But, but, but They can swap land for peace

As the bloodshed continues in Israel, and the Palestinian Authority, many people find themselves wrestling with identifying the root cause of the problems.

Most notably, leftists around the world have come up with what they believe to be the essence of the problem. They have convinced themselves and hope to convince the world the Palestinians are an uprooted people, and this is the real cause for generations of hate and murderous rage.

They believe Palestinians have a real grievance as their “homeland” of well over a thousand years had been taken away by force during the creation of Israel in 1948.

The premise is simple enough, and for liberals – simple is what they prefer as its all they can handle even if incorrect. Or in this case, an outright lie.

The following is a capsulated history of the region. It has to be as the hate for various groups by others goes back tens of thousands of years.

I will say upfront, there has never ever been a Palestinian state. “Palestine” has always existed as a sub political unit of some other nation for thousands of years. In fact, it can be said with accuracy the land has been contested by many kingdoms throughout time. Those other “kingdoms” have included at one point or another the Roman Empire, Turkey, and yes – even Jews.

Jews? Yes. King David’s conquest of this and, referred to as Canaan, around 1000 B.C. resulted in a 414 year Jewish rule of the region.

The land became yet another province yet another conqueror, the Ottoman Empire, in 1516. The population was becoming predominantly Arab but large pockets of Jews remained in the area. Of the Arabs, the vast majority were nomadic people who did not put down roots but meandered about the region following good weather and crops for their livestock.

In 1881, groups of Jews decided to immigrate to the region. They bought land from its Arab owners following the law of the land at the time – the Ottoman Land Code of 1858. In turn, these new settlers began the process of cultivating the land for crops, livestock and using it for light commercial activities.

By 1907, a Jew named Yitzhak Epstein published a new Zionist policy towards the Arabs after 30 years of settlement activity. He determined the Arabs should be considered partners in the development of the land for bi-national, non-exclusive program of settlement and development. The goal was to create joint owned farming cooperatives and communities where Arabs and Jews could live together – enjoying modern technology and services like schools, hospitals and government.

This activity enabled a relatively large Jewish population to exist, which was measured in 1931 at around 174,000, in relative peace with their Arab neighbors, whose population at the same time was around 1,033,000. The region was becoming prosperous and all peoples were benefiting from the changes.

In 1917, the Balfour Declaration by the British government makes a public assertion Jews should have their own homeland. This homeland was merely a formal recognition of the obvious but it had the effect of upsetting many Arab populations who had, by now, come to the very late conclusion a nomadic lifestyle wasn’t getting them anywhere politically in the modern world.

A few decided they wanted their own homeland as well, and since the area where the Jews sat was already wealthy and prosperous … they would merely clamor for it rather than going through the hard work necessary to carve out their own.

World War II comes and goes. New waves of Jewish refugees arrive from Europe to set up homes and shops. This immigration, and continued success, further enrages the Arabs.

Thus begins the tinkering of the United Nations, who in 1948, created the state of Israel. Immediately, Arab nations declared war – which in many parts of that region has never really ended. In fact, it’s my belief the Palestinians are still fighting the same losing cause they began in 1948.

Since a military solution is no longer viable, the Palestinians and their allies find a two front war. The first is outright support for terrorism and terrorists who strike at civilian targets. Yassar Arafat and his aides order his child warriors into combat using Arabic and thus escalate the levels of violence and death.

The second is a political and diplomatic effort that hopes to turn the hearts and minds of the world to a more sympathetic view of the Palestinians. Not surprising, it is the same Yassar Arafat, who using English, adopts a public posture of peace, love and brotherhood at least while the cameras are rolling. However, in 1996 when the diplomatic effort reached an approximate 95% success rate of all key Palestinian demands, Arafat turned it down – to the shock of President Clinton, the European Union and even many Palestinians.

While the world’s socialists don’t care to admit it, the goal of Arafat is not a Palestinian state, it is the elimination of the state of Israel. It’s as simple as that.

The Palestinian people for whom many leftists weep, or claim to anyway, were within the grasp of their long held goal – their own nation. A goal which even Israel agrees should occur, and would have happened 6 years except for the foolish actions of one bitter hate filled man …a terrorist himself, Yassar Arafat. The Palestinian people are being held hostage to the whims of a mad man who exploits them for his own political gain.

Arafat wants war, and does not seek a diplomatic end to hostilities. Sadly, as is always the case when diplomacy fails, a military victory is the next best chance for peace for the region. Until this man is gone, and some sanity grows within the Palestinians, there can be no negotiated peace. The chants by leftists for Israel to give up “land for peace” are meaningless, as only one side wants peace. And the other side wants the land by itself.

I thoroughly agree with you. One reason dear old Winston was in favour of a Jewish state was because he realised it would be an outpost of civilisation in the midst of barbarians. He thought it might help civilise the region. The neighbouring states apparently don't want to be civilised however.

I will not forget that Israel stood with the West on that black day in September. My mother was in the New York area on the day, I have other relatives who are in Manhattan all the time. Had the worst happened, there were Israeli specialists on hand to help pull them out of the rubble. The Palestinians would have danced on their graves; and indeed they did celebrate the WTC attack. For that insult alone we should be helping the Israelis grind them back into the dirt from whence they came.

Regards, Ivan

They have ruined South Africa back to the stone ages, they hamstring Israel, over tax Americans and it is waaaay past time for all of that to change.

I agree.

I saw those images too. I don't think I've ever been more angry. Old Testament words about God wiping out the unrighteous sprung to mind. Except let British and American marines do it.

Regards, Ivan

They believe Palestinians have a real grievance as their “homeland” of well over a thousand years had been taken away by force during the creation of Israel in 1948.

Whoever believes this, needs to read up on history.

Arafat and his cronies are terrorists, and are terrorizing the jewish people. Reagan said it perfectly, "We do not negociate with terrorist."

Did you see what Mrs Arafat said in the Europian Saudi newspaper? She is all for suicide bombings. She said, if she had a son she would be proud to give him up as a suicide bomber. Arafat is now talking thru her. Sickos!

MI - Is the British attitude largely more sympathetic toward the Israelis than the Palestinians?

BTW: Condolences on the Queen Mum. She was a very fine woman.

How much peace did Israel gain by giving up Lebanon?

None.

How much peace will they gain by giving up the west bank?

None.

On to Gaza!

The elites are more sympathetic to the Palestinians, merely because they want to get on with the Arabs for oil supplies. The man in the street knows precisely what the Israelis must feel like, as we've had IRA bombs. I've been through many bomb alerts myself, and thus I shake with rage when I think about what the Palestinians are doing to Israel.

I can't really say what I think, but let's just say it is in an Old Testament, Wrath of God type of vein. Arafat needs to be eliminated.

Regards, Ivan

Seems like a solution would be to eliminate oil as a reason for the elites to have to deal with the OPEC types ... finding an alternative to oil and using it would dry up the coffers of oil barons and terrorists alike in a helluva short time period.

Or the alternative solution is to turn the elites upside down and shake them by their ankles until some more useful organ enters their collective skulls. ;)

Regards, Ivan

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