This was a baby nation that has yet to learn the ways of the family into
which it was born....
This simple birth was perhaps more of a nightmare than a faery tale. To
say it was a fortuitous event for the family would be to overstate the truth....
She was trained in the horrors of persecution and torture. Her name was
Israel. She was named for a forefather. So if she acts a bit aggressive and
masculine we need to overlook that.
Too many have either forgotten or never knew about the Stern Gang and
other groups from within, who were out to exterminate Arabs living in what
has become Israel. The "Palestinians" were not the enemy of Israel in 1948.
They withdrew for the safety of their families because they did not, for the
most part, participate in the Arab/Israeli war of 1948. Israel did win and the
Palestinians were not allowed to return home. Some of their families did in
fact stand up to other Arabs and do their best to protect their Jewish
neighbors. It was a point of desert hospitality and honor that they had lived
side by side and eaten with each other and so could not kill their neighbor
who they often had in fact been close friends with.
The refusal of return following the war in 1948 left thousands stranded in
the desert. They lived in refugee camps and mourned the loss of their homes,
lands, livelihoods, and freedom.
Their neighboring Arabs did nothing to alleviate their suffering and lack of a
place and citizenship. They had not fought in the war for either side, in most
instances, had became pariah to the warring parties, unwanted and unaided
by their old neighbors or their brother Arabs.
While Egypt and Jordan controlled the area of Trans Jordan for 17 years,
nothing was done to benefit the people in this remnant area of Palestine.
They could have established a nation if they had chosen to. Instead they left
this area to serve as a buffer zone between themselves and Israel, not as an
independent nation but a ruled territory. They really didn't care about this
group......it isn't us so why bother?
When the war of 1967 came along and the surrounding nations once again
prepared to attack Israel.... Israel won against incredible odds. BUT this time
Israel had also taken the Golan Heights, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and
the Sinai Peninsula.
Egypt in a gutsy move signed a peace treaty with Israel in exchange for the
return of the Sinai. But Israel forgot one thing in all of her glorying. In 1950
the UN had become the worlds negotiation and enforcement body and they
and the World Court had outlawed colonialism. England soon gave up her
hold on Canada, New Zealand, and Australia while keeping such tiny places
as the Falkland Islands. Other nations gave up their colonies in Asia and Africa.
America has kept Samoa, Puerto Rico, and Guam while turning the larger
territories of Hawaii and Alaska into states.
Land specifically taken in war was not free for the taking anymore. It now
brings deep financial and moral responsibilities with it, if kept. The right
of return, protection of the populace, many things are specifically laid out
in legal rulings.
In keeping Gaza, West Bank, and the Golan Heights Israel took on a legal
responsibility to see to the right of return of refugees, to provide protection
for the populace, to meet the basic needs of food, clothing, housing and
medical care. Education should also have been an expected service.
What was given was nowhere near the moral or legal obligation Israel took
on. Israel instead has decimated the population. The UN has provided the
schools and a good part of the medical care. Israel appears to use the school
buildings for target practice with total disregard for life and safety. Instead
of providing housing, Israel destroys housing wholesale. She frequently goes
far beyond the house of a single perpetrator of terror and destroys many at
a time. In December 2004 the IDF destroyed 113 houses in Kahn Younis
refugee camp alone. Other camps have lost as much or more. The total is
many thousands in the past four years. Israeli soldiers also have fired multiple
rockets and missiles into hospitals.
Where are the basic services, material needs, food, safety, medical care and
the protection of civilians and medical personnel? Where are the job
opportunities? If they are not to be had in Israel, then in other neighboring
countries and in allowing commerce in the Palestinian territory. What of the
loss of education because of hampered movement and closed borders? What
about hampering medical personnel from reaching or transporting patients?
Babies are born at check points…some on the side of the road and some in
ambulances because passage is denied.
Israel claims all this happens because of suicide bombers and other terrorists.
Israel claims the IDF presence is needed in the territories because of terrorism.
But there is no terror when the tanks shoot through the walls of homes and kill
children in their beds. There is no terror when a bulldozer starts knocking in the
walls of a home on its inhabitants in the middle of the night or runs over an
international peace activist. There is no terror when IDF sniper bullets go through
school classroom windows and kill little girls sitting in classes with their friends.
There was no terror when twins were born on the side of the road or for the
mother with delivery complications who birthed her baby in an ambulance after
waiting for 2 hours at a checkpoint recently. There is no terror when some of
these babies die there at the checkpoints. There was no terror January 7th 2005
when tanks shelled children picking strawberries in their families agricultural lands
in Gaza. It was not terrifying for the father to find his dismembered children in that
field and there was no terror for the young boys who lost both legs or a single arm
or leg and were covered in shrapnel wounds.
If this is not terror: then a suicide bomber sitting in a busload of innocent civilians
is not terror either. Then RPGs or Kassam rockets landing in a neighborhood are
not terror either. A home damaged by a rocket is nothing and IDF soldiers shot or
blown up are nothing either.
Since there is nothing Israel can do to a Palestinian that is terror…….then in all
fairness nothing done by a Palestinian to an Israeli is an act or terror either. The
very definition of terrorism then has been negated by Israel’s actions in the
territory called Palestine.
If what they do is not terrorism…….then what is done to them is not terrorism either.
Since Terrorism doesn’t exist now on either side……the excuse for the occupation;
"protection from terrorism", has just been eliminated.
See how simple it is…Israel can take her army home and not have to be
concerned about residual bad effects in her young men. Palestine can
stop sending suicide bombers, RPGs and Kassam rockets into IDF positions
or Israeli settlers neighborhoods and the settlers who were allowed
ILLEGALLY into occupied territories can leave now as there are no security
worries for the 1967 borders.
Terrorism has ceased to exist by Israel’s definitions of it.
By the end this year we can all sing…..silent night, holy night, all is calm, all
is bright….
Perhaps I can also make my own pilgrimage to Bethlehem and look out over
the empty peaceful hills where shepherds once listened to angels sing of
Glory to God, and of Peace on earth.
Terrorism has ceased to exist.
*
A new baby is hopefully about to be born. We need a good midwife and teachers
who will teach this child better manners and how to get along with the family.
This child is tentatively name Palestine. Like his forefather Ishmael, Palestine
may be a bit wild and unruly but with the propensity to become a great nation.
*
My personal belief is that we are all the children of one God. When Jesus spoke
the words" Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of
God" he spoke to us all. When He spoke the words, "whosoever will, whosoever
believeth" he was addressing the universal invitation to come to the one God. He
was spoken of as the "Prince of Peace", while God in heaven is definitely the
"King of Peace". His chosen capital on earth was Jerusalem…..Salem…..Peace.
Jews, Christians, and Moslems all want this city of "Peace" but none approach it
with peace. Each approaches it with covetousness, which is forbidden to us.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God"-Jesus.
(This was written with a little sarcasm and with a whole lot of wishful thinking.)
Shalom… Salaam… Salem…
Dr. Mary Majayda
|
BACK