Tel Aviv first, then Manchester? (Israel is to blame for simply *everything* - Islamofascist alert!)

The Guardian ^ | Friday May 2, 2003 | Fuad Nahdi

[Chipata]

Tel Aviv first, then Manchester?

We have seen the first British suicide bombers - but not the last

Fuad Nahdi

Friday May 2, 2003

The Guardian

Last month, I warned of developments within British Islam. "We need to be scared," I wrote on these pages. "The end of the war in Iraq might even usher in the beginning of our own intifada." Among the many responses was one from 10 Downing Street. I was told that my piece was "uncharacteristically alarmist" and I did feel temporarily defensive. But, sadly, I was right. I am not surprised by news of Britain's first suicide bombers; what, however, I find astonishing is that it took place in Tel Aviv, not Manchester.

The descent into extremism of parts of the British Muslim community has been a long process, though "community" leaders remain in a state of denial over the mess.

The combined forces of racial discrimination and Islamophobia have been awesome in the marginalisation and alienation of the community. As a result few, particularly young people, feel they have any viable stake in society. To add to all this is the chaos and confusion that is all-pervasive throughout the Muslim world - traumatised by colonialism, raped by "independence". If we are to understand what is going on we need to scrape away the layers of rhetoric and euphemism, put to one side events of 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq, and come to the running sore of Palestine. The western conscience, troubled by anti-semitism, is reluctant to look too critically at Israeli behaviour towards a colonised Muslim population. But unless the Palestinian voice, and the Muslim voice that echoes its pain, is listened to, there will be no understanding of what happened to Asif Muhammad Hanif and Omar Khan Sharif. Instead, we will be subjected to more banal rhetoric about "evil" Islam and the motiveless nature of fundamentalist terror.

The reality is that Muslims - including the majority of those in Britain - are enraged about Palestine. Angry about the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements on confiscated Arab land. Furious about decades of military rule on behalf of Jewish conquerors over resentful Christian and Muslim populations. Furious about the perpetuation of colonial-era racism and apartheid-style zoning laws. Furious about the plight of Palestinian refugees. Furious about the conquerer's control of the third holiest place in Islam.

Our scriptures counsel endless patience. Were it not for Islam, the anti-western rhetoric and violence would be out of control. Yet, some of us have been tipped over the edge. The message carried in the deeds of these angry young people is that, yes, Islam forbids suicide and killing civilians, but they are now so angry about Palestine that they are going to set these principles aside. The result has been a perversion of faith.

In the 36 years since the fall of Jerusalem, the Muslim voice has been deeply radicalised. You find this everywhere - from the scholarly pulpits of Al-Azhar to the mosques of Birmingham and Derby, where young people speak only of Palestine. It is the great religious transformation of our age. And if you talk to these new zealots, you will find that anger over Palestine has been the catalyst which radicalised them.

Perhaps this has been the most far-reaching consequence of Zionism: the radicalisation of the Muslim world. Like most Muslims, I can't stand it. I lament the passing of a culture focused on God more than on community. I miss the smiles, tolerance and wisdom of the older sort of Muslim. And like most Muslims, I know that the war on terrorism and the Iraq war is not part of a solution, but merely the acceleration of incomprehension and revenge.

Since September 11 and the invasion of Iraq, Israel's grip on Palestinian majority areas has become tighter. The frustration at America (and Britain) has never been more intense. And the likelihood of further attacks on western targets has never been greater.

America and Britain must decide whether they want the Muslim world to become their own West Bank, the source of an unbreakable cycle of military punishments and suicide bombings. Israel has not succeeded in stopping Palestinian violence even in a small area; and therefore America and Britain will never suppress terrorism in Islam itself.

If they want peace, they should abandon the belief that more aircraft carriers and bombs will do the job, and try to work out how to be less hated. A decent settlement for the Palestinians, with the restoration of the Muslim holy places to Muslim control, cannot be postponed until the war against terrorism is won. And neither can the return of Iraq and its oil wells to the Iraqi people. Otherwise, we should brace ourselves for the forthcoming intifada in the streets of Birmingham and Detroit.

· Fuad Nahdi is the publisher of the Muslim magazine, Q-News info@q-news.com

[cardinal4]

A decent settlement for the Palestinians, with the restoration of the Muslim holy places to Muslim control, cannot be postponed until the war against terrorism is won.

If the Muslim Holy sites are put under control of Muslims in Jerusalem, doesnt that mean they would also control the Jewish and Christian Holy Sites?

[BrooklynGOP]

Jerusalem became a "holy" place in Islam only post 1967.

[VOA]

And like most Muslims, I know that the war on terrorism and the Iraq war is not
part of a solution, but merely the acceleration of incomprehension and revenge.

This guy is just another Palestinian (or sympathizer)...who is still unable
to believe that the USA/UK/Coalition actually has come to their senses and
is putting terrorists out of bidness.

I bet this puke would say that those images of happy liberated Iraqis and the
joy at the toppling of Saddam's statue were all staged and faked.

That's the sort of self-delusion these folks engage in when they feel the heat of
true justice coming their way.

Like Abba Eban said:
"The Palestinians never miss a chance to miss a chance."

[Alouette]

If the Muslim Holy sites are put under control of Muslims in Jerusalem, doesnt that mean they would also control the Jewish and Christian Holy Sites?

