A general view picture shows houses in Maale Adumim, Feb. 15, 2017
Posted on 05/12/2020 7:45:38 AM PDT by SJackson
A general view picture shows houses in Maale Adumim, Feb. 15, 2017
“Annexation Would Hurt Israel” declared the headline of a May 8 op-ed in The New York Times by Mideast scholar Daniel Pipes. According to Pipes, the incorporation of any part of the Judea-Samaria territories into the State of Israel is a bad idea because it will anger a lot of people. But the historical record shows that such fears are not well founded.
Donald Trump will “erupt in fury,” writes Pipes. Democrats will be “alienated” from Israel. “Major European states” will be outraged. The hope for improving relations with moderate Arab regimes will “quickly blow up.” And it could “incite” Palestinian Arabs to violence.
There’s no need to speculate about what might happen if the whole world becomes angry at Israel… because it’s happened before. Let’s recall that episode and examine the consequences.
It was in June 1981. Ignoring the danger that many people around the world would become angry, the Israelis bombed Iraq’s nuclear weapons facilities. The pro-Israel Republican president, Ronald Reagan, condemned the Israeli action and even suspended the delivery of F-16 fighter aircraft as punishment.
Undersecretary of State Walter Stoessel Jr. testified before the House of Representatives that the Reagan administration was “dismayed by the damage which has been done to the search for peace in the Middle East” by the Israeli action. He accused Israel of “embarrassing” Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. In fact, the Israel-Egypt peace treaty proceeded without interruption.
Some Democrats defended the Israeli strike, but many did not. The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Clement Zablocki (D-WI), condemned Israel and praised Reagan for withholding the planes. Senator John Glenn (D-OH) denounced Israel for “taking the law in its own hands.” Rep. David Brown (D-MS) blasted the Israelis for failing to wait “until they had exhausted diplomatic efforts.” He said Israel “acted in a way which endangered the peace process.”
Yet most Democrats continued to be pro-Israel. The changes in their party regarding Israel were decades away.
Daniel Pipes is worried about “major European states” criticizing Israel. Well, they criticized Israel in 1981 too. So what? The British called the Israeli bombing “unprovoked.” The French, who had built the Iraqi nuclear reactor that Israel bombed, demanded that Israel pay reparations for the damage caused. (“Did the Allies pay reparations after they destroyed the Nazis’ atomic plant at Peenemünde and elsewhere during World War II,” Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations responded.)
Antisemitic Austrians were up in arms. The Nazi war criminal Kurt Waldheim, then serving as secretary-general of the United Nations, vehemently denounced the Israelis. So did Prime Minister Bruno Kreisky, who accused Israel of acting “according to the law of the jungle.” Kreisky said the problem with the policies of those like Polish-born Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin was that “they think in such a warped way, these Eastern Jews, because they have never had political responsibilities.”
Was it so terrible that all these people were mad at Israel in 1981? Not really. The United States remained pro-Israel, despite the occasional disagreement. The Europeans continued trading with Israel, because it benefits their economies, regardless of political disagreements. Egypt went ahead with its peace treaty with Israel because it was in Egypt’s interest.
That’s more or less what would happen today. Various governments will condemn Israel if it annexes part of Judea and Samaria. But they will continue to have relations with Israel because it’s in their interest to do so. Their bark is much worse than their bite.
The Palestinian Arabs certainly will object. Perhaps they will stage a few riots. But how different would that be from the current situation, in which Palestinian Arabs periodically fire rockets from Gaza or stab Israelis at random? I have full confidence in the ability of Israel’s security services to deal with such eruptions, as they always have.
Annexation will serve several important purposes. First, it will affirm the Jews’ right to their national homeland. Judea and Samaria have been the heart of the Land of Israel for 3,000 years. “Annexation” is not the correct word — that term implies taking over some foreign territory. “Reunification” is the accurate word.
Second, it will abolish a grievous double standard. The hundreds of thousands of Israelis who reside in the territories have a right to be governed by Israeli law, just as 98% of the Arabs living in Judea and Samaria are governed by the laws of the Palestinian Authority.
Third, it will put an end to the threat of “Nine Miles Wide.” Israel requires permanent control of the Jordan Valley, the Etzion bloc, and the other areas under discussion in order to have defensible borders. Giving those areas to the Arabs would mean a retreat to the pre-1967 armistice lines, when Israel was just nine miles wide and could be cut in two in a matter of minutes.
