Amen.
Posted on 09/10/2003 7:55:03 PM PDT by Weimdog
Editorial: Enough
The world will not help us; we must help ourselves. We must kill as many of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders as possible, as quickly possible, while minimizing collateral damage, but not letting that damage stop us. And we must kill Yasser Arafat, because the world leaves us no alternative.
No one seriously argues with the fact that Arafat was preventing Mahmoud Abbas, the prime minister he appointed, from combating terrorism, to the extent that was willing to do so. Almost no one seriously disputes that Abbas on whom Israel, the US, and Europe had placed all their bets failed primarily because Arafat retained control of much of the security apparatus, and that Arafat wanted him to fail.
The new prime minister, Ahmed Qurei, clearly will fare no better, since he, if anything, has been trying to garner more power for Arafat, not less. Under these circumstances, the idea of exiling Arafat is gaining currency, but the standard objection is that he will be as much or more of a problem when free to travel the world than he is locked up in Ramallah.
If only three countries Britain, France, and Germany joined the US in a total boycott of Arafat this would not be the case. If these countries did not speak with Arafat, it would not matter much who did, and however much a local Palestinian leader would claim to consult with Arafat, his power would be gone.
But such a boycott will not happen. Only now, after more than 800 Israelis have died in three years of suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks, has Europe finally decided that Hamas is a terrorist organization. How much longer will it take before it cuts off Arafat? Yet Israel cannot accept a situation in which Arafat blocks any Palestinian break with terrorism, whether from here or in exile. Therefore, we are at another point in our history at which the diplomatic risks of defending ourselves are exceeded by the risks of not doing so.
Such was the case in the Six Day War, when Israel was forced to launch a preemptive attack or accept destruction. And when Menachem Begin decided to bomb the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981. And when Israel launched Operation Defensive Shield in Palestinian cities after the Passover Massacre of 2002. In each case, Israel tried every fashion of restraint, every plea to the international community to take action that would avoid the need for "extreme" measures, all to no avail. When the breaking point arrives, there is no point in taking half-measures. If we are going to be condemned in any case, we might as well do it right.
Arafat's death at Israel's hands would not radicalize Arab opposition to Israel; just the opposite. The current jihad against us is being fueled by the perception that Israel is blocked from taking decisive action to defend itself.
Arafat's survival and power are a test of the proposition that it is possible to pursue a cause through terror and not have that cause rejected by the international community. Killing Arafat, more than any other act, would demonstrate that the tool of terror is unacceptable, even against Israel, even in the name of a Palestinian state. Arafat does not just stand for terror, he stands for the refusal to make peace with Israel under any circumstances and within any borders.
In this respect, there is no distinction, beyond the tactical, between him and Hamas. Europe's refusal to utterly reject him condemns Palestinians, no less than Israelis, to endless war and dooms the possibility of the two-state solution the world claims to seek.
While the prospect of a Palestinian power vacuum is feared by some, the worst of all worlds is what exists now: Terrorists attack Israel at will under the umbrella of legitimacy provided by Arafat. Hamas would not be able to fill a post-Arafat vacuum; on the contrary, Hamas would lose the cover it has today.
A word must be said here about the most common claim made by those who would not isolate Arafat, let alone kill him: that he is the elected leader of the Palestinian people. Even if Arafat was chosen in a truly free election (when does his term end?), which we would dispute, this does not close the question of his legitimacy.
Whom the Palestinians choose to lead them is none of our business, provided it is a free choice, and provided they do not opt for leaders who choose terror and aggression. So long as the Palestinians choose such a leadership, it should be held no more immune to counterattack by Israel than the Taliban and Saddam Hussein were by the United States.
We complain that a double standard is applied to us, and it is. But we cannot complain when we apply that double standard to ourselves. Arafat's survival, under our watchful eyes, is living testimony to our tolerance of that double standard. If we want another standard to be applied, we must begin by applying it ourselves.
I heard the other day a comment that basically said that if Israel was the US, every single Palestinian would be in jail and the current area occupied by these ex-Jordanians would be a mini-mall.
Israel has shown more patience than Job. I think the only thing that holds them back is the rememberance of what the Nazis did. But the Isrealis should remember that this fight was brought to them -- in the random massacres of children and women. Very different than what happened in 1939.
May God make your Hand True O Israel -- Smite your Enemies and Pass the Truly Innocent.
Amen.
This certainly is the kind of thing the Dems think Bush would do. Actually, in terms of terrorist attacks on Americans, big areas of central Iraq looks a lot like Israel, and I am sure we are not going to be carpet bombing or putting every Iraqi in jail.
I think the only thing that holds them back is the rememberance of what the Nazis did.
I think what holds them back is:
a. The need to achive a measure of national unity in a country where there are lots of Jewish liberals.
b. Worries about world opinion.
c. Mr. Sharon is of the opinion that preventing the US government from becoming overly annoyed at his own government is key to being a successful Israeli Prime Minister.
Will he order Arafat's demise? I'd still guess not. There are plenty other terror masters to go after who don't have the same international support.
Dammit, I agree. But I don't have to like it. I know and you know and all of Old Europe knows that Arafat is a the #1 terrorist in the world today. As the article says, if only Old Europe would get on board, the hundreds killed in the Jijad would be alive and the Palestinians would be reintroduced to their homeland: Jordan.
btw: I am not Jewish -- in fact I find jewish sanctimony and self-proclaimed victimhood rather annoying -- but I can see when a People are being attacked and are badly constrained in their response. Wrong is wrong.
Bingo. Bargaining with terrorists demonstrates weakness, which begets more demands and more terror. Only through strength can Israel hope to improve its security.
Oh, when searching, after I search for 'enough' (for instance), I do another search ordered by posting time. These 2 threads are probably right next to each other in date order.
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