According to the Ma'an News Agency, "Hamas' military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades claimed Saturday to have launched 20 mortar shells towards the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel and Egypt."
And then they complain about the border crossings getting closed.
The most amazing aspect is that Israel persists in trying to minimize the isolation of the Palestinian Arabs in the Gaza Strip and continues to work to get them the necessities of life, including power and food, even as they continue to attack Israel.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Giving Human Rights a Bad Name
First it was Durban, the "World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerence" with its anti-Semitic agenda promoting precisely what it should have been fighting. Durban was organized by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which let the conference get hijacked by the world's worst human rights abusers.
This travesty was one of the factors leading to the demise of the Commission on Human Rights and its replacement by the Human Rights Council.
Now the Human Rights Council, whose membership includes some of the world's worst abusers of human rights, including China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia, is organizing Durban II. Reports on the preparatory meetings indicates Durban II will be as much a travesty as Durban I.
As an observer of the Arab-Israeli conflict, I've noticed that many groups with either peace or justice in their names are interested in neither; similarly, both the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council have been giving human rights a bad name.
Massachusetts is generally one of the most liberal and tolerant places in the United States, but this disease has recently spread there.
It began when Watertown, Massachusetts pulled out of the Anti-Defamation League's valuable "No Place for Hate" program on the grounds that the ADL did not officially recognize the Armenian genocide. It's not that the ADL denied the genocide; indeed, it always referred to the actions of the Ottoman Empire as atrocities. It was just that ADL had not used the word genocide in connection with the event. Relying on that semantic distinction, Watertown unfairly criticized one of our nation's most important civil rights organizations and deprived its students of a needed program.
Make no bones about it: ADL should have used the word genocide and presently does. One wonders, however, how many of the organizations Watertown has a relationship with have referred to those atrocities as genocide? I suspect very few. I also know of no other cases where Watertown has severed relations with an organization because it did not use that word. One wonders what led Watertown to single out the ADL in this manner?
To ask the question is to answer it. The Watertown officials have demonstrated that Watertown is a "Place for Hate;" they themselves are desperately in need of participating the the "No Place for Hate" program.
The fact that ADL is now using the word "genocide" has not led Watertown to change its mind, nor has it prevented Arlington from following its poor example.
Now the Belmont Human Rights Commission has joined the lynch mob. It has voted to recommend Belmont also pull out of "No Place for Hate," allegedly until the ADL "recognizes the Armenian genocide as historic fact and supports federal legislation to have the US government officially acknowledge the atrocity."
Like Watertown and Arlington, the Belmont Human Rights Commission is not interested in the fact that ADL has always recognized the Armenian genocide as an atrocity and is now using word genocide.
Like Watertown and Arlington, the Belmont Human Rights Commission is not interested in the fact that the branch of ADL running its "No Place for Hate" program have been outspoken in using the word genocide, or in the fact that the New England Regional Director courageously put his career in jeopardy by publicly pressuring his own national organization to use the word genocide.
To the best of my knowledge, the Belmont Human Rights Commission has also made no effort to disassociate itself from an organization far larger and more powerful than ADL which has never officially recognized the Armenian genocide, the US government.
Clearly, Watertown, Arlington and the Belmont Human Rights Commission are applying a hateful double standard.
It is possible that some of those involved are merely dupes, but the same cannot be said about whoever is orchestrating this hate campaign. They have an agenda which has nothing to do with human rights; their agenda is targeting the Anti-Defamation League.
According to the ADL Charter: "The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens."
Like any other organization, ADL is not perfect; admittedly, it was not as vigorous as it should have been in shedding light on the Armenian genocide. It shied away from using the term genocide in fear of damage it might cause vulnerable Jews living in Turkey and trouble it might cause for Israel, for which Turkey is one of the few Muslim nations not trying to destroy it.
ADL's fears were well-founded.
The Jewish community in Turkey is in a somewhat precarious position. I found that out personally when I went to a synagogue in Istanbul and they wouldn't let me in since I hadn't made an advance appointment, needed so that they could ensure I wasn't a terrorist. They have good reason to be cautious; synagogues in Istanbul have already been bombed.
ADL's use of the word genocide regarding Armenia has already set off a diplomatic furor, with the Turkish government demanding the Israeli government pressure ADL to change its mind. Here in America, the fact that Turkey would pressure Israel to pressure an independent American organization seems almost insane, but sanity has never been much of a factor in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The bottom line remains that ADL made a mistake, but it was a mistake borne of a desire to avoid rather than cause damage.
The same can not be said of those orchestrating the campaign whose main goal appears to be the demonization of an honorable organization by people who don't care that they are simultaneously depriving students of a valuable program.
Some may wonder what the motivation is, why anyone would want to demonize an organization dedicated to combatting hate and discrimination.
Basically, it's part of the new anti-Semitism, the singling out of the national liberation movement of the Jewish people as the one such movement to oppose and attempt to delegitimize.
In line with its mission to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment for all, ADL is naturally a strong supporter of the right of Israel to, as called for in United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, "to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."
People who are not yet reconciled to the existence of Israel, who still wish the six invading Arab armies had succeeded in destroying Israel at the moment of its re-establishment ins 1948, are not happy about that.
Those people are especially unhappy because the libels and slanders used against Israel advocates such as AIPAC are harder to use against an organization like ADL, with its well-deserved reputation akin to motherhood and apple pie. For those desperate Israel-haters, it is critical that they find some way to defame ADL and damage its reputation.
The way they have jumped on a question of semantics regarding an event ADL has always described as an atrocity demonstrates their desperation and the hatred they are infused with.
Just as the travesty the United Nations Commission on Human Rights was and its succession Human Rights Council has become have both given human rights a bad name, so has the way haters of Israel have misused the Belmont Human Rights Commission.
Such organizations should not be places for hate. How sadly reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984 it is that they are, at least at the United Nations and in Belmont.
This travesty was one of the factors leading to the demise of the Commission on Human Rights and its replacement by the Human Rights Council.
Now the Human Rights Council, whose membership includes some of the world's worst abusers of human rights, including China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia, is organizing Durban II. Reports on the preparatory meetings indicates Durban II will be as much a travesty as Durban I.
