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Originally Posted by SF-TX
Enlighten us. How is Israel the most egregious UN violator?
It is Israel's responsibility to give the Palestinians autonomy? Why not Jordan? Syria? Egypt? Saudi Arabia?Iran?Etc.?
What would you propose as a 'humanitarian' solution?
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Great questions – I don’t have all the answers. Evidently, no one does, otherwise we wouldn’t be dealing with this powder keg in 2009. It is the central issue as far as Muslims and the Middle East is concerned. (As you know, only about 25% of Muslims are located in the ME). If we want any sort of lasting peace, this problem has to be solved. We have no alternative. In fact, I believe this was the key factor in our taking our eye off the ball in Afghanistan, leading to our 2003 war in Iraq (I can expound later if you’d like).
Let me start by saying that I am a strong supporter of Israel’s sovereignty – her right to exist in peace and autonomy, and I firmly support her right to vigorously defend herself against any and all threats.
I have lost patience with the Palestinians and have found myself wishing the Israelis would bomb the hell out of them at various points in the past few years.
That being said, for the Israeli government to decry terrorism is somewhat hypocritical as several of Israel’s PMs have actively participated in terroristic activity in their younger days for the sake of political activism (Begin, Shamir, Sharon, Stern Gang, etc…). In other words, terror and hate were bred into both sides – the Palestinian and the Israeli. Now we see the fruits of their labor.
I believe it is Israel’s responsibility to ALLOW Palestinian autonomy (they can’t give it), as it was the UN, Britain, France, Italy, and Israel who took it away, and is now Israel’s sole responsibility to allow. However, it is not autonomy as we understand it here in the West. For millennia, the Middle East has been tribal with little if any central governmental leadership. Palestine has never been a “country” as we think of it, but it has been a people, a land, and a region. Think of the US before colonization. Their “way” was not worse, just different. We, of course, think our way works much better – but for what purpose? Economics, industry, innovation, strength? How about morals, family, respect? Point is - we can learn from each other. That is why I don’t ever see us bringing true democracy to Afghanistan. They just don’t think like we do, and they haven’t for thousands of years.
Ok, so I’m digressing. Why not Jordan, Syria, Egypt? For the same reason we don’t expect Mexico, Canada, or Brazil to take care of Native Americans. We displaced them. It is our responsibility to see they are taken care of. And because only Israel controls the occupied territories. What authority do Egypt, Jordan, or Syria have over the West Bank, Gaza, etc… None. Israel technically doesn’t either, but their military might allows them to operate as they wish in those areas with little resistance. That’s where the humanitarian issues and UN resolutions come into play. Google Israel UN violations – there are literally dozens upon dozens with little or no accountability.
The Palestinian territories are like a large Gitmo. Little freedom, encircled by walls, dehumanized, restricted access from the outside world and to the outside world, no hope. How would you or I react in similar circumstances? I am in no way excusing rockets and suicide bombers. But to defeat them, we have to understand them. If they have valid human needs that can be addressed, why don’t we address them? Otherwise just exterminate them (sarcasm) – but it’s better than living as prisoners simply because they were born in the wrong place.
Now, Hamas, and others want the total and complete destruction of Israel. Until they realize that will never happen and it is not an option, we have our hands tied. I believe the Israelis want peace. The Palestinians want hope. We have to find a way to give them both.
Though I am not tabbed, I consider myself part of the brotherhood of the Special Forces. I was in an SF BN for 10 years. I believe in the same ideals, I think in the same ways, I have trained in many of the same ways, done many of the same things, and I have been to war as staff officer in an SF unit. Our motto is, “de opresso liber”. The Palestinians are an oppressed people group. We owe them the same humanitarian treatment we expect for ourselves and others.
How do you accommodate that without catering to terrorists? I don’t know. But it starts by giving people hope, and then by killing the terrorists. And any of us could be terrorists given the right circumstances.