Too often, the violence that has defined the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is defined as a “cycle of violence” – the insinuation being that both sides are equally guilty in this never-ending conflict. The latest incident at the Gaza Erez checkpoint illustrates my point. The Erez checkpoint is the main crossing for thousands of Palestinian workers with jobs in Israel. Israel routinely closes the crossing after violent incidents, leaving the workers idle. Today, 3 Palestinians threw grenades at the Israeli soldiers and opened fire with machine guns. All three were shot dead by Israeli return fire.
The press will simply report that Israel killed 3 Palestinians. The context, of course, is missing. The Israelis don’t “need” inexpensive Palestinian laborers - they allow them to work in Israel for humanitarian reasons. Unfortunately, the Palestinians have used these border crossings – time, after time, after time – to attack Israelis guards.
As a result, the Israelis are “disengaging” from the Palestinians by shutting off the crossings and building border barriers to deter illegal workers - and terrorists - from entry into Israel. Will this pose a humanitarian crisis among the Palestinians? Without a doubt. Is it Israel’s responsibility to ease their suffering? No. Now that Israel no longer “occupies” the Gaza strip, the welfare of the Palestinians is no longer an Israeli concern under international law. Now that the Palestinians people have done away with their attempt to portray themselves as political “moderates” by electing the Hamas terrorist organization, the Israelis no longer have to be concerned with the humanitarian issues either.
The Palestinian people have spoken – now they have to accept responsibility for their decision. With oil at $65 a barrel, the Arab nations that have been provoking this conflict for half a century should pick up the tab – that is if they care about the Palestinians as much as they claim.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Monday, February 06, 2006
Re: Angry Muslims and Danish Cartoons
The 02/06/06 AP article published on the front page of the CA entitled “Was rage over cartoons stoked by leaders to get back at the West”, by Bassem Mroue, is a prime example of the liberal press grasping at straws in order to put a “spin” on the news that excuses the Muslims violent behavior surrounding the Danish cartoon incident. Mr. Mroue, citing “pent-up anger” over the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the European publication of the cartoons , wants to lay blame at the foot of “Arab leaders”, rather than acknowledge that a different set of values and sensibilities exists in the Muslim world. These “differences” are the essence of why we are experiencing a “clash of civilizations” between the Western world and the Muslim world.
Being an advocate for Israel, it is imporant to mention that the Israelis completely withdrew from Gaza, and are preparing to withdraw from parts of the West bank, so I don’t buy the “Arab anger over Israel” argument, unless they are angry that Israel even exists - of which I have no doubt.
I also don’t buy the Iraq war as a reason for Arab anger, because Saddam was a butcher who not only slaughtered his own people, but invaded his neighbors and generally caused havoc in the region during his reign.
Lastly, Mr. Mroue’s explanation that a Danish newspaper publishing some unsavory cartoons was the “spark that lit the fuse” is a window into the mind of Muslim “sensibilities”. Forget for a moment that the Arab press constantly publishes the most horrid cartoons and other forms of incitement against Jews, Christians, Buddhists and any other non-Muslim. In Saudi Arabia (as well as other Muslim countries) they burn bibles at their borders, and generally make life difficult for "non-believers". In the past 600 years, the Western world have developed a set of rules and supporting institutions to allow grievances to be addressed, in order to avoid violence. This is called civilization. I will be the first to admit that our “civilization” has it’s faults, but it is better than the alternative - rioting in the streets.
The Muslim world has either supported Islamic terrorism against the West, turned a blind eye, or acted as an apologist for too long. The absurdity of it all is the fact that it seems every Muslim grievance has to be dealt with by using indiscriminate violence against innocent victims - which is my definition of terrorism.
If anything, the Muslim world is being divided into the fascist Islamists, and the god fearing, peace loving Muslims - and it appears that the Islamists are winning and backing the entire Muslim world into a corner. The good Muslims has better stand up and get control of their loose cannons, because if the Islamists continue along the Iranian/Syrian/Palestinian path, this conflict could send them from the 10th century into the 5th.
Being an advocate for Israel, it is imporant to mention that the Israelis completely withdrew from Gaza, and are preparing to withdraw from parts of the West bank, so I don’t buy the “Arab anger over Israel” argument, unless they are angry that Israel even exists - of which I have no doubt.
I also don’t buy the Iraq war as a reason for Arab anger, because Saddam was a butcher who not only slaughtered his own people, but invaded his neighbors and generally caused havoc in the region during his reign.
Lastly, Mr. Mroue’s explanation that a Danish newspaper publishing some unsavory cartoons was the “spark that lit the fuse” is a window into the mind of Muslim “sensibilities”. Forget for a moment that the Arab press constantly publishes the most horrid cartoons and other forms of incitement against Jews, Christians, Buddhists and any other non-Muslim. In Saudi Arabia (as well as other Muslim countries) they burn bibles at their borders, and generally make life difficult for "non-believers". In the past 600 years, the Western world have developed a set of rules and supporting institutions to allow grievances to be addressed, in order to avoid violence. This is called civilization. I will be the first to admit that our “civilization” has it’s faults, but it is better than the alternative - rioting in the streets.
The Muslim world has either supported Islamic terrorism against the West, turned a blind eye, or acted as an apologist for too long. The absurdity of it all is the fact that it seems every Muslim grievance has to be dealt with by using indiscriminate violence against innocent victims - which is my definition of terrorism.
If anything, the Muslim world is being divided into the fascist Islamists, and the god fearing, peace loving Muslims - and it appears that the Islamists are winning and backing the entire Muslim world into a corner. The good Muslims has better stand up and get control of their loose cannons, because if the Islamists continue along the Iranian/Syrian/Palestinian path, this conflict could send them from the 10th century into the 5th.
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