As an observer of the Arab-Israeli conflict, I've noticed that many groups with either peace or justice in their names are interested in neither; similarly, both the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council have been giving human rights a bad name.
Massachusetts is generally one of the most liberal and tolerant places in the United States, but this disease has recently spread there.
It began when Watertown, Massachusetts pulled out of the Anti-Defamation League's valuable "No Place for Hate" program on the grounds that the ADL did not officially recognize the Armenian genocide. It's not that the ADL denied the genocide; indeed, it always referred to the actions of the Ottoman Empire as atrocities. It was just that ADL had not used the word genocide in connection with the event. Relying on that semantic distinction, Watertown unfairly criticized one of our nation's most important civil rights organizations and deprived its students of a needed program.
Make no bones about it: ADL should have used the word genocide and presently does. One wonders, however, how many of the organizations Watertown has a relationship with have referred to those atrocities as genocide? I suspect very few. I also know of no other cases where Watertown has severed relations with an organization because it did not use that word. One wonders what led Watertown to single out the ADL in this manner?
To ask the question is to answer it. The Watertown officials have demonstrated that Watertown is a "Place for Hate;" they themselves are desperately in need of participating the the "No Place for Hate" program.
The fact that ADL is now using the word "genocide" has not led Watertown to change its mind, nor has it prevented Arlington from following its poor example.
Now the Belmont Human Rights Commission has joined the lynch mob. It has voted to recommend Belmont also pull out of "No Place for Hate," allegedly until the ADL "recognizes the Armenian genocide as historic fact and supports federal legislation to have the US government officially acknowledge the atrocity."
Like Watertown and Arlington, the Belmont Human Rights Commission is not interested in the fact that ADL has always recognized the Armenian genocide as an atrocity and is now using word genocide.
Like Watertown and Arlington, the Belmont Human Rights Commission is not interested in the fact that the branch of ADL running its "No Place for Hate" program have been outspoken in using the word genocide, or in the fact that the New England Regional Director courageously put his career in jeopardy by publicly pressuring his own national organization to use the word genocide.
To the best of my knowledge, the Belmont Human Rights Commission has also made no effort to disassociate itself from an organization far larger and more powerful than ADL which has never officially recognized the Armenian genocide, the US government.
Clearly, Watertown, Arlington and the Belmont Human Rights Commission are applying a hateful double standard.
It is possible that some of those involved are merely dupes, but the same cannot be said about whoever is orchestrating this hate campaign. They have an agenda which has nothing to do with human rights; their agenda is targeting the Anti-Defamation League.
According to the ADL Charter: "The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens."
Like any other organization, ADL is not perfect; admittedly, it was not as vigorous as it should have been in shedding light on the Armenian genocide. It shied away from using the term genocide in fear of damage it might cause vulnerable Jews living in Turkey and trouble it might cause for Israel, for which Turkey is one of the few Muslim nations not trying to destroy it.
ADL's fears were well-founded.
The Jewish community in Turkey is in a somewhat precarious position. I found that out personally when I went to a synagogue in Istanbul and they wouldn't let me in since I hadn't made an advance appointment, needed so that they could ensure I wasn't a terrorist. They have good reason to be cautious; synagogues in Istanbul have already been bombed.
ADL's use of the word genocide regarding Armenia has already set off a diplomatic furor, with the Turkish government demanding the Israeli government pressure ADL to change its mind. Here in America, the fact that Turkey would pressure Israel to pressure an independent American organization seems almost insane, but sanity has never been much of a factor in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The bottom line remains that ADL made a mistake, but it was a mistake borne of a desire to avoid rather than cause damage.
The same can not be said of those orchestrating the campaign whose main goal appears to be the demonization of an honorable organization by people who don't care that they are simultaneously depriving students of a valuable program.
Some may wonder what the motivation is, why anyone would want to demonize an organization dedicated to combatting hate and discrimination.
Basically, it's part of the new anti-Semitism, the singling out of the national liberation movement of the Jewish people as the one such movement to oppose and attempt to delegitimize.
In line with its mission to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment for all, ADL is naturally a strong supporter of the right of Israel to, as called for in United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, "to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."
People who are not yet reconciled to the existence of Israel, who still wish the six invading Arab armies had succeeded in destroying Israel at the moment of its re-establishment ins 1948, are not happy about that.
Those people are especially unhappy because the libels and slanders used against Israel advocates such as AIPAC are harder to use against an organization like ADL, with its well-deserved reputation akin to motherhood and apple pie. For those desperate Israel-haters, it is critical that they find some way to defame ADL and damage its reputation.
The way they have jumped on a question of semantics regarding an event ADL has always described as an atrocity demonstrates their desperation and the hatred they are infused with.
Just as the travesty the United Nations Commission on Human Rights was and its succession Human Rights Council has become have both given human rights a bad name, so has the way haters of Israel have misused the Belmont Human Rights Commission.
Such organizations should not be places for hate. How sadly reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984 it is that they are, at least at the United Nations and in Belmont.
Intentional misrepresentation-shame on you Palestinain media
by
GS Don morris, Ph.d.
First the story reported by Arab media, followed by some observations.Palestinian doctors decry Israeli descrimination against their patients
Bethlehem – Ma'an – A group of Palestinian doctors is calling on their colleagues not to be involved in discrimination by helping some patients to recieve treatment in Israel while others do not receive such permits.
The organization added that 44% of patients in Gaza who sent applications for treatments in Israel were rejected. Sixteen patients were rejected out of 44. Three of those who were rejected died.
Once gain the difference words can make and this time how poor math skills impact a story line. The headline could have read, to reflect the real facts: ‘Palestinian doctors appreciate Israel’s help with their high risk patients”
Israel treats its enemies. Let us not forget that Israel’s next-door enemy (9 miles from my personal home in Israel) tries to kill, maim or harm innocent Israeli citizens every day of every week. In spite of this we take the humanitarian high road and accept nearly two thirds of their most at risk patients. To frame this, as discrimination is not only inaccurate use of the English language, it is disingenuous.
