Posted on 11/20/2002 3:25:15 PM PST by yonif
Last Friday, November 15, was no ordinary Shabbat service in Israel. It was a terrorized Shabbat service in which 12 people – 9 soldiers and three civilians from the Kiryat Arba emergency response team – were killed and 15 others were wounded. Among the dead was Hebron Brigade commander, Colonel Dror Weinberg, who boldly stormed the terrorists with his fellow soldiers.
As a group of Jewish worshippers was walking home from the divided, by a 1997 agreement, city of Hebron, they were met by a hidden group of terrorists who started shooting and hurling grenades at them from one of the buildings surrounding them. Security forces escorting the group of worshippers quickly responded, and more and more soldiers were sent into the area. Rescuing the wounded was no easy job either, as the rescue workers were shot at as well.
After one hour, the brave forces of the Israel Defense Force overcame the terrorists, breaking into the building they were stationed in and killing them. A few hours later, the ambush was claimed by the Islamic Jihad, a terrorist group based freely in Syria. Furthermore, Hamas, another terrorist organization, published on its website that it had some members take part in the attack – another example that terrorist groups in the Palestinian territories are coordinating terrorism against Israel, and are operating freely under the auspices of the Palestinian “authority.”
The area of terrorism was one of which the Israeli government, a few weeks ago, chose to withdraw from. Israel withdrew to alleviate the pressure on the civilian population. So, in effect, the response Israel got for withdrawal from some territory was terrorism. Unfortunately, this is a pattern that is repetitive. Israel makes gestures, makes accommodations, and what she gets in return is an escalation of terror, an abuse of Israel's willingness to act in a humanitarian fashion. And this, of course, makes it very difficult for Israel to lessen the difficulty to the population.
We must not forget another key fact – Syria. The fact that even with terrorism perpetrated by Syria, the United States still has the “will” to maintain full diplomatic relations with her is saddening. Syria is among a total of 8 countries on the State Dept. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Out of those 8 countries, Syria is the only one which we maintain full diplomatic relations with. This seems out of place. Why should we give recognition to an enemy of the free world, a repressive regime, a dictatorship, a terrorist state, and one which threatens our friend Israel? What is the meaning of that? You have seen what kind of groups Syria arms and harbors. What’s more, Syria along with Iran, funds the terrorist group Hizballah in southern Lebanon.
Syria is not interested in direct conflict with Israel, but prefers instead to fight Israel "from a distance" through the Hizballah organization and as we saw last week by harboring terrorist groups that operate in the Palestinian territories. The Syrian government, headed by Bashar Al Assad, makes no secret of its relationship with the Hizballah organization. The head of the Hizballah organization, Hassan Nasrallah, has been the personal guest of the Syrian president many times. Furthermore the Jihad Islamic, responsible for Friday’s attack, has its main offices located right in the same capital the US Embassy does.
It is time the US Government follows its words with actions and breaks diplomatic relations with Syria. We should not give a terrorist state recognition, especially a terrorist state that directs its “indirect” attacks against a friend of ours, Israel.
These attacks in the past months have come from all the terrorist organizations in the Palestinian territories. Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and the Fatah-Tanzim (headed by Arafat) have all joined the club. All those terrorist organization are taking part in what they call “the armed struggle.” This is a flawed concept. What they are doing is not an armed struggle. An armed struggle does not constitute killing children, does not constitute attacking does who are not “occupying” you, and surely does not constitute blowing up pizzerias. What these organizations are really doing is simple. Their objective is to kill Israelis, as many as possible and if they had the ability – the political and military ability – they would kill Israel altogether.
Mr. Arafat, the Palestinian “leader,” is doing absolutely nothing to crackdown on terror, but, on the other hand, he is carrying it out. Through the financing and launching of terrorism, he has caused Israeli civilian deaths. Remember that past terrorist attack in Kibbutz Metzer? It was his money which funded that.
The world must support Israel not only when it buries its dead, but also when it fights to defend itself against the forces of terror, as is the right of every nation, under the right of self defense. What would happen if church goers in the United States were massacred one day on their way back home? What do you think the US Government would do? I would expect them to respond by protecting the lives of its citizens. Israel must exercise the right of self-defense against the forces of terror and against the regimes that stand behind them.
If Arafat is a terrorist, attack him. If he is a statesman, apologize to him. But dont treat him like a statesman and a terrorist. How can one allow BS propaganda to freeze your defenses?
Now if you can get your divided house in order, and stop seeking UN/Islamic world approval to defend yourselves from Islamic intent to kill you, you have a chance to survive.
If you wait for the USA to "solve" your problem for you, you must of course abide by our schedule and our demands.
Congradulations, BTW for Israels invaluable role of dragging US into your divided barbaric hellhole.
Why did you not kill Arafat years ago?Explain to me why you allow Islamic murderors to kill you, while your leaders bleat that Europe will say bad things about Israel if you retalliate? I understand your military is capable of creating a very large offensive action, basically at will.
Do you indict the USA for your lack of national will?
When Islam is the chosen army for the New World Order. They are so easily manipulated, they are ideal. Sand-Nazi's are the 21st century's new and improved SS.
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