It’s difficult to hold a rational discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because passions are so high about the issue it rarely rises above the level of logical fallacies such as sophistry, appeals to emotion, special pleading,one-sidedness and personal attacks.
For example, while it’s true that Hamas is a terrorist organization bent on eliminating Israel and establishing a Muslim-majority Islamic theocracy in its place, right-wing religious extremists in Israel as represented by the Likud and religious parties to the right of them have the equivalent goal: eliminating all vestiges of Palestine, expelling all but a token minority of Palestinians and establishing a Jewish theocracy on the same territory.
You can’t realistically hope to hold a constructive discussion about solutions to the impasse in the Middle East until you can acknowledge this reality – which is the fundamental source of the impasse. It’s the geopolitical equivalent of an irresistible force meeting an immoveable object.
A bit more background on the PA and where there money has come from. Unfortunately, a great deal of this money actually came as cash. Its disbursement is unknown or unacknowledged.
[quote]Palestinian farmers destroy tomatoes grown in a former Israeli settlement to protest against Israel’s closure of Karni crossing in the Gaza Strip on Saturday. The crossing point for merchandise has been closed by Israeli authorities for the last 10 days.
PHOTO: AFP[/quote]
The above is from today’s Taipei Times. I think they are watching my posts Now I REALLY stand corrected.
Rinkals - Good pics. Hydroponic growing in some of those greenhouses is really developed also. They have used this to add nutrients to the crops grown.
In other news from Gaza - This just in:
[quote]Palestinian Gunmen Take Over EU Office Palestinian Gunmen Take Over EU Office to Protest Danish Newspaper’s Publication of Cartoons
Palestinians members of the Fatah movement burn the Danish national flag during a protest in front of the headquarters of the international observers in the West Bank town of Hebron Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006. Palestinians burned Danish flags in two West Bank towns on Sunday to protest caricatures in a Danish newspaper that they deemed insulting to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. The protesters demanded an apology and called on Palestinians and Muslims throughout the world to boycott Danish products. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)
By IBRAHIM BARZAK Associated Press Writer
The Associated PressThe Associated Press
I came across it because one of the authors happens to teach my legal ethics class. I found it interesting that they seem to endorse the idea that al Qaida may actually be the “JV” compared to Hezbollah.
Always an optimist, maybe the election of Hamas will provide an opportunity to flush the despotic PLO out of office. A party that is in office too long becomes corrupt. A viable opposition (i.e. one that can, and did, win) will promote greater integrity. Perhaps Hamas will belong to the hard-line paradox, where only militants and warriors have the credibility to negotiate peace. Noitce that the Israeli leaders who were willing to make the most concessions towards peace were the former generals. Peace was not happening under the PLO, in case anyone had not noticed.
I think it is also becoming more clear to the idealists, that democracy is not the miracle drug that cures all.
I hope that after a short time that Hamas will understand that Israel is not going anywhere. Hopefully, the witholding of funds from donor nations will encourage them to think more pragmatically.
Sharon dismantled settlements in Gaza purely because of Palestinian demographics. He wanted to avoid a future Israel with a large Palestinian majority. “Peace” had little or nothing to do with his decision.
Hamas is a hopelessly extremist organization which aims to establish an Iranian-style theocracy over the all of Israel and the Occupied Territories. The chances of it moderating its religious extremism and becoming a tolerant, rational, inclusive influence are nil.
Essentially no one in the Middle East other than perhaps Ayatollah Sistani in Iraq is advocating the real stuff of permanent peace: universal justice and religious tolerance in the cauldron of the birthplace of three of the world’s great religions.
You’re right. Sharon wasn’t interested in peace, but the motives don’t have to be good for the results to be acceptable. Hamas is chock full of loonies, but they’ve also won widespread support among Palastinians by providing welfare support (in addition to being ruthless).
Gaza now is little more than a prison being run by its inmates. Israel retains ultimate control over its borders and airspace and will undoubtedly constrain it from ever becoming anything more than a limbo for stateless Palestinians.
HGC -
Good post with the Hitchens article. I agree with about 90% of it.
The future of the PA and Gaza might well come to resemble an Islamic Ghetto ruled by fanatics.
I had no idea that “…the leader of the Hamas group on the Bethlehem City Council, who announced his party’s intention to impose the al-Jeziya as soon as it was strong enough to do so. This is the tax, sometimes called the dhimmi or “unbeliever” tax, that is levied on all those who will not profess that there is one god and that Mohammed is his messenger.”…was in consideration for the people of Bethlehem. A sad day indeed if this does come about.
I think one sentence exemplifies what we are seeing - [i]“This is, rather, another stage in a process of coercive Islamization that has been going on for some time.”[/i] This is, IMO, qhat we are witnessing.
I also do take issue with his conclusion -“It becomes plainer than ever that Israel is not the alternative to the diaspora, but an especially embattled and compromised part of it.”
Israel is the result of the diaspora. A fine edge between ‘alternative’ and ‘result’ perhaps, but one that is relevant to this conclusion. Gaza will be embattled both within and on the world stage. Many will fight for it’ Or fight for what they want it to be.
I wonder how many of those will actually be the people who want a life and future for their children in Gaza?
Oh, I also dis-agree with the Wiki definition of Kibbutzim. Looks like anti-Israel garbage. Of course the kibbuttzin have evolved. They were not designed as alternatives to “regular towns” or “capitalist enterprises.” They were designed to become productive enterprises. As well as provide a safe place for families to raise children in what was/is many times a very hostile environment. They were/are and will continue to be very effective research stations for development of new farming methods and crops as well as private money-making businesses.
Everybody has got to pay the bills.
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