“What do you gain, Soviet Union, from this miserable policy? Where is your decency? Would it be a disgrace for you to give up this battle?” (Golda Meir, one time Prime Minister of Israel – on suppression of freedom for Jews in the USSR).
“Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me. To see reality–not as we expect it to be but as it is–is to see that unless we live for each other and in and through each other, we do not really live very satisfactorily; that there can really be life only where there really is, in just this sense, love” Carl Frederick Buechner
In today’s America, Whites are afraid to be labeled Racist. Corporations don’t want to be seen as condoning, promoting, or have an appearance of racism. Because then the Blacks and the NAACP will come after you and drag you through the Court system. And if you are really unfortunate, a top-shot lawyer will get you. The same goes for the Jews. One’s career or vocation may come to an abrupt end if called or labeled anti-Semitist. The Jews and the Blacks have found a way to abridge people’s constitutional right. So, you keep your mouth shut and refrain from telling the truth or speaking your mind.
Most of the time, American politicians are afraid of the truth. They are afraid of telling the truth about this never-ending mess between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Most are afraid of the sea of protest and condemnation that will deluge them should they tell the truth and speak their mind. How many political and academic careers have been ruined because of accusations of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel stance? A few, just a few of these Israeli or Jewish watchdogs are vengeful, mean-spirited, callous, and spiteful. They have run some critics out of town and have ruined some political, academic, and public careers.
Therefore, no one wants to tell the political truths that have been at the center of a messy entanglement: (1) that America has never been impartial when it comes to the Palestinian-Israeli mess and negotiations; (2) that the time has come for Israel to give up all the illegally occupied land that belong to the Palestinians; (3) that the survival of Israel is not at stake should Chairman Arafat and his people be granted statehood and so should be granted statehood now; and (4) that Prime Minster Ariel Sharon’s treatment of Chairman and his people is quite degrading, inhumane and uncalled for. But who is going to tell these truths?
However, Just this week, and in an unofficial fashion, a prominent America finally let one of the five cats out of the bag by letting us know publicly what we already knew. And in fact, most of us have known about it for well over two decades: that is that the White House and the US State Department has never been truthful, honest, and impartial in their handling of the Palestinian-Israeli problem.
Governor Howard Dean, the leading Democratic Party presidential candidate couldn’t stomach it any more; and so he allowed that: “…it’s not our place to take sides,” and that all those illegal Israeli settlements must be dismantled. Ha, finally, his conscience finally got the better of him. Even so, I think he is a better man for saying it. However, Joseph Lieberman, an American-Jew and an aspiring presidential candidate expectedly rebuffed Governor Dean, saying, in effect that Howard Dean was “abandoning more than 50 years of bipartisan U.S policy offering unconditional support to Israel.”
Israel is guaranteed America’s unwavering support inspite of their continuous transgressions, injurious actions, cardinal sins, terroristic actions, and the maiming and killings of their neighbors? UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR 50 YEARS, indeed!
The world has known all along that America is not, and has never been an honest peace-broker; and that at every turn, she has overtly and covertly supported Israel to the detriment of the legitimate wishes and aspirations of the Palestinians. The White House have lied, betrayed, cheated, and misled not just the Palestinians, but also the world community. Periodically, they the Americans conducts meaningless peace-summits, stage kangaroo peace meetings at the Camp David, send acquiescing government officials to the Middle East to “negotiate” peace and security when they knew they had no intension of achieving anything.
Some members of US Congress are so shameless (that) they find it a waste of time to look at the Palestinians in the eyes. Senators Pelosi, Lieberman, and a host of others – mostly Republicans – are not even hiding their disdain and disrespect for the Palestinians. How could someone like Senator Lieberman be trusted to even-handedly handle global affairs – especially global conflicts? And he wants to be the President of United States? I guess he will have past presidents to look up to – IF he ever gets to the White House.
And why would any nation, nation-state, organization or group of people take America seriously? Why should anyone trust America in times of conflicts or negotiations? America’s handling of the Palestinian-Israeli affairs totally negates America’s idealism and constitutionalism. It totally and completely negates all standards of ethics, morality and equity. This is the country, the country that speaks of freedom and self-determination for people everywhere?
The Palestinians must have known about America’s official stance. They must have known that they do not stand a chance (with America as the chief negotiator) in their dispute with their neighbor. The Israelis on the other hand knew what the “deal” was and have no fear of repercussions for their sins. Any wonder then, that the state of Israel do not pay attention to and care about global opinion? Any wonder then, that Israel do not give a damn about how they treat Arafat and his people? Any wonder then that they act — publicly and privately – as God and gods favored children?
