Palestinian Solidarity Article:

Discussion ______________

The Twin Faces of Palestine

Discussion With The Author

The case of Ariel Sharon is deplorable. He needs to be ousted in a convincing democratic process. Unfortunately, brainwashing is an art--and there are many artists in politics. The Arabs living in the disputed areas need to come up with democratically elected leaders who will negotiate civilly according to the rule of law. Israel is the only nation to have a free democracy in the region.

It was a painful piece for me to write as well. But I wouldn't say something in print that I couldn't verify. I read several books and dozens of articles, and I talked to people for their first-hand accounts in my efforts to research the piece. I used large block quotes and encouraged people to read the articles I was referring to in their entirety.

I also quoted from some fairly conservative magazines like Time, The Jerusalem Report, and the New York Times, as well as several humanitarian organizations like Amnesty International--who have absolutely no political bias on the situation.

I chose to focus on the last four months of violence, rather than on the entire fifty-three years of conflict, because I wanted to stay current, and I tried not to get involved in a tit-for-tat mentality. (Too many arguments I’ve heard to justify Israel's position toward the Palestinians, began with, "Well, back in '67, we were fired on and then we won the war and the right to that land," ect., ect.)

In September 1993, Rabin and Arafat each declared that the other has an official right to exist. Shortly afterward, at the Oslo peace accords, Israel promised (among other things) that there would be no more settlements in the Palestinians’ designated territory. The settlements have not been disbanded. In fact, they continue to grow in number and flourish under each new prime minister. So, we have a rage and a desperation that has been seething for a long time.

I tried to bring to light what I see as Israel's abuse of power. Israel has the fourth strongest army in the world. It is the only country to have nuclear weapons in the whole Mid East. And while there are causalities on each side--sadly, the numbers grow daily--there are seven times more Palestinians killed to date than Israelis.

Finally, from what I’ve heard and observed first-hand, the Palestinians are not calling for the destruction of the state of Israel--but rather for the chance to be included as equal partners in the rights and laws that govern Israel.

There is quite a lot in print, in other forms of media, and in the minds of many millions, which supports all of what you have written. There are volumes and volumes and volumes of convincing propaganda, which encourages hatred of Jews and Zionism. I simply could not be silent on your conversion to the manipulative perspective which claims that the Jews do not have a G-d given right to the Land of Israel.

You say you chose to focus on the last four months of violence rather than on the entire 53 years of conflict in an effort to stay current, and not to get involved in a tit-for-tat mentality. But I say the only way to understand the situation is to try and understand the "tit-for-tat mentality." It's not just about four months--it's from 1948 when Israel accepted two states and the Arabs did not. And you need to look at all of the wars and terrorist attacks since.

Here is a brief history of the Land of Israel: Isaac and Ishmael are two brothers. Isaac is blessed. Ishmael is blessed too but, nonetheless, banished. Israel is removed and the Muslims moved into Israel. The returning Muslims wish to remove Israel.

[Editor’s note: he is referring to the two sons of Abraham. Ishmael began the Arab race; Isaac began the Jewish race. Thousands of years pass. The 12 tribes are united under King Saul. For a couple of hundred years, the Jews rule the land. Then the kingdoms of Israel and Judea are overthrown, first by the ancient Assyrians and, 120 years later, by the Babylonians. The tribes of Israel are scattered and the subsequent diaspora culminates in about 500 B.C. The Muslim faith was established, 1100 years later, by Mohammed in about 600 A.D.]

The point is--they both live there now. Israel will do whatever it takes to defend itself from extinction, even if it is not popular. It is still necessary, if you REALLY understand the situation. You still need to talk peace but it must be done with a democratically elected set of representatives--not terrorists who facade as politicians.

You mention the wars of '67: "We [Israel] were fired on and then we won the war and the right to that land." Yes, unfortunately, that is the Israeli right.

You also mention the Oslo Peace Accords. But you FAIL to mention that Israel has given 95% of the West bank to the Arabs and Arafat has not kept a SINGLE promise from Oslo--the most BASIC of which is the revocation of the PLO charter, which calls for the destruction of the Zionist occupier.

Israel is the only democracy in the region. Why the hell are they sending their children outside during a war????? THINK ABOUT IT --it is done for the media to report the killing of children in order to gain public outcry. Why the hell are they sending their children outside during a war?????

I don't really wish to engage in debate about this rather obvious matter. I'd rather hope people unfamiliar with the conditions over there not allow the enemies of Israel turn you away from the truth and learn about why things happen--not just what happens.

On the question of Democracy, the Palestinian foreign minister has repeatedly stated on American television that it is their goal to establish a democratically elected form of government. At present, however, the state of Palestine is not even a geographically contiguous state. Instead, it is split up into as many as twenty different parts, each one separated from its neighbor by roadblocks and patrolled by the Israeli military.

In the last five months alone, the Palestinian state has lost 60 % of its gross national product due to road closures that prevent the citizens, many of whom live in refugee camps, from getting to and from work. In short, they are kept occupied with the business of survival.

On the question of parents not protecting their children from the fighting in the streets, one must remember that in Gaza--which is only thirty miles long and five miles wide--the Israeli military, protecting the Jewish settlements in the region, is omnipresent. Nonetheless, even if it was possible to physically avoid the violence, most Palestinian young men and boys believe it to be their duty to rise up against the occupying military forces.

[The last Palestinian child to die, however, was a nine-year-old boy killed over the weekend of March 3, 2001 by Israelis in his own home.]

It is a truly unique anomaly in history, that a conquered nation can rise again and reestablish itself some 2500 years after its demise. It speaks volumes about the courage, stamina, and resolve of the Jewish people. But it is the Colonial powers, first Great Britain and later the United States, that have helped to economically establish the state of Israel in the twentieth century. An estimated seven billion dollars--both in direct U.S. military aid and in the purchase of imported Israeli goods by the American people--occurred last year alone.

We, at Global Pond, continue to encourage our readers to educate themselves to what the actual situation in Israel today might be, because--whatever the rhetoric--both sides need to establish a lasting peace.