From: Bill Roh (billroh@churchofvirus.com)
Date: Tue Jan 08 2002 - 11:18:15 MST
Richard Ridge wrote:
> > I think it's amazing, I again agree with most of your post. However
> > America can't wash it's hands of all responsibility for the wrongs of
> > Israel just by saying 'we didn't do it'. By continuing to send all that
> > aid to Israel, America may not be killing people directly, but it is
> > supporting the killing of the Palistinians(sic). If America withdrew
> finantial(sic)
> > support for Israel then it's likely the Israeli government wouldn't be as
> > harsh with the Palistinians(sic) and maybe then there could be some
> lasting
> > peace settlement. As long as America continues to fund Israel I can't see
> > this happening
>
> Regardless of US motivation, it has never been especially difficult to
> define the reasons for the European left's sanctification of the people of
> Palestine, seeing as they do a recreation of their own colonial guilt in the
> actions of Israel. The problem of Israel-Palestine nonetheless remain one
> that is not especially susceptible to simplistic analysis and the taking of
> sides. While it should be self evident that one does not defend one's own
> borders by annexing territory and that 'buffer zones' are not commonly used
> for the purposes of establishing settlements, I would have thought it also
> self evident that a very significant portion of the populace of Palestine
> exist in a state of extreme radicalisation
> (http://www.salon.com/news/col/vincent/2001/12/12/palestinian/index.html).
> The establishment of a Palestinian state would certainly not automatically
> lead to the disbandment of Hamas or Islamic Jihad, both of whom would
> essentially like to complete the task Hitler begun - to be blunt a new
> Palestinian state could very easily be a new Chechnya or Afghanistan. While
> I suspect the creation of a Palestinian state to be the only long term
> solution, it is very far from being a panacea for all ills in the way in
> which so much of the European left appears to be believe.
[Bill]
I agree very much so - obviously getting Israel to be civilized is only one
aspect of this whole thing. I do see a relationship here though between the
"War" on terrorism and the establishment of a Palestinian state. At this stage
in the game, the US and Britian, as well many other countries of note, have the
will to deal harshly with terrorism. Myself and some would others argue that
this war on terrorism will be a good thing for the world, forcing countries to
be more responsible in their support in fighting world wide terrorism, and
permitting a better framework for cooperation between countries. ( I am
deliberately NOT talking the problems of the WOT, which are many, because I do
not see these problems as actually impeding the success of the war). It does
seem to me though that in a world pretty much united against terrorism, and with
UN oversight, a democratic Palestinian state could be formed that was officially
if not actually free from terrorist influences. Perhaps some means of turning
over terrorists to an international body - an international law that even the US
would need to follow (not that we shouldn't go with international law usually,
but in reality, the US is an international scofflaw) is what is needed.
Bill
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