The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict: Both sides have obligations under the Roadmap

Israel has unilaterally left the Gaza strip. No more occupation, no more settlers, no more soldiers, no more roadblocks. The decision to leave Gaza by Israeli PM Ariel Sharon was a bold move that was welcomed by the entire world as the first step in the long road to possibly resolving this conflict. The next step was up to the Palestinians. Under the terms of the “Roadmap” (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/20062.htm) the Palestinians were obligated to:

1) Palestinians declare an unequivocal end to violence and terrorism and undertake visible efforts on the ground to arrest, disrupt, and restrain individuals and groups conducting and planning violent attacks on Israelis anywhere.
2) Rebuilt and refocused Palestinian Authority security apparatus begins sustained, targeted, and effective operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in terror and dismantlement of terrorist capabilities and infrastructure. This includes commencing confiscation of illegal weapons and consolidation of security authority, free of association with terror and corruption.

Instead, Palestinian PM Abbas not only indicated that he will not confront the armed terrorists, but has allowed them to re-arm and shoot over 100 Kassem missiles into pre-67 Israel proper. Adding insult to injury, the 3-way agreement between the Egyptians, the Palestinians and the Israelis regarding security along the Gaza/Egypt border has become a mockery. Instead of enforcing strict border controls, the Egyptians have allowed the unfettered smuggling of high-grade weaponry into Gaza. The only supervision by the Egyptian military is to collect $50 per container entering Gaza.Every time an opportunity arises to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the Israelis have always reached across the table to make a deal. The Palestinian response is that they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. They lost the chance to get 80% of Israel in 1937, 65% in 1948, 50% plus ½ of Jerusalem under the Barak offer. Every time the Arabs or Palestinians have fought the Israelis instead of making peace, they have lost territory. Now they are given the opportunity – maybe for the last time %u2
– to set up a legitimate country starting in Gaza – and what do they do? Choose to fight a losing battle once again.

Why the US should stay in Iraq

Should the US government set a target date for getting out of Iraq? Of course there are the pacifists who were against the war from the beginning, and want the USA out ASAP - no mater what the consequences. There are those who were against the war from the beginning, but understand that a US troop withdrawal will create a killing field between the majority Shia Muslim population, the Sunni Arab minority, and the Sunni Kurdish minority. There are those who were against the war, but understand that a US troop withdrawal, will be viewed by our enemies as an admission of defeat, and will serve to encourage them to move their suicide bombings and car bombings Westward in the hope of spreading their perverted version of Islam. Lastly, there are those who don’t believe that the general Arab/Muslim population are capable of grasping the Western value system that is essential to fertilize a real democracy, namely freedom of speech, the rule of law, and the concept that all men (and women) are created equal - and therefore we are fighting a lost cause and should pull out.

On the other hand, there are those of us who believe that it is no “coincidence” that over the past 5 years, Muslim extremists have committed horrendous acts against humanity (terrorism) across the globe (Moscow, Bali, New York, Philippines, Turkey, Spain, etc.) where there are no obvious Muslim territorial grievances, just a barbaric quest for religious and political dominance. There are those of use who believe that we have no choice but to drag a majority of the Arab/Muslim world into the 21st century in the hope that they are capable of intellectualizing and adopting the civilized values that define our modern world - and will eventually police their own extremists. I don’t think anyone is envisioning an Iraqi democratic country to resemble Norway, much less the USA, but something more along the lines of Turkey or Indonesia.

What would we risk by withdrawing from Iraq with our tail between our legs? Take a look at Israel’s heavily debated withdrawal from Lebanon. The general Arab world considered it an Israeli defeat, rather than a strategic withdrawal, and the same fighting tactics used by the Lebanese (car bombs, etc.) were exported to areas in the Gaza and the West Bank. The US should stay in Iraq until the Iraqi armed forces are capable, and then we should declare victory and bring our boys home.

Why Sharon shouldn't give Hamas any breathing room in Palestinian elections

Israeli PM Sharon has announced that Israel would attempt to “obstruct” the upcoming Palestinian elections if the terrorist organization Hamas is on the ballet. Quite predictably, the usual defenders/apologists of Palestinian terrorism are attempting to portray this as a brazen attempt to torpedo a fair and democratic process from taking place. Nothing could be further from the truth.

First and foremost, Hamas is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a terrorist organization. Secondly, their manifesto openly calls for the destruction of Israel. Thirdly, the Hamas organization is responsible for the murder of hundreds of Israeli civilians (in the eyes of Hamas, all Israelis are legitimate targets, including babies and grandmothers).

With that said, what would the United States do if Al-Quada said they were going to start putting their members on the ballot in Mexico? What would be the logical consequence if Al-Quada won in Mexico? The USA would put pressure on the Mexican government to not let Al-Quada run, with the understanding that if they did run – and won, it would be tantamount to a declaration of war that was democratically endorsed by the people of Mexico. All of a sudden, we would find ourselves in border skirmishes and eventually an all out war.

If the Palestinians are allowed to vote for Hamas and they won, any pretense of Palestinian political moderation would be declared DOA, and Israeli would have no choice but to view the general Palestinian population as endorsing the Hamas call for Israel’s total destruction - and that could easily send the conflict into another frenzy of violence. There are those who defend Hamas by making a distinction between its military wing and it’s political/humanitarian wing. I don’t remember anyone making a distinction between the Nazi’s humanitarian organizations that ran their hospitals, or the political Nazis that held power over the military wing that actually did the murdering.

In order for peace to have a chance, both parties have to at least give lip service that they want peace. Electing Hamas kills that chance.