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From Magic City Morning Star R.P. BenDedek As I read about the conflict in the Middle East, I am often dumbstruck at the complete stupidity of both the Israeli and American governments, and amazed at the 'chutzpah' of the Palestinian Government. Today though, I had to laugh at an article in the Courier Mail online Newspaper (Queensland Australia www.couriermail.news.com.au PLA executes four murderers. From correspondents in Gaza City 12jun05) in which it is reported that: "THE Palestinian Authority has executed four convicted murderers, defying international calls to halt capital punishment as part of reforms considered key to securing future Palestinian statehood. ... Human rights groups say such proceedings lack due process of law, but Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is under domestic pressure to curb crime that has run rampant in the Gaza Strip and West Bank during 4-1/2 years of conflict with Israel." So the world is upset my the death penalty for criminals, who may or may not have received fair and impartial judgement. Does it care about the deaths of civilians going about their daily lives, being blown up by suicide bombers, or by rockets lobbied into Israel by the same people claiming that they want peace with Israel? Naturally the immediate reaction to this statement is: 'What about the innocent Palestinians?' Well let's read on shall we. In another article published in the same newspaper (Palestinians 'to keep weapons' From correspondents in Gaza City 12jun05) it is reported that "PALESTINIAN foreign minister Nasser al-Qidwa has ruled out disarming militant groups as long as Israel continues to occupy Palestinian land. ... Israel has demanded that the Palestinian Authority disarm militant groups according to the internationally drafted road map to peace that aims for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel. ... Despite the violence, the two sides have begun tentative co-operation over the Jewish state's withdrawal from the occupied Gaza Strip, due to start in mid-August." Notice here the statement that there will be no disarmament while 'Israel occupies Palestinian land'. Now since it has always been the clearly stated belief of Muslims everywhere, that all of Israel belongs to the Palestinians, and that it MUST belong to the Palestinians, there will clearly never be any disarmament. Currently, