Report from Memphis A Muslim's Perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict"

6/2/02 | Dr. J Abkik

[mel]

This is a short report on Dr. Abkik's talk this morning.I wanted to try to relay it as close to his words as I could. Before 1917, this land was part of the Ottoman Empire. Some prominent Jews went to British and offered financial support in exchange for for help in establishing a homeland in Palestine. This was the birth of the Zionist movement. Zionist refers to political ideology and not religious. There are many Zionists who are atheists. Ben Guron never set foot in a synagogue.

The Balfour agreement was signed but there was an interesting sentence that said this movement should not infringe on rights of Palestines. The agreement started a large immigration of Jews into the country. There were a lot of clashes between Jews, Britians and Arabs. In 1948, a building was exploded that killed 60 Britians resulting in the British leaving the area. Russia started a movement to give Jews statehood and U.S. joined in support for an Israeli homestate. However, FDR and the King of Saudi Arabia had a signed agreement from FDR that U.S. would not help Israel gain statehood.

Many elements fuel the conflict 1) Settlements. Since 1967 there was been increased Jewish settlements into West Bank. 2)Lack of defninite boundaries and 3) Palestinians living under difficult situations. For example, a Palestinian living in the settlements can't drill for water, but the Jew down the street can have a swimming pool. Also, to visit relatives it often takes 10-12 hours because of check points.

Dr. Abkik supports GW Bush as long as he continues to suppport the formation of a palestinian state and that the Israelis should dismantle settlements.

When asked about Clinton's statement that Arafat declined the Camp David peace agreement which would give Palestinians a majority of what they wanted, Dr. Abkik responded that this was a lie, Clinton had to say that because Hiliary was running for Senator in a state with a large Jewish population.

The refugee camps have continued to exist because the people there were under the belief that they would go home. He asked how would you feel if you lived in Nashville and someone told you you had to live in Memphis? These people don't want to leave, they want to return to the land of their forefathers. One person felt that the Arabs were refusing to assimilate the Palestinians into their states because it is a tool to keep the fires of the conflict burning. Dr. Abkik said they don't want to leave and they will never give up. Another person asked a question which delighted Dr. Abkik. the question was why don't the Palestinians just become Israeli citizens. Dr. Abkik thought that was great except the Israeli constitution states that you have to be a Jew to be a full citizen.

Dr. Abkik does not like Arafat but since he is the only one that can sign the checks, he remains in power. He thinks that Sharon wants Arafat to stay in power. Most of the Palestinians are not fond of Arafat. They have many top notch people who could easily take his place. One man talked about Dr. Bernard Lewis's theory that this is not simply a battle between Arabs and Israel, but the West. It seemed to catch Dr. Abkik off guard and to some degree he agreed with that thought. Again, he was questioned about the lack of the Arab countries to assimilate these people into their lands, since they were so smart and intelligent, it seems that other Arab lands would be glad to take them.

[LarryLied]

Oh...I knew. I should have been more clear. My point is all these Israeli threads all zoom out into allegations that some freeper supports Arafat, is a fascist, thinks Jews want to take over the world...etc..etc. Can't speak to what the person you responded to thinks but I have policy differences with Israel and American Jewish groups. They are very similar to the ones I have with the NAACP, La Raza, NOW, trial lawyers, government teachers, France, Sweden, Canada and hosts of other socialist groups and countries. Just because Israel and the US are allies and have common enemies doesn't mean, I hope, we cannot point it out when Israel and maor Jewish groups work against conservative causes and American interests.

[dighton]

"of course the jews want to take over the world." .... No one here ever makes that claim yet some pretend it is said and mock it.

GaConfed did make that claim, in plain English. See reply #9:

All these fundamentalists here in America are doing is letting themselves be useful idiots to the Zionists in their quest to take over not just the Middle East, but the entire world.

[Inyokern]

It is rare to find a thread about Israel which does not have some variation of (the jews want to take over the world). They all are so similiar. What is the deal? No one here ever makes that claim yet some pretend it is said and mock it. Why?

Did you miss message #9? He did indeeed make that claim.