To: Tolik; College Repub; aShepard; Republican_Strategist
The slide show was generally accurate. There is a sizeable group of Palestinian leaders whose only message, and very raison d'etre, is to stir hatred towards the only democracy in the Middle East.
But the truth is, there are also Jewish leaders who openly advocate mass deportations and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, even use of weapons of mass destructions against them. You can find such posters right here in FR. There are even posters who purport to be Christian, yet argue for ethnic cleansing.
The solution, actually, is simple to anyone who has read the New Testament, and reflected upon the message of Jesus the savior: search a way for peaceful co-existence, even with your enemies.
Give the Palestinians a state, put a wall around it, and let the new government know that Israel is willing to live in peace with any nation that is willing to reciprocate that sentiment.
Let the Jewish settlers know that they have chosen to relocate into a land that was under military occupation, and if they choose to continue to stay there, they will be under the rule of a sovereign nation.
Israel's military might has clearly convinced Jordan and Egypt to live peacefully with her. Even Lebanon is cutting back on its terrorist activities.
If the new Palestinian state lives peacefully, her citizens can eventually benefit from trade and tourism with Israel, which is a free and prosperous nation populated by mostly generous, peace-loving, and conscientious people. In the past, Israelis have even offerd to send aid to earthquake victims in Moslem nations like Turkey, and even Iran!
If given peace, the Israelis will be a more generous, productive, and helpful neighbor to the Palestinians than any Arab nation ever could be.
But if the new Palestinian state becomes a launch pad for savage mortar and rocket attacks against Israel, the leaders of the Palestinian state should be prepared to pay with their lives. Simple as that.
8 posted on
08/02/2002 11:41:48 AM PDT by
parthur
To: parthur; College Repub; aShepard; Republican_Strategist
What you said, was the road of Oslo. Even better, no walls, come in and work if you want! Israel was even collecting taxes and was passing them to PA in amounts exceeding $500 mln/year. Oslo was designed to have the Palestinian state at the end of the gradual transition, with more land at each step. Settlements would eventually be removed, as they WERE removed form Sinai after the Camp-David agreement with Egypt. They were uprooted and moved out, despite their protests. Barak was elected for "peace" if you remember. About half of Jews in Israel supported Oslo all-the-way. With peaceful PA proving the point, another half would be convinced or voted over. (They do vote there, as you know, including Israeli Arabs). The settlements are not an obstacle on the great scale of events, just an excuse.
And, how about accelerated peace talks at the Clinton's last hours: Everything was theirs for taking, but Arafat could not take YES for the answer.
I don't want to sound like I always agree with Israel. They had enough of stupid moves as I see that. But the key point was always this: don't touch us, we won't touch you. When did Israel live without a threat from Arabs? Never. It was posted around here somewhere: even now majority of Israeli Jews would support establishment of Palestinian state; majority of Palestinians support suicide bombings.
You decide.
9 posted on
08/02/2002 12:15:01 PM PDT by
Tolik
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