The state of Israel must know that by their treatment of the Palestinians, and by their supercilious treatment of all those who oppose and or criticize them – that God’s promise (as narrated in the Bible) may not come to pass. God, I have been told, is omnipresent and omnipotent.
One faction within the government of Israeli want Chairman Yassar Arafat expelled; another faction wants him assassinated. What is the world coming to? Really, what? That a sovereign country can openly discuss, plan and endorse assassinating the legitimate leader of an independent-seeking people — without global condemnation and uproar?
If the Palestinians, the Syrians, the Iranians or the North Koreans had engaged in such stupid, criminal and irresponsible talk, Western governments and the White House would have, without missing a beat, unanimously condemned the offending country. CNN and FOX News would have assembled their talking-heads to ponder and dissect “this grave news with global ramification for the United States,” and would have advised the Pentagon and the White House not to “let this stand.”
Simply put: open talks, discussions and plans to assassinate another head of stated would have been considered an act of terrorism. I guess the Israelis can get away with anything – including the slaughter of any head of state, women and children. And why not; after all, the Palestinians are just a bunch of mostly Muslims and their lives are not worth much. In a way, I envy the Saudis. They have oil, and have a global network of people who can do reciprocal damage. Chairman Arafat and his people have nothing — only the will and the determination to succeed in their pursuit of freedom and statehood.
Since Tel Aviv is interested in either expelling or assassinating Yassar Arafat, well, would the Palestinians be right to assassinate Ariel Sharon (first or in return)? I am just curious. Assassination does not serve any real purpose; and so I whole-heartedly oppose it. By the way: to what country is Arafat going to be exiled? Antarctica? Who know, may be on his way to Antarctica, Madagascar, the Solomon Islands, or Dubai he will strain his ankle, slip and fall and then…kaput! His demise will then be attributed to “natural causes.” One’s enemies are capable of anything, you know.
The state of Israel has it all: Financial, political and military support — all from the Americas and from countries all over Europe. They have it all. In the USA alone, there are at least one hundred and fifty groups, working 24/7/365, in support of Israel and promoting Jewish interest. Israel has it all. Yet, they are obsessed with denying the Palestinians their basic rights; and they do it with the support of their friends and cronies in the US Congress, the White House, media houses, financial institutions, and also with the help and approval of some religious fanatics who parade themselves as televangelist.
At the end of the day, all the contents of their arsenal may not save them, and may not give them “peace, security and right to peaceful coexistence.” To achieve peace, security and peaceful-coexistence, they would have to (1) cease and discontinue genocidal acts and attacks; (2) return all the lands they now illegally occupy (since 1967 or thereabout); and (3) allow for a Palestinian statehood without further delays and criminal tactics.
Once this is done, they, the Israelis, can traverse their rightful land from the desert to Tel Aviv and parts of Jerusalem and all other places that their heart desire – within Israel proper. In return, the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab and Muslim world can, and will safeguard their “security and right to peaceful coexistence.”
The saddest part of the Israelis-Palestinian conflict is that the United States of America, if she really wanted this knotty issue resolved, can get it all straightened out within a year. But not so. They want the status quo maintained because of their thirst for regional (Middle East) and global dominance. Saudi Arabia didn’t turn out exactly the way they had envisaged. Iran is a puzzle and the Ayatollahs are not giving in to the wishes of the Americans. However, almost all other proper-Middle Eastern countries are in America’s pocket. With Israel in their corner (serving as regional headquarter), and Iraq down and almost out (and Arafat on his way out), the world’s foremost and preeminent power will soon take over the entire region.
There can be no peace and security without a Palestinian state. Chairman Arafat is not the problem. He is not an obstacle to peace and security. The Pope and the Vatican trusted him. The Europeans trusted him and so they conducted business with him; same goes for the Africans. He was trusted well enough by Prime Ministers Rabin, Peres, and Barak to have conducted negotiations with him. Those gently and affable fellows in Sweden gave him the Nobel Peace prize. But most of all – President Bill Clinton and his administration trusted Chairman Arafat and worked with him. Why should it be any different for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President George Bush? Why?
This is the fifth truth: It is unfair, counterproductive and just plain dumb to sideline, house-jail, expel or assassinate Chairman Yassar Arafat. Everybody needs a home; every nation needs a state…what does Israel gain or would gain from this battle when they deny their neighbor statehood? Israel should know that by denying their neighbor this right…by denying their neighbor a peaceful night rest, that they too will not sleep soundly, …so, please give Arafat and his people the object of their dreams: A TRULY INDEPENDENT AND SOVEREIGN PALESTINIAN STATE.