Yes, whoever did the math must have failed 4th or 5th grade mathematics. Sixteen out of forty-four is NOT 44% -do the math! Once done correctly, the report could have said that nearly 2/3’s of at risk patients are accepted by Israel. Of course I would add, “this is most gracious of Israel given we are trying to murder their innocent citizens each day. We know of no other country who does this, even our Arab brothers do not allow it.”
It is all how you choose to report a story. We understand that the Palestinian media decides to intentionally misrepresent the truth and to inflame tensions among its own people. So is the respect for human life in the disputed territories!
GS Don morris, Ph.d.
First the story reported by Arab media, followed by some observations.Palestinian doctors decry Israeli descrimination against their patients
Bethlehem – Ma'an – A group of Palestinian doctors is calling on their colleagues not to be involved in discrimination by helping some patients to recieve treatment in Israel while others do not receive such permits.
The organization added that 44% of patients in Gaza who sent applications for treatments in Israel were rejected. Sixteen patients were rejected out of 44. Three of those who were rejected died.
Once gain the difference words can make and this time how poor math skills impact a story line. The headline could have read, to reflect the real facts: ‘Palestinian doctors appreciate Israel’s help with their high risk patients”
Israel treats its enemies. Let us not forget that Israel’s next-door enemy (9 miles from my personal home in Israel) tries to kill, maim or harm innocent Israeli citizens every day of every week. In spite of this we take the humanitarian high road and accept nearly two thirds of their most at risk patients. To frame this, as discrimination is not only inaccurate use of the English language, it is disingenuous.
Yes, whoever did the math must have failed 4th or 5th grade mathematics. Sixteen out of forty-four is NOT 44% -do the math! Once done correctly, the report could have said that nearly 2/3’s of at risk patients are accepted by Israel. Of course I would add, “this is most gracious of Israel given we are trying to murder their innocent citizens each day. We know of no other country who does this, even our Arab brothers do not allow it.”
It is all how you choose to report a story. We understand that the Palestinian media decides to intentionally misrepresent the truth and to inflame tensions among its own people. So is the respect for human life in the disputed territories!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The Difference Between Palestinian Arab Moderates and Extremists
At the current time, Gaza is ruled by a group of extremist Palestinian Arab terrorists (Hamas) while the West Bank is ruled by a group of "moderate" Palestinian Arab terrorists (Fatah). One naturally wonders about the distinction between moderates and extremists.
Over the last five years, approximately two thousand Kassam missiles have been launched from Gaza at the nearby Israeli town of Sderot. The population of Sderot is approximately twenty-four thousand, which means there has been one missile launched for every dozen Israelis living in Sderot. This is equivalent to nearly a million missiles launched at New York City.
During this entire period, Israel has continued provide water and power, including electricity, to the Gaza Strip. Israel is now considering reducing the amount of power it supplies to Gaza if those missile attacks continue.
Imagine the following question: Suppose the state of New Jersey received its water and electricity from New York City, yet launched a million missiles at New York a five year period. Do you think New York would continue to supply water and electricity to New Jersey?
Now back to the question about the difference between the moderates and the extremists.
According to the Ma'an News Agency, a Palestinian on-line News agency funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Danish International Development Assistance, the "Buraq Army unit of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, warned Tuesday that if Israel deprives Gaza of electricity, the Israeli power generating station at Ashkelon will be bombarded." Furthermore, on Tuesday, "the Al-Mujahideen Brigades, another unit of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, claimed responsibility for launching a rocket at the Israeli town of Sderot."
Fatah, remember, is the "moderate" group.
So, what's the difference between the Palestinian Arab "moderates" and "extremists?"
The "moderates" are secular fanatics while the "extremists" are religious fanatics.
America, after indirectly arming the religious fanatics by transferring arms to Fatah in Gaza so they could be captured by Hamas during the recent coup, is now considering further arming Fatah in the West Bank.
Now, for the most important question, first asked by Pete Seeger: "When will we ever learn?"
Over the last five years, approximately two thousand Kassam missiles have been launched from Gaza at the nearby Israeli town of Sderot. The population of Sderot is approximately twenty-four thousand, which means there has been one missile launched for every dozen Israelis living in Sderot. This is equivalent to nearly a million missiles launched at New York City.
During this entire period, Israel has continued provide water and power, including electricity, to the Gaza Strip. Israel is now considering reducing the amount of power it supplies to Gaza if those missile attacks continue.
Imagine the following question: Suppose the state of New Jersey received its water and electricity from New York City, yet launched a million missiles at New York a five year period. Do you think New York would continue to supply water and electricity to New Jersey?
Now back to the question about the difference between the moderates and the extremists.
According to the Ma'an News Agency, a Palestinian on-line News agency funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Danish International Development Assistance, the "Buraq Army unit of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, warned Tuesday that if Israel deprives Gaza of electricity, the Israeli power generating station at Ashkelon will be bombarded." Furthermore, on Tuesday, "the Al-Mujahideen Brigades, another unit of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, claimed responsibility for launching a rocket at the Israeli town of Sderot."
Fatah, remember, is the "moderate" group.
So, what's the difference between the Palestinian Arab "moderates" and "extremists?"
The "moderates" are secular fanatics while the "extremists" are religious fanatics.
America, after indirectly arming the religious fanatics by transferring arms to Fatah in Gaza so they could be captured by Hamas during the recent coup, is now considering further arming Fatah in the West Bank.
Now, for the most important question, first asked by Pete Seeger: "When will we ever learn?"
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Amanpour’s anti-Israel Hatchet Job
By Robert "RB" Arbetman
CNN’s “Christian Warriors” love Israel. The real Christian Warriors hate Israel and Jews with a passion
Any supporter of Israel who saw the CNN special “Gd’s Warriors” starring their leading correspondent, Christiane Amanpour had to notice the extreme anti-Israel bias of the series. Much has been written about Amanpour’s mis-stated facts and omissions as well as her choice of people who were interviewed. Yet the most glaring example of anti-Israel bias was not to be found in the segment about Jews, but rather the segment about Christians.
Here again, many of us have read the standard fare about how Evangelical Christians who go to church, vote, go to law school etc., are compared to Muslim suicide bombers. I have no arguments against these themes, but one issue stands out among CNN’s portrayal of “God’s Christian Soldiers”: they support Israel.
