Middle East Delusions Part One

or why Tel Aviv is like Las Angeles

I was reading a couple of article recently and it suddenly occurred to me how out of touch we American's are from reality in some respects. All the articles were about various Mid East situations and two of the articles were from Mid East media outlets. Before I comment on the stories, I think it might be wise to very briefly review what, if anything, America stands for at its core. Don't worry this will only take a second.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

At least I hope those words are still the core of what America is or strives to be, lately I have my concerns.

Of the articles I read the first group are really just a propaganda pieces which is instructive only to the degree that it illustrates the popular view or at least the one portrayed in the Mid East of the ongoing Palestinian-Israel issue. But first let me quote from the same outlet Middle East On Line on something that was in the news regularly until the recent conflict erupted, the headline reads:

Piracy in the Red Sea: Saudi points towards Israel

Just the headline tells the story now don't it? I have long felt that Israel surely must be behind the Somalia pirates, how about you? They after all have the capability, everyone remembers the Rescue at Entebe don't they? The IDF forces sweeping into Uganda to save their citizens from what we used to call terrorist, back when Israel was the victim instead of the terrorist themselves. The question of course is why would Israel get into international piracy with Muslim bandits? Well you can read the article but here is the highlight.

“These acts triggered statements on the internationalization of the Red Sea, in which the enemy state of Israel would be a crucial element,” he adds.

“Who has got an interest in such an internationalization?” Asks the analyst, echoing “another disturbing development represented by the decision of a shipping company (AP Moller-Maersk, the world’s largest container ship operator and supply vessel operator) to divert its huge merchant fleet from Suez Canal and take the route via the Cape of Good Hope.”

“Who has got an interest in putting pressure on Egypt, by diverting cargo ships of Suez Canal and by making Egypt lose daily income of over $15 million?” the analysts asks again.

Just so we know who has such interest, they tell us later on

“The aims of the Zionist enemy in the Red Sea have never ceased,” wrote the Islamist cleric on his website, illustrating his long article with a quote by a former commander of the Israeli navy regarding “a diabolical plan” which aims to “transform the Red Sea into a Jewish lake.”

Of course this is all coached in the context of quoting various scholars and clerics but the point is made that it is probably Israel behind the pirates.

Now to more recent events of course staring with images such as this



and headlines like this Gaza babies at risk of hypothermia


and commentary like this

But Hamas - before the Israeli ground offensive - had already accepted more than once EU proposals for ceasefire. It was always Israel who refused a truce.

The Israeli offensive has sparked spiralling anger in the world and protests across the globe.

or this

and this

"The Israeli army will use stronger force against Hamas," said one Israeli propaganda message received early on Monday.

Another Israeli propaganda message sent was "Hamas's leadership is bringing you destruction."

For most of the population, it was another night of looking for any place that might be able to resist an Israeli shell.

"Our life is filled with fear," said Abdelrahim Malaka, a resident of the surrounded city. "We call on the world to have mercy on us and save us from the Israeli war. What did the children do wrong to have their houses bombed?"

Obviously the children in Gaza did nothing to deserve their houses being bombed, anymore than Israel children deserve the constant fear of Hamas rockets fired at them from Gaza, which is the catalyst for the entire Israeli response.

All of this is very sad to be sure, but ask yourself a very simple question, why would Israel just invade the Gaza strip which they unilaterally turned over to the Palestinians just 4 years ago? They obviously don't want it, otherwise they would not have given it up in the false hope that it would achieve peace.

The truth is that Israel is attempting to protect itself against an organization, Hamas, who does not recognize Israel's right to exist and has sworn to wipe it from the face of the earth. Now the people in Gaza, not all but a majority, voted that Hamas represent them. So Israel lives side by side with an enemy that does not recognize its right to exist and has vowed to wipe it from the face of the earth, great neighborhood.

What most people do not know, because most people base their opinions on feelings rather than knowledge, is that when Israel was formed by the United Nations, ironic isn't it?. The plan was for there to be two nations, one for Palestinians and one for Jews. The Palestinians at the insistence of their Arab brethren rejected this with the understanding that the Arab nations would wipe out Israel and give all the land to the Palestinians. Of course we know that they have tried several times but failed and Israel is still there.

For there to be a resolution, there are only two possibilities. The first solution is if Palestinians and the Muslim nations which do not recognize Israel came to accept Israel as a sovereign nation and the original two nation concept be implemented. The second solution or more ominously the final solution, would be the destruction of Israel and the formation of a single Palestinian State. Really that is it, there must be an Israel, a Palestine or both and the both is the only one that has a diplomatic solution, the others require an almost total destruction of a peoples.

Some people reading this may think, mistakenly, that there was once a nation called Palestine with a functioning government run by Palestinians which was taken over by the Jews to create Israel. As I said, this is a mistake, no such place ever existed. It can be argued and constantly is who has a better claim to the land which is now the country of Israel. Both sides make very good arguments and depending on your prejudices a person could be persuaded either way.

But the fact is there currently exist a thriving democracy with a vibrant society, well established institutions based on one of the oldest traditions and religions in the world currently established there. And as we all know, possession is nine tenths of the law.

Some may find this unfair, but historically it is not the least bit unfair. As a matter of fact historically speaking Israel is one of the fairest and legally justifiable countries ever created. After all it was created by the United Nations, the world so to speak willed Israel into existence. Now you may argue that the United States excerpted undo influence into this decision, I believe if you study the issue there was a pretty broad consensus but regardless compared to how most countries came to be it was pretty fair.

After all what do you expect, the Israel nation after 60 years of struggle to suddenly turn over their country to Palestinians? If you believe that is fair, then to be even more righteous perhaps the United States should give California back to Mexico, after all nobody voted on that little transaction we took it along with Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of Colorado and New Mexico. Perhaps if we dig through history and start evening the scores we could come up with a completely new globe. Actually most of the countries in the Middle East are actually 20Th Century creations, Iraq for example is not 30 years older than Israel.

As I said there really are only two possibilities here, the Palestinians accept Israel and a country of their own, or they continue to try to destroy Israel with ever decreasing support from their Arab brethren who got them into the mess to begin with. As for Israel, they have every right to exist and every right to defend themselves from neighbors who are bent on killing them. Now why can't we all just get along.

(to be continued) Part 2 - How stoning and acid make for good public relations.

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