How to achieve Security for Israel and Justice for the Palestinians
Link: http://israel-palestine-dialogue.blogspot.com/2012/11/how-to-achieve-security-for-israel-and.html
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The
long term security of Israelis hinge on justice to the Palestinians, and peace
to the Palestinians depends on the safety of Israelis. One will not happen
without the other. In view of accomplishing the twin goal, both parties have
failed the respective populations. The following essay may not be comfortable
to a segment of Jews and Muslims, but the recommendations must be factored in
to finding a sustainable solution.
Security may be broadly defined as living without fear and apprehension, the
state of security exists when the Israelis can go about shopping in the malls
without caution, drop their guard when their children and family members ride a
bus, and when they visit the pyramids, they can do so without second thoughts.
Justice to the Palestinians exists when they can live without worries of
getting kicked out of their own homes, when have their own identity in the
world as people of Palestine, have their own passport without the apartheidic
restrictions, rights to the land they can call their own, and move about freely
without check posts or the walls.
The
Palestinians and Israelis are indeed endowed by
“their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Now
let’s acknowledge the actions of the parties in the light of accomplishing that
twin goal and put them back on the track.
When
a child or a spouse is pushed around, placed on a curfew, threatened, and his or her liberties
stripped, he or she is left with few options than cursing, hurling dishes,
and quietly or blatantly destroying the
belongings of the oppressive man of the house.
In your work place, when you are pushed around, and cannot do much against
the tyrant boss, what do you do? Regardless of where this happens, be it in the
United States, China, Israel, Saudi Arabia or Mexico, the response would be
similar.
It is
shameful to justify the behavior of the oppressor, “They did not listen to him,
they were disobedient and destructive, and the man of the house did the right thing;
beat the crap out of them and teach them a lesson.”
The
woman who is raped is blamed for going to the bar, or wearing a mini skirt or
getting drunk while shooting the pool with the boys. This stinky attitude is
even prevalent among women.
The
Hutus justified the massacre of Tutsis, as the oppressors always do. When President Habyarimana of Rwanda was
assassinated in 1994, the Hutu majority went on a killing spree and we
witnessed the Rwandan Genocide of the Tutsis. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
of India was assassinated in 1984, the Hindu mobs went on a killing spree of
the Sikhs. The Muslim mobs have gone on torturing the minorities in Pakistan,
Indonesia and elsewhere. The words used and justifications made were similar. The oppressors, rapists, murderers and
tyrants always justify their behavior.
Hamas
Terror
We unequivocally condemn Hamas for their random
shelling of the rockets into Israel; and the shameful acts of terrorizing the
civilian population in Israel. As a
Muslim I protest their acts, and request the Organization of Islamic Countries
to join the Muslims worldwide in condemning these acts, and demand Hamas to
give up terrorizing the innocent and seek solutions through civil process.
Paul Goldstein, my Jewish American friend living in Norway writes, “These (acts) have
instilled fear into the daily lives of innocent Israeli civilians throughout
the country, and have hit major cities, causing injuries, damage, and
fatalities. Many hundreds of rockets are hitting Israel daily.” And he adds, “No
country in the world can or should tolerate being subjected to continuous
rocket attacks against its major population centers. With sadness, I concede
that Israeli military action is necessary in this emergency situation to
protect its citizens in safety, Jews and Arabs alike.”
President
Obama also defended Israel, “Israel has every right to expect
that it does not have missiles fired into its territory, “and, "If that
can be accomplished without a ramping up of military activity in Gaza, that's
preferable...”
The
actions of Hamas are unforgivable, and I appeal to the thoughtful among you,
did we give them choices to act differently?
“When peace comes, we will perhaps in time be
able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to
forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons.” - Former Prime Minister of Israel, Golda Meir.
Israeli
Reaction
In
every ugly massacre or genocide, whether it was the Hutsies, Hitler, Saddam,
Assad, Gaddaffi or others; they rulers wanted to teach a lesson to the entire
population for the acts of the few.
Can
we justify these acts to keep the urchins, spouses or irritants in their place?
I am severely disappointed at the short-sightedness of President Obama and his
administration. We should have paid
attention to the missiles long time ago and found solutions then, instead of
waking up one day and justifying brutal retaliation.
What
was Prime Minister Netanyahu doing all these months, instead of initiating a
dialogue he chose to pound Gaza, did the think that the missiles will stop
reigning on their own?
The
illegal settlements and lawlessness has to stop; it brings despair to the
Palestinians who want peace. The brutal retaliation needs to stop, it is a
burden that the Prime Minister may escape but the Israelis will have to carry
it on their psyche for generations to come. Is that the kind of Nation Israelis
want? Does violence solve the problems,
has it ever?
Unintended consequences
If
the United Nations were to place “Cease fire” for vote today, more than likely,
178 nations will vote yes, and five will go against it including the United
States, Israel and a few dependent nations. Do you think the people of the 178
nations feel resentment and bitterness toward the powerful? This is not good
for Jews or Israel and the world in the long haul.
The
retaliatory actions taken by Netanyahu, and endorsed by Obama are detrimental
to Israel’s security in the long run.
Their actions do not mitigate conflicts, but flare up and prolong the
eternal dream of Jews to live in peace and security. Not only that, they
massively contribute to the growing anti-Semitism which has been the very
reason for the suffering of Jews for over 3000 years.
Injustice against the weak will not go
un-reacted to, the only thing the people around the world will feel is build
resentment towards the United States and certainly events like this will
contribute to Anti-Semitism. Take a look at the Anti-Israel rage across globe
as violence in Gaza goes on http://rt.com/news/protest-israel-gaza-war-984/
Call for action.
The United Nations need to
call for an immediate cease-fire; both parties need to hold the fire.
Goldstein, “Israel cannot cease hostile action on its own side while Hamas continues
to terrorize with impunity the citizens of major cities with long-range rocket
attacks.”
In the interest of Security for Israelis and
Justice for the Palestinians, President Obama has to play an honest broker of
peace, which will be tough on our ally Israel. Demand the Israeli Parliament to invite Hamas
leadership to join the talk immediately on our grounds at the Rose Garden. If
Saudi Arabia and Egypt are convinced about our sincerity, they will bring Hamas
aboard.
Our support to Israel or Palestine should be based on results. We
have caused the conflict to prolong, and we bear the responsibility to find
solutions. We need to be just and honest.
The Jewish people want sincerity as much as the Palestinians, they don't want
duplicity from our leadership, and they had plenty of that in since 1948. They
need sincerity and security for Israel and Justice for the Palestinians.
The two state solutions is
the way to go forward and one of the most fundamental items to be included in
the transaction is to develop a school curriculum without malice towards each
other. A new generation must be raised
with hope and goodwill, so they can live in peace and prosperity. This should
be an uncompromising goal.
This is a life time opportunity
for President Obama to forge peace between these two people, who have endured a
lot of pain and both deserve relief. It’s time for him to earn that Nobel Prize
that was dished out to him.
It is in the interest of the
world to build cohesive societies, where no one has to live in apprehension,
discomfort or fear of the other. The
people of Israel have more options and power to change things, than the
Palestinians. May God give sanity to the aggrieved parties to find peace. Amen!
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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace making, foreign policy, Islam, Israel, India, Pakistan, interfaith, and cohesion at work place or social settings. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. Mike has a strong presence on national local TV, Radio and Print Media, and is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News, fortnightly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes everything you want to know about him.