To some Jews and pro-Israel activists, this may have tickled a few instincts, but to date I have not found one commentator who has offered the following thesis: If Christiane Amanpour wanted to find “God’s Christian Warriors” who are genuinely analogous to Muslim terrorists, she didn’t have to look farther than the anti-Defamation League’s web site. There, anyone can find a whole list of home-grown Christian-based organizations with an established history of murder, lynching and bombing. The Christian Identity Movement, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Militia Movement are well known to everyone embarrassed by America’s home-grown terrorists. If Amanpour could reach back to the 1980’s and 1990’s to cite examples of Jewish extreme violence, certainly the Militia Movement which spawned the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing should qualify at least some air-time covering these organizations.
Instead, Amanpour handed us “smoking gun” proof of her anti-Israel bias by focusing her entire two-hour segment on Evangelical Christians who support Israel (for whatever reason), go to church, oppose abortion, vote, and go to school. Only in the most rare instances have abortion opponents committed violent crimes against abortion clinics.
Amanpour even spent considerable air time trying to explain WHY Evangelical Christians support Israel ignoring the simple fact that there is no simple or single reason for this support. By comparison to the deadly, murderous rampage of anti-Semitic Christian Warriors, the samples of “God’s Christian Warriors” provided by Amanpour and CNN are cream puffs. Having watched this segment three times, I have not noticed one mention of any well-known anti-Semitic Christian-based organizations listed on the ADL’s web site.
“God’s Christian Warriors” don’t lynch African-Americans, firebomb African-American churches, murder U.S. Marshals or bomb federal office buildings. They don’t even lead divestment and boycott movements within their churches. No! “God’s Christians Warriors” support Israel, vote, go to college and law school. Amanpour’s “Gd’s Christian Warriors” are compared to Al-Qeida while Christian anti-Semites on the ADL’s list of domestic terrorists received no mention in the program. This is what I call “smoking-gun” proof of Amanpour’s anti-Israel bias. I don’t know why other commentaries on this series’ anti-Israel bias haven’t taken notice.
CNN’s “Christian Warriors” love Israel. The real Christian Warriors hate Israel and Jews with a passion
Any supporter of Israel who saw the CNN special “Gd’s Warriors” starring their leading correspondent, Christiane Amanpour had to notice the extreme anti-Israel bias of the series. Much has been written about Amanpour’s mis-stated facts and omissions as well as her choice of people who were interviewed. Yet the most glaring example of anti-Israel bias was not to be found in the segment about Jews, but rather the segment about Christians.
Here again, many of us have read the standard fare about how Evangelical Christians who go to church, vote, go to law school etc., are compared to Muslim suicide bombers. I have no arguments against these themes, but one issue stands out among CNN’s portrayal of “God’s Christian Soldiers”: they support Israel.
To some Jews and pro-Israel activists, this may have tickled a few instincts, but to date I have not found one commentator who has offered the following thesis: If Christiane Amanpour wanted to find “God’s Christian Warriors” who are genuinely analogous to Muslim terrorists, she didn’t have to look farther than the anti-Defamation League’s web site. There, anyone can find a whole list of home-grown Christian-based organizations with an established history of murder, lynching and bombing. The Christian Identity Movement, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Militia Movement are well known to everyone embarrassed by America’s home-grown terrorists. If Amanpour could reach back to the 1980’s and 1990’s to cite examples of Jewish extreme violence, certainly the Militia Movement which spawned the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing should qualify at least some air-time covering these organizations.
Instead, Amanpour handed us “smoking gun” proof of her anti-Israel bias by focusing her entire two-hour segment on Evangelical Christians who support Israel (for whatever reason), go to church, oppose abortion, vote, and go to school. Only in the most rare instances have abortion opponents committed violent crimes against abortion clinics.
Amanpour even spent considerable air time trying to explain WHY Evangelical Christians support Israel ignoring the simple fact that there is no simple or single reason for this support. By comparison to the deadly, murderous rampage of anti-Semitic Christian Warriors, the samples of “God’s Christian Warriors” provided by Amanpour and CNN are cream puffs. Having watched this segment three times, I have not noticed one mention of any well-known anti-Semitic Christian-based organizations listed on the ADL’s web site.
“God’s Christian Warriors” don’t lynch African-Americans, firebomb African-American churches, murder U.S. Marshals or bomb federal office buildings. They don’t even lead divestment and boycott movements within their churches. No! “God’s Christians Warriors” support Israel, vote, go to college and law school. Amanpour’s “Gd’s Christian Warriors” are compared to Al-Qeida while Christian anti-Semites on the ADL’s list of domestic terrorists received no mention in the program. This is what I call “smoking-gun” proof of Amanpour’s anti-Israel bias. I don’t know why other commentaries on this series’ anti-Israel bias haven’t taken notice.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Condo Was Right
According to an Associated Press article, Rice Thought Palestinian Leader Weak by Anne Gearan, "Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thought Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a weak disappointment, and she once judged President Bush's signature Mideast peace program unworkable," considering Abbas "a nice man but ineffective" and "unworthy of the investment in trust and money the U.S. had placed in him."
I'm not sure I would consider a Holocaust denier and long-time terrorist leader "a nice man," but Abbas is certainly and ineffective, and has gotten far weaker and more ineffective since 2005, when Rice came to those conclusions early in her term as secretary of state.
Since that time, Abbas' ineffectiveness first led to the election victory by Hamas, followed by the Hamas coup in Gaza which should have cured everyone of any illusion that it was possible to come to a workable peace agreement with Abbas in the foreseeable future.
President Bush's Mideast peace program, the "road map," although heavily slanted in favor of the Palestinian Arabs, might have been workable had there been an effective Palestinian Arab leadership willing to adhere to the agreements it had already signed and willing to make minimal compromises.
One wonders why she is now pushing for a "peace conference" that has no chance of any success and is highly likely to have negative consequences.
Condo was right in 2005. What she recognized then is even clearer today. She should start making the obvious inferences from her own observations.
I'm not sure I would consider a Holocaust denier and long-time terrorist leader "a nice man," but Abbas is certainly and ineffective, and has gotten far weaker and more ineffective since 2005, when Rice came to those conclusions early in her term as secretary of state.