According to the Mohammedans, there are no Jewish or Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

[VOA]

Otherwise, we should brace ourselves for the forthcoming intifada in the streets
of Birmingham and Detroit.

LOL!
If he means Birmingham, Alabama, he better be ready for the "intifada" to be
over in about an hour...after bands of righteously-p-ssed-off bubbas quell
the uprising with all their scoped deer rifles and equally lethal, legally owned
firearms. The Founding Fathers would be smiling someplace at this sort of exercise.

As for Detroit, MI...an intifada would actually be an increase in organization and
civil administration compared to what they've had for the past 30 years or so.
And an excuse for the National Guard to impose martial law and maybe save that city from itself.
(as radio show host Ken Hamblin says of the years he spent in Detroit: "I did my tour of duty there")

[Chipata]

"The Palestinians never miss a chance to miss a chance."

My apologies, sir, for being so semantical:

"The Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." - Abba Eban

http://www.factsofisrael.com/blog/archives/000491.html

http://www.jewishsf.com/bk030307/ob49.shtml

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/article/Default.asp?CatID=1&ArticleID=124

[VOA]

I thought Islamic terrorism in India, the Phillipines and Indonesia was because
there are so many Jews living in those places.

(my comment, in the same spirit of sarcasm follows)
Good point..."everywhere we look we see the hairy hidden hand of the white man"
(which I suppose includes Jews).
Hmmm...wasn't it a Nation of Islam guy who originated that "hairy hidden hand" phrase?

Regardless, it's always the fault of The Jews and any nation/people willing
to back them up...or just not persecute/kill them.

[section9]

If they want peace, they should abandon the belief that more aircraft carriers and bombs will do the job, and try to work out how to be less hated. A decent settlement for the Palestinians, with the restoration of the Muslim holy places to Muslim control, cannot be postponed until the war against terrorism is won. And neither can the return of Iraq and its oil wells to the Iraqi people. Otherwise, we should brace ourselves for the forthcoming intifada in the streets of Birmingham and Detroit.

This idiot should know that Americans have guns. When they bring that crap here, not only will there be some serious settling of accounts, but Gaza and the West Bank will be trashed beyond measure.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[VOA]

My apologies, sir, for being so semantical:

"The Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." - Abba Eban

No apologies needed...thanks for the gentle correction.

And Eban knew what he was talking about...after the Arabs "screwed the pooch"
in three campaigns against Israel.

[sbw123]

As an earlier post said: "They are enraged because they belong to a disfunctional culture that strives to return to the 7 th century and is apparently incapable of dealing with the 21st. It's not the fault of Jews, nor the fault of Christians. It's all their own." That cannot be stressed enough. The more I read about Islam, the more I believe it is disfunctional. There has NEVER been any notion of tolerance in its history. Non-muslims have always been treated as second class citizens. It did not develop in the same way that Judiasm and Christianity did - in response to opression - it has ALWAYS been the opressor. When the Guardian, which is a widely read paper, publishes such tripe, which only serves to fuel blatant and latant anti-semitism and anti-liberalism, how do we get the message out that the sentiments expressed are wrong? We can post here to each other all day long - we're preaching to the choir. How or where do we get our message out to the otherside?

[VOA]

Thanks for the links. I like this one as well:

Another well-known Ebanism was:
"We Israelis always make the right decisions after we have exhausted all other options."

[Chipata]

"We Israelis always make the right decisions after we have exhausted all other options."

I do believe the correct version is:

"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Abba_Eban/

http://www.creativequotations.com/one/2450.htm


My favorite Eban quote:

Abba Eban on the UN

"If Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions."

http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Quote/ebanq.html


Abba Eban on Israel's "Right to Exist"

"Nobody does Israel any service by proclaiming its 'right to exist.'"

"Israel's right to exist, like that of the United States, Saudi Arabia and 152 other states, is axiomatic and unreserved. Israel's legitimacy is not suspended in midair awaiting acknowledgement...."

"There is certainly no other state, big or small, young or old, that would consider mere recognition of its 'right to exist' a favor, or a negotiable concession.” (New York Times, November 18, 1981)."

http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Quote/eban3q.html


More great Abba Eban quotes:

"A statesman who keeps his ear permanently glued to the ground will have neither elegance of posture nor flexibility of movement."

"It is our experience that political leaders do not always mean the opposite of what they say."

"Consensus is what many people say in chorus but do not believe as individuals."

"Better to be disliked than pitied."

http://www.creativequotations.com/one/2450.htm


Famous Jewish Quotations

http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Quote/qtoc.html

[Kozak]

If the Muslim Holy sites are put under control of Muslims in Jerusalem, doesnt that mean they would also control the Jewish and Christian Holy Sites?

Oh don't worry. They will respect them. Just like they respected Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, and the Church that became the Al Aqsa mosque, the sanctity of the Church of the Nativity, and those Buddist statues in Afghanistan. Islam is a VERY tolerent and peaceful religion. Just ask anyone who used to be a muslim and converted.

[xm177e2]

"We need to be scared," I wrote on these pages. "The end of the war in Iraq might even usher in the beginning of our own intifada."

These Muslims say they are "scared" but the real emotion they are expressing is hope.

In other words: Give us what we want or we'll murder you all, and it will all be the fault of the Jews.

Exactly.