gaza and on northern Israel from Lebanon. Recently rockets rained on the southern resort of Eilat from the Sinai Penninsula.
The Palestinians are not ready to discuss peace, are not prepared to negotiate and are certainly not willing to compromise.
The Palestinians have convinced the whole world that Israel is an obstacle to peace because Israel is building in Jerusalem.
The Palestinians always have some excuse as to why they will not enter negotiations or accept an offer for peace, however attractive it may be.
WHY?
Because terrorist groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hizbollah--amongst others--backed, influenced, trained and financed by Iran and Syria want to destroy Israel and create an Islamic, Palestinian state that extends from the Jordan to the Meditrranean sea.
The so called moderates, such as president of the Palestinian Authority Mohammad Abbas, aka Abu Mazen are not singing a very different tune, calling for a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem and the return of the so called 1948 refugees to Israel, an insidious attempt at destroying the Jewish state internally.
If you are interested in the conflict in the Middle East and tend to express your opinion on the issue, I plead with you:
- Let it be an educated opinion
- Learn some simple history
- View some presentations
- Learn the basics of Israel's foreign policy, current and past
- View videos of Israel's enemies declaring the goal of its destruction
- Watch how Palestinian and other Arab children are brought up to hate Israel
Understand the cultural differences between Israel and Arab and Islamic states
Which culture do you relate to?
Be an educated, active reader.
Test what you read against sources of history and political science that are respected as being accurate and reliable.
It is not that complicated once you understand the basics.
"If the Arabs put down their weapons there will be peace; If the Israelis put down their weapons there will be no Israel." Binjamin Netanyahu
"There will be peace when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us." Golda Meir
I am including some links and videos with some very insightful information.
1.) Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Mitchell G. Bard
2.) The Jewish Virtual Library
3.) Concept Wizard: Short Presentations on the history of the conflict
4.) Why have the "Settlements" become so Important
5.) "Jerusalem is not a Settlement: It is our Capital." Benjamin Netanyahu
A video showing the so called settlements which--according to Washington, the Palestinians, the United Nations and others--have become the latest obstacle to peace.
6.) Raising Children to be Shaheeds (Suicide Bombers)
7.) A Muslim Ceremony in Vienna
This is very disturbing. I don't understand the purpose of this ceremony. Is it to achieve familiarity with pain, blood and death? Is it to remove the fear of blood, pain and death? Whatever the purpose, I believe that this must be stopped. I can't believe that violent events like this one can take place in European cities--or anywhere in the world--in the twenty first century.
8.) Hamas and other Islamics Speak about Destroying Israel, America and the West and of their World Domination
9.) Palestinian Children are Taught that all of Israel is Occupied Palestine
