If elected Arafat did not accept to a deal because of a few acres of buildings (basically stones) in Jerusalem
This is not about size of territory, but principle. The Palestinians are already going to lose land - under all circumstances, by accepting Israel's right to exist in 67 borders. What they DON'T want, is to lose MORE - even 1 square inch of stone. It is a matter of honor and principle. "You took my land. Fine, keep part of it. But the part that was given to me, I want every inch." That's what we are talking about. So, every meter is going to be important - for it is a matter of sense of justice, not how big or fertile the land is. "If it is a grain of sand, you should not be allowed to keep it, if it is mine. You got the 67 border. Not an inch more."
this article never mention him as a terrorist while the Israelis are portrayed as such, means to me that this paper is oriented.
Actually, all I said was that if you want to call Arafat a terrorist, then you must also call many Israeli leaders terrorists. Fair and equal.
And it didn't fail because of the square miles issue, the water issue, the Jerusalem sacred stuff, or the right of return.
Israeli propaganda. It failed because Barak was not willing to give back ***100%*** of Palestinian land (67 border), and the division of Jerusalem - where PA gets to control absolutely THEIR part of Jerusalem, just as Israel gets theirs. Barak was not willing to go for such a deal, and only that deal was one that Arafat could sell to his nation. Nothing less.
Why wouldn't the Palestinians accept a couple of hundred thousand Israelis living in their own built suburbia in the West bank, with as much security as the million two hundred thousand Israeli Arabs have in Israel proper ?
The Arabs that remained in Israel were ALREADY there BEFORE the state of Israel was created. Israel simpy took over that territory. The Israeli settlers are INVADING Arab land. See the difference? In other words, Israelis are victimizing Arabs twice. First in Israel, then in Arab territories. If somebody (Israel) invaded your house (Arab land), and said to you - OK, I'll let your wife stay in one of the rooms since it used to be YOUR house(Israel proper). So you go to the garden, and everyone says: OK, Israel gets the house, the Arab gets the garden. The next day, Israel invades the garden and puts up his family on part of the garden. And then says: If I allow part of your family to stay at the house, why don't you now let part of my family stay in the garden? "Well sorry, you first invaded MY house, then invaded MY garden!!! I let you stay in the house, but by God you will not touch the garden." That's the Arab view.
The only solution: leave the garden. Be happy you got the house. The Arab will perhaps learn to live with the loss of the house, but if in addition you now start stealing his garden - he will fight to the death, and one can hardly blame him. Give half a loaf.
Israel is its own worst enemy. Sometimes a people are simply wrong. The Serbs were overwhelmingly supporting Milosevic in his atrocities against Serbian neighbors. The Germans supported Hitler by large majorities even during the worst of Nazi crimes. Today, Israelis see nothing wrong in occupying Arab land, and demonizing Arabs, in electing the most brutal and short-sighted leaders like Sharon. Such a nation must one day wake up. The Germans did. The Serbs are trying. One day, the Israelis may too.
An injustice, a massive continuing injustice cannot stand. Israel must stop its colonial aparthied land grab. It must stop occupying Palestinians, and must stop stealing Arab land. Because Arabs, Muslims, and increasingly Europeans and world opinion, will never agree. One day, the U.S. will wake up too, it is all just a matter of time.
It is better for Israel, to do what it has to do eventually - give up being an occupying power UNCONDITIONALLY. The sooner they try to win the Arabs over, the better. The longer they wait, the more crimes they commit, the more hatred they breed.
Here's the danger: Israel can kill Arafat. Israel can kill the primitive Hamas bomb makers. But one day - 2 years from now, or 10, or 20, with a huge generation of people bred on hatred, you'll get a lethal combination of biotech and terror, and no Israeli power will prevent an unspeakable tragedy for the whole population... for those weapons can be created anywhere, in any basement. Better stop the hatred. Hatred is generated by injustice - colonial occupation, stealing land, murder, apartheid. Eventually, it must stop... since it must stop anyway, why not now? Why wait until it is too late? |