Since that time, Abbas' ineffectiveness first led to the election victory by Hamas, followed by the Hamas coup in Gaza which should have cured everyone of any illusion that it was possible to come to a workable peace agreement with Abbas in the foreseeable future.
President Bush's Mideast peace program, the "road map," although heavily slanted in favor of the Palestinian Arabs, might have been workable had there been an effective Palestinian Arab leadership willing to adhere to the agreements it had already signed and willing to make minimal compromises.
The road map was biased in favor of the Palestinian Arabs and against Israel because its only real requirement on the Palestinian Arabs was that it start adhering to some of the commitments, such as the end of terrorism, it had long before made, while it required additional and unfair steps, effectively the ethnic cleansing of the Jewish population from some areas of the disputed territories, from Israel
Given that the Palestinian Arab leadership was not only, as Rice recognized, weak and ineffective, but also unwilling to compromise, Rice's observation "The road map is at best a marginal plan. It doesn't work," was accurate.One wonders why she is now pushing for a "peace conference" that has no chance of any success and is highly likely to have negative consequences.
Condo was right in 2005. What she recognized then is even clearer today. She should start making the obvious inferences from her own observations.
Monday, September 3, 2007
More Muslim Hypocrisy
It wasn't long ago that Muslims around the world protested Israeli construction of a bridge to the Temple Mount. They complained the construction of the bridge, needed to replace an older bridge that had collapsed, was undermining the Temple Mount.
The fact that the construction was outside the Temple Mount and could not possibly cause any damage did nothing to deter those protests. The fact that the Muslim Waqf has repeatedly performed excavations which have damaged the Temple Mount and archaeological treasures also did nothing to deter those protests.
They were just another opportunity to inflame Muslims against Israel and another attempt to see much much the rest of the world would indulge their fanatical hatred of everything Israeli.
(At the present time, Israel is redesigning the bridge to avoid damaging any artifacts.)
Meanwhile, unsupervised construction by the Muslim Waqf has continued and is damaging irreplaceable antiquities — and the world sleeps!
According to an article Antiquities Exposed by Arab Digging on Temple Mount by Aaron Klein published in WorldNetDaily, "A photo of a massive trench the Islamic authorities are digging on the Temple Mount - Judaism's holiest site - shows what appears to be a chopped up carved stone from Jewish Temple-era antiquity."
According to archaeologist Eilat Mazar, it might be part of the Temple Wall, which Muslim authorities are apparently trying to destroy. This could be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent times.
The Israeli government has been over-solicitous of phony Arab and Muslim sensibilities since 2000, allowing the Muslim Waqf to vandalize the Temple Mount unimpeded for more than seven years.
Enough is enough. The Israeli government has to accept its responsibility for overseeing activity on what is its most important site, on its sovereign territory in its own capital.
All construction activity by the Muslim Waqf in Jerusalem must be halted immediately until it is reviewed by the Israel Antiquities Authority and all future activity must be done properly, under the supervision of the Antiquities Authority.
More photos are available at One Jerusalem Blog.
The fact that the construction was outside the Temple Mount and could not possibly cause any damage did nothing to deter those protests. The fact that the Muslim Waqf has repeatedly performed excavations which have damaged the Temple Mount and archaeological treasures also did nothing to deter those protests.
They were just another opportunity to inflame Muslims against Israel and another attempt to see much much the rest of the world would indulge their fanatical hatred of everything Israeli.
(At the present time, Israel is redesigning the bridge to avoid damaging any artifacts.)
Meanwhile, unsupervised construction by the Muslim Waqf has continued and is damaging irreplaceable antiquities — and the world sleeps!
According to an article Antiquities Exposed by Arab Digging on Temple Mount by Aaron Klein published in WorldNetDaily, "A photo of a massive trench the Islamic authorities are digging on the Temple Mount - Judaism's holiest site - shows what appears to be a chopped up carved stone from Jewish Temple-era antiquity."
Possible carved stone from Jewish Temple-era antiquity exposed by digging at Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
According to archaeologist Eilat Mazar, it might be part of the Temple Wall, which Muslim authorities are apparently trying to destroy. This could be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent times.
The Israeli government has been over-solicitous of phony Arab and Muslim sensibilities since 2000, allowing the Muslim Waqf to vandalize the Temple Mount unimpeded for more than seven years.
Enough is enough. The Israeli government has to accept its responsibility for overseeing activity on what is its most important site, on its sovereign territory in its own capital.
All construction activity by the Muslim Waqf in Jerusalem must be halted immediately until it is reviewed by the Israel Antiquities Authority and all future activity must be done properly, under the supervision of the Antiquities Authority.
More photos are available at One Jerusalem Blog.
Let Them Bring Bombs
"Let them bring bombs" is the real message underlying the article Our Holiday Journey: Another rude and unpleasant experience at Ben Gurion Airport written by Nabil Razzouk (nrazzouk1@yahoo.co.uk), a humanitarian aid worker who allegedly works with some unnamed international NGO. The article appears in This Week in Palestine and has been distributed widely to anti-Israel venues on the web.
In an article rife with omissions and inaccuracies, Razzouk complains about the security measures at Ben Gurion Airport, apparently preferring that the Israeli authorities make it as easy as possible for terrorists to blow up airliners. He is another example of the anti-Israel bias pervading so many non-governmental organizations injecting themselves into the Arab-Israeli conflict, again demonstrating the need for groups like NGO Monitor to cast light on their nefarious activities.
Razzouk relates his family's alleged experience at the airport. I write alleged because his description contains clear errors, casting doubt on his honesty.
Razzouk ambiguously implies it was his response to the one question he mentioned that prompted additional scrutiny, but both omits his answer and is unclear about whether there were other questions and answers which prompted the scrutiny.
My wife and I have not only gone through similar scrutiny at Ben Gurion Airport, but when traveling to Israel always travel El Al precisely because of its thorough security system. We learned our lesson the one time we tried flying to Israel on another, now defunct airline, TWA, because we were able to get a good deal on our tickets.
With no prior security, the check-in clerk, while looking at our tickets but not at us, said "you packed your own bags, didn't you?" My wife and I looked at each other and were already wondering whether the risk made it worth saving a few hundred dollars on the tickets.
