Please note: I’m not Jewish (a common assumption with my last name). I’m stating that for the fact that I really don’t know anyone currently living in the Middle East, and I have no ulterior motives, or vested interest for writing this… I’m just stating some facts. And here is my opinion, it’s open for discussion here… in fact, I encourage it.
Yes, I think it would be lovely if the Palestinians and Israel would work out thier differences, Israel pulling out of the Gaza Strip, and Arafat and Sharon doing the maypole dance together…
Guess what, guys? Do you *really* think that’s going to stop terrorism? Bring peace to the Middle East, which has been a fucked up shithole for centuries? Are you really that naive? Do you think Osama bin Laden even gave a shit about Palestine before he saw his face on a gazillion posters and saw all their support for his role on September 11th? Do you think Israel can pull out of the occupied territories, and Hamas and Hizbullah are “suddenly” going to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist?
Which Came First – Terrorism or “Occupation”? – Major Arab Terrorist Attacks against Israelis Prior to the 1967 Six-Day War. Yes it’s from the Israeli Government’s official site. But these are historical facts, unlike the propagandistic, post 9/11, drivel I’ve seen circulating on MetaFilter … (I’ll find the links later). You’ve seen them: Gory pictures of children missing body parts, captions like “Look at what one of your leftover bombs from the Gulf War did…”
Well, Saddam, you fucking moron. You invaded Kuwait, tried to take over the world’s oil supplies, you were ordered by the U.N. to pull out or else… what did you expect?
But I digress…
I suggest a little more fact finding before sides are taken. It’s a lot more complicated than just a so-called “illegal occupation”. Terrorism is more than just a “last resort” these days. It’s BIG business. Someone is getting rich selling these guns and bombs… and I doubt highly that they’re going to close up shop.
I don’t believe that certain people *want* peace out there. If Israel pulls out of the Gaza Strip, then these people will be strapping explosives on their children for something else…
There was terrorism *long before* the Six Day war…
There was terrorism *long before* Israel was even reformed…
You don’t give in to terrorists. It doesn’t work that way.
“Peace will come when the people of the world will want it so badly, that their leaders will have *no choice* but to give it to them…”
– Superman IV: The Quest for Peace –
The movie sucked, but what a great quote.