It’s one or the other. “Annexation” and some international whining — or nine miles wide and a daily threat to Israel’s very existence. That’s the choice Israel really faces.
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If Jews put down their arms there would be no Israel. (Golda Mier)
Arabs complain about water rationing.
Because it makes it harder to mix cement for their terror tunnels....
Arabs complain about walls built right up to the backs of their neighborhoods.
Because it makes it harder to launch rockets into Jewish neighborhoods....
Taking back what belonged to Israel in the first place is wrong?
I think not.
Europe, especially with its huge influx of muzzlimes, has always hated Israel. So it makes little difference. Darned if you do, darned if you don’t.
Can’t please everyone, so you gotta please yourself.
Fascinating how ‘Israel’ issues are covered here -vs- how they are reported in the European press.
It’s almost like there is an ‘agenda’...
If you’all ever want Israel back you will have to stop waiting for anti semites to love you. They want you dead so they can go on worshiping that which is not God.
Freedom is not free, you have to take it or surrender it.
Annex away, it was yours before Jordan annexed it from you. In fact Syria, Lebanon and Jordan was all yours till it was annexed from you.
You will get the exact same peace from those annexations as you will get from this one.... none that you do not make yourself.
Peace only comes from strength and victory.
Heck,
“Annexation Would Hurt Israel” declared the headline of a May 8 op-ed in The New York Times by Mideast scholar Daniel Pipes. According to Pipes, the incorporation of any part of the Judea-Samaria territories into the State of Israel is a bad idea because it will anger a lot of people. But the historical record shows that such fears are not well founded. Donald Trump will “erupt in fury,” writes Pipes. Democrats will be “alienated” from Israel. “Major European states” will be outraged. The hope for improving relations with moderate Arab regimes will “quickly blow up.”
Yeah, right, Trumpian fury. Sure, Pipes, the enemies of Israel, the very people who want Israel destroyed, might stop likin' Israel! Looks like Pipes has gone full Slimes.
Trump’s plan has given Israel the signoff from the U.S. to annex so they might as well do it. Peace with the Palestinians is not going to happen so the status quo with them will continue. Israel has lived with terror attacks from the territories all its life, that continuing is not going to be anything different than what they’ve always had.
Revelation 19:15 New American Standard Bible
From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.
Do not touch the apple of His eye.
God’s Deliverance of His People
1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
2 Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
3 God comes from Teman, And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise.
4 His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And there is the hiding of His power.
5 Before Him goes pestilence, And plague comes after Him.
6 He stood and surveyed the earth; He looked and startled the nations. Yes, the perpetual mountains were shattered, The ancient hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.
8 Did the Lord rage against the rivers, Or was Your anger against the rivers, Or was Your wrath against the sea, That You rode on Your horses, On Your chariots of salvation?
9 Your bow was made bare, The rods of chastisement were sworn. Selah. You cleaved the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw You and quaked; The downpour of waters swept by. The deep uttered forth its voice, It lifted high its hands.
11 Sun and moon stood in their places; They went away at the light of Your arrows, At the radiance of Your gleaming spear.
12 In indignation You marched through the earth; In anger You trampled the nations.
13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For the salvation of Your anointed. You struck the head of the house of the evil To lay him open from thigh to neck. Selah.
14 You pierced with his own spears The head of his throngs. They stormed in to scatter us; Their exultation was like those Who devour the oppressed in secret.
15 You trampled on the sea with Your horses, On the surge of many waters.
16 I heard and my inward parts trembled, At the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.
As much as so many, including Reagan, expressed their displeasure at Israel back in ‘81, that was the official line.
There’s no doubt that the unofficial line was “Thank God the Israelis decided to do something about Osirak” - and that included the Saudis and the Gulf States.
Privately, he thanked them and, once the commotion had died down, allowed the F-16 fighter delivery to proceed.
It wasn't so different than 1960, when the Eisenhower administration allowed a UN resolution for condemning Israel for kidnapping Adolph Eichmann on Argentine soil to proceed. The world understood that he needed to be returned to Israel for a fair trial and a proper hanging the following year.
“Donald Trump will “erupt in fury,” writes Pipe”
WFT? I doubt it.
The administration's position is that annexation is only possible in the context of the conditions of the Trump peace plan. Obviously that makes annexation impossible as the PA refuses to even begin negotiations, or to have any contacts with the Trump administration. Given those circumstances I doubt the President would "erupt in fury". Accepting the reality of the situation, he realizes the peace plan is at a standstill. And that palestinian cooperation isn't on the horizon.
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