Either she or another check-in clerk carelessly let three Arab teenagers without proper documents onto the flight. The discovery of this blunder led to a four hour delay after the plane was fully boarded. It was both unpleasant and nervewracking to be forced to sit on the poorly ventilated plane as the undocumented passengers were questioned, their luggage unloaded and searched and the upholstery near their seats removed and searched.
At the time, I felt relatively safe when the three passengers were let back on the plane, confident they would not blow up their own plane. That was obviously before the onset of the suicide bomber epidemic. If a similar incident happened today, I would run off the plane.
I'm very thankful for the careful security checks by what Razzouk maligns as the "so-called 'Israel Airport Security Authority.'" I'm thankful they pay attention not only to the answers given, but the way the answers are given. Indeed, it was likely Razzouk's hostility which set off a red flag on the part of the security services and led them to take extra care.
Razzouk further complains that her luggage, after passing through the screening machine, was hand searched. My wife and I went through the same experience last year and were relieved. We knew we had something in our luggage that might look suspicious and would have gotten nervous if Israeli security had let it on the plane without a careful check.
Another Razzouk complaint had to do with the fact that security personnel examined her daughter's doll, as if terrorists were above placing bombs in children's toys.
And of course the body search. I remember my mother-in-law describe the body search she went through, a search which included an internal search, when fulfilling her life-long dream of visiting Israel about three decades ago, at a time when Arab terrorism was far less prevalent. As a Jewish woman in her sixties, I doubt she fit the typical profile for a terrorist, but she must have done something that made security cautious.
Razzouk says she felt compelled to ask "Do you think a terrorist would attach a bomb or explosives to the body of his own baby?" and says they all fall silent.
Most likely they were trying to be as polite as possible, since Arab terrorists have been found to use even infants to hide bombs and explosives; were children not checked, they would provide a virtual sieve for the smuggling of weapons.
Razzouk finds "this entire ordeal to be illogical, meaningless, rude, and unpleasant - outrageous for any human being to have to endure."
I agree that it is outrageous that any human beings have to endure such security checks. I suspect most of the personnel performing the security checks also agree.
Unfortunately, as long as Arab terrorists continue their far more outrageous campaign aimed at murdering innocent people and ultimately destroying Israel, these outrageous security checks are essential. I am thankful Israel undertakes them and am even more thankful to the security personnel who are willing to perform these unpleasant tasks in order to safeguard the lives of innocent people.
In an article rife with omissions and inaccuracies, Razzouk complains about the security measures at Ben Gurion Airport, apparently preferring that the Israeli authorities make it as easy as possible for terrorists to blow up airliners. He is another example of the anti-Israel bias pervading so many non-governmental organizations injecting themselves into the Arab-Israeli conflict, again demonstrating the need for groups like NGO Monitor to cast light on their nefarious activities.
Razzouk relates his family's alleged experience at the airport. I write alleged because his description contains clear errors, casting doubt on his honesty.
Upon our arrival at the airport, we queue to check in and are greeted by a half-asleep employee who requests our tickets and passports. As she goes through the documents, she starts the routine questions: "Where are you coming from now?" After our response, she becomes pale and calls to her colleague for help.One does not queue to check in upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport; one first goes through a security check. It is the thoroughness of this security check that makes Ben Gurion a safe airport despite the efforts of terrorists who would love perpetuate a massacre there or hijack or blow up a plane.
Razzouk ambiguously implies it was his response to the one question he mentioned that prompted additional scrutiny, but both omits his answer and is unclear about whether there were other questions and answers which prompted the scrutiny.
My wife and I have not only gone through similar scrutiny at Ben Gurion Airport, but when traveling to Israel always travel El Al precisely because of its thorough security system. We learned our lesson the one time we tried flying to Israel on another, now defunct airline, TWA, because we were able to get a good deal on our tickets.
With no prior security, the check-in clerk, while looking at our tickets but not at us, said "you packed your own bags, didn't you?" My wife and I looked at each other and were already wondering whether the risk made it worth saving a few hundred dollars on the tickets.
Either she or another check-in clerk carelessly let three Arab teenagers without proper documents onto the flight. The discovery of this blunder led to a four hour delay after the plane was fully boarded. It was both unpleasant and nervewracking to be forced to sit on the poorly ventilated plane as the undocumented passengers were questioned, their luggage unloaded and searched and the upholstery near their seats removed and searched.
At the time, I felt relatively safe when the three passengers were let back on the plane, confident they would not blow up their own plane. That was obviously before the onset of the suicide bomber epidemic. If a similar incident happened today, I would run off the plane.
I'm very thankful for the careful security checks by what Razzouk maligns as the "so-called 'Israel Airport Security Authority.'" I'm thankful they pay attention not only to the answers given, but the way the answers are given. Indeed, it was likely Razzouk's hostility which set off a red flag on the part of the security services and led them to take extra care.
Razzouk further complains that her luggage, after passing through the screening machine, was hand searched. My wife and I went through the same experience last year and were relieved. We knew we had something in our luggage that might look suspicious and would have gotten nervous if Israeli security had let it on the plane without a careful check.
Another Razzouk complaint had to do with the fact that security personnel examined her daughter's doll, as if terrorists were above placing bombs in children's toys.
And of course the body search. I remember my mother-in-law describe the body search she went through, a search which included an internal search, when fulfilling her life-long dream of visiting Israel about three decades ago, at a time when Arab terrorism was far less prevalent. As a Jewish woman in her sixties, I doubt she fit the typical profile for a terrorist, but she must have done something that made security cautious.
Razzouk says she felt compelled to ask "Do you think a terrorist would attach a bomb or explosives to the body of his own baby?" and says they all fall silent.
Most likely they were trying to be as polite as possible, since Arab terrorists have been found to use even infants to hide bombs and explosives; were children not checked, they would provide a virtual sieve for the smuggling of weapons.
Razzouk finds "this entire ordeal to be illogical, meaningless, rude, and unpleasant - outrageous for any human being to have to endure."
I agree that it is outrageous that any human beings have to endure such security checks. I suspect most of the personnel performing the security checks also agree.
Unfortunately, as long as Arab terrorists continue their far more outrageous campaign aimed at murdering innocent people and ultimately destroying Israel, these outrageous security checks are essential. I am thankful Israel undertakes them and am even more thankful to the security personnel who are willing to perform these unpleasant tasks in order to safeguard the lives of innocent people.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Abdicate All Responsibility-It’s “Their” Fault!
As the Labor Day weekend begins in America, life for all of us here in the Middle East continues as it always does-no holiday from violence or destruction-this is true for peoples on all sides of the so-called conflict. No matter what you call it, people here do not have the luxury of holidays.
Israel's enemies continue to engage in public relations practices that serve only their own special interests. Their playbook is the same as it has been for the last decade: obfuscate the truth, redirect the reader's focus, abdicate all responsibility and resort to name calling and placing blame upon Israel for one's own intentional behavior. Note the story in a "Palestinian" newspaper today:
Child-killers par excellence written by Khalid Amayreh in Occupied East Jerusalem
(Notice how Khalid slipped in the incorrect description of Jerusalem's status but politically correct inside the disputed territories)
What is lost in this diatribe is the truth. Palestinian reporters' and self-proclaimed commentators historically use the afore-mentioned tactics. Events are revised, Israel is vilified and blame is placed upon us. Well, enough is enough! At least with this one story allows me to share what Khalid forgot to tell you.
Let us begin with the fact that a 15-year-old homicide bomber was sent by adults and by leaders similar to Khalid to murder civilians nearby the location where the youngsters died. Additionally, Khalid failed to share with the readership how the growing use of children by Gaza-based terror groups has escalated-thus, it is no surprise to find youngsters engaged in war zone activity. Also missing from his commentary was the ongoing firing of Kassam rockets into the western Negev from Gaza. Although the media is no longer reporting these incidents, hundreds of rocket attacks each month, they continue to occur. We, in Israel, defend ourselves by attacking those people and the locations of rocket launches-you would do the same!
However, there are more facts that mysteriously were unreported by Khalid. Terrorists now fear for their lives and know that we can now locate and destroy launch sites. Not wishing to visit their 72 virgins soon, they actually do hire youngsters to retrieve the launchers-they pay these kids 10 shekels or about $2.42. Why do they send kids to do this? The terrorists know that it is Israeli engagement policy to not fire on children! That's right, it is our policy to not fire or otherwise harm children. Khalid lied in his piece about this point-you see it does not fit the picture he tries to paint. It is customary for these lies to be presented every time a child is unfortunately killed.
Israel has announced that rocket launch sites are considered active war zones and anyone entering said zones would be addressed with force. My question for the sensitive, caring Khalid, is why would any adult, parent, leader or friend allow these children anywhere near such war zones. As a father I know my children are never permitted to go near such places and actually they are remanded to our home if any military action is occurring. Is this not the responsible, adult behavior? Why is it not part of the Palestinian culture? We are told they love their children too!
Finally, here is what's known. Israel is attacked daily by rockets, our citizens are maimed, murdered and their lives are also disrupted by other adults' actions. Palestinian youngsters are hired to retrieve the launchers and they do so within active war zones. Their parents, guardians and other adult leaders promote this behavior rather than protect them-it is an intentional action. The Palestinian media, TV programs, schoolbooks, classrooms promote daily the demonization of Jews and Israel. Two generations of Palestinians have been taught and thus learned nothing but hatred-this manifests itself daily here in our neighborhood. Khalid did not mention this; rather he applies the strategy of deception and "smoke and mirrors" thus abdicating all responsibility for youth behavior. Israelis are vilified as this takes the focus off the Palestinian behavior, their responsibilities and lays al blame upon others. This in turn allows one to never look inward, to never ask how I contribute to this life of misery. It is far easier to blame. Interesting, the so-called concerned humanitarian groups as just as guilty as they reinforce the "Palestinian" behavior. Shame on all of you! You are part of the problem-when will you have the courage to change?
Israel's enemies continue to engage in public relations practices that serve only their own special interests. Their playbook is the same as it has been for the last decade: obfuscate the truth, redirect the reader's focus, abdicate all responsibility and resort to name calling and placing blame upon Israel for one's own intentional behavior. Note the story in a "Palestinian" newspaper today:
Child-killers par excellence written by Khalid Amayreh in Occupied East Jerusalem
(Notice how Khalid slipped in the incorrect description of Jerusalem's status but politically correct inside the disputed territories)
Here is how this commentator reports the rest of the events.
Seeking to demoralize Palestinians into total submission and surrender,the Israeli occupation army on Wednesday, 29 August, murdered in cold blood three Palestinian children in the northern Gaza Strip. According to eyewitnesses, an Israeli tank fired a large artillery shell at a northern Gaza neighborhood, killing three children from the same family. The children, whom theIsraeli media, parroting army disinformation, referred to as teenagers,have been identified as Muhammed Ghazal, 10, Yahya Ghazal 12, and Sara Ghazal, also 10 years. According to the victims' family, the kids were playing Tagin the backyard of their home when the artillery shell struck, killing them on the spot and mutilating their tender bodies.And then the description and use of language intensifies, as though this word smithed piece was not ugly enough.
Following the grisly slaughter, and as usual in such circumstances, the Israeli army switched to the damage-control mode, claiming that the killing occurred by mistake. Israeli officials also sought to deflect blame, "claiming that the kids were hired by terrorists to retrieve rocket launchers," and that the army "spotted suspicious movements in the area."Notice next how this writer once again intensifies the use of language with name-calling and use of derogatory terms offensive to all Western, caring peoples.
"Indeed, since the outbreak of the Palestinian Intifada oruprising against the Nazi-like Israeli occupation in 2000, the Israeli army and paramilitary Jewish terrorists murdered as many as 1000 Palestinian children and minors." The often pornographic killings raise no eyebrows among Israeli Jews who have come to view the killing of Palestinians, including children, as banal, given the frequency of its occurrence.What is lost in this diatribe is the truth. Palestinian reporters' and self-proclaimed commentators historically use the afore-mentioned tactics. Events are revised, Israel is vilified and blame is placed upon us. Well, enough is enough! At least with this one story allows me to share what Khalid forgot to tell you.
Let us begin with the fact that a 15-year-old homicide bomber was sent by adults and by leaders similar to Khalid to murder civilians nearby the location where the youngsters died. Additionally, Khalid failed to share with the readership how the growing use of children by Gaza-based terror groups has escalated-thus, it is no surprise to find youngsters engaged in war zone activity. Also missing from his commentary was the ongoing firing of Kassam rockets into the western Negev from Gaza. Although the media is no longer reporting these incidents, hundreds of rocket attacks each month, they continue to occur. We, in Israel, defend ourselves by attacking those people and the locations of rocket launches-you would do the same!
However, there are more facts that mysteriously were unreported by Khalid. Terrorists now fear for their lives and know that we can now locate and destroy launch sites. Not wishing to visit their 72 virgins soon, they actually do hire youngsters to retrieve the launchers-they pay these kids 10 shekels or about $2.42. Why do they send kids to do this? The terrorists know that it is Israeli engagement policy to not fire on children! That's right, it is our policy to not fire or otherwise harm children. Khalid lied in his piece about this point-you see it does not fit the picture he tries to paint. It is customary for these lies to be presented every time a child is unfortunately killed.
Israel has announced that rocket launch sites are considered active war zones and anyone entering said zones would be addressed with force. My question for the sensitive, caring Khalid, is why would any adult, parent, leader or friend allow these children anywhere near such war zones. As a father I know my children are never permitted to go near such places and actually they are remanded to our home if any military action is occurring. Is this not the responsible, adult behavior? Why is it not part of the Palestinian culture? We are told they love their children too!
Finally, here is what's known. Israel is attacked daily by rockets, our citizens are maimed, murdered and their lives are also disrupted by other adults' actions. Palestinian youngsters are hired to retrieve the launchers and they do so within active war zones. Their parents, guardians and other adult leaders promote this behavior rather than protect them-it is an intentional action. The Palestinian media, TV programs, schoolbooks, classrooms promote daily the demonization of Jews and Israel. Two generations of Palestinians have been taught and thus learned nothing but hatred-this manifests itself daily here in our neighborhood. Khalid did not mention this; rather he applies the strategy of deception and "smoke and mirrors" thus abdicating all responsibility for youth behavior. Israelis are vilified as this takes the focus off the Palestinian behavior, their responsibilities and lays al blame upon others. This in turn allows one to never look inward, to never ask how I contribute to this life of misery. It is far easier to blame. Interesting, the so-called concerned humanitarian groups as just as guilty as they reinforce the "Palestinian" behavior. Shame on all of you! You are part of the problem-when will you have the courage to change?
Saturday, September 1, 2007
King Abdullah Criticizes His Father
Jordan's king didn't mention his father by name and may not have even been thinking he was criticizing his father, the late King Hussein, but he labeled as unacceptable a situation his father had been instrumental in perpetuating for many years.
As described in an Associated Press article Jordan's king urges Palestinians to overcome internal divisions. Abdullah insisted " reason prevail," Abdullah said in an interview with Jordanian television. "The separation of Gaza from the West Bank is unacceptable at both the Palestinian and Arab levels."
In fact, it was King Abudullah I, whom the present Jordanian king is named for, who initially kept the West Bank and Gaza separate in 1948, while King Hussein continued that separation, in collusion with Egypt, the occupier of Gaza, from the time he ascended the throne in 1953 until 1967, when his foolish attack on Israel resulted in the loss of the territory Jordan had occupied for two decades.
Abdullah also called on Israel "to recognize the rights of the Palestinian people ... and cooperate for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state."
To his father's credit, King Hussein was the only Arab ruler who gave the Palestinian Arab refugees any rights, giving them Jordanian citizenship, but during the twenty years Jordan occupied the West Bank he never moved to allow the establishment of another independent Palestinian state. (People tend to forget that Jordan was established on approximately seventy-eight percent of the territory of Britain's Palestine mandate, so by any normal standard Jordan itself must be considered a Palestinian state.)
The fact that the present Jordanian king calls unacceptable a situation his father, grandfather and greatgrandfather all perpetuated for nineteen years and also calls for the establishment of an entity each of them could have but refused to establish should be considered criticism of each of them.
On the other hand, we can be certain had Egypt not forced the 1967 War or had his father not attacked Israel during that war and had the currently disputed territories remained under Egyptian and Jordanian occupation, neither Hosni Mubarak nor King Abdullah II would have any interest in ending their control, ending the separation of the West Bank and Gaza or establishing another Palestinian Arab state.
As described in an Associated Press article Jordan's king urges Palestinians to overcome internal divisions. Abdullah insisted " reason prevail," Abdullah said in an interview with Jordanian television. "The separation of Gaza from the West Bank is unacceptable at both the Palestinian and Arab levels."
In fact, it was King Abudullah I, whom the present Jordanian king is named for, who initially kept the West Bank and Gaza separate in 1948, while King Hussein continued that separation, in collusion with Egypt, the occupier of Gaza, from the time he ascended the throne in 1953 until 1967, when his foolish attack on Israel resulted in the loss of the territory Jordan had occupied for two decades.
Abdullah also called on Israel "to recognize the rights of the Palestinian people ... and cooperate for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state."
To his father's credit, King Hussein was the only Arab ruler who gave the Palestinian Arab refugees any rights, giving them Jordanian citizenship, but during the twenty years Jordan occupied the West Bank he never moved to allow the establishment of another independent Palestinian state. (People tend to forget that Jordan was established on approximately seventy-eight percent of the territory of Britain's Palestine mandate, so by any normal standard Jordan itself must be considered a Palestinian state.)
The fact that the present Jordanian king calls unacceptable a situation his father, grandfather and greatgrandfather all perpetuated for nineteen years and also calls for the establishment of an entity each of them could have but refused to establish should be considered criticism of each of them.
On the other hand, we can be certain had Egypt not forced the 1967 War or had his father not attacked Israel during that war and had the currently disputed territories remained under Egyptian and Jordanian occupation, neither Hosni Mubarak nor King Abdullah II would have any interest in ending their control, ending the separation of the West Bank and Gaza or establishing another Palestinian Arab state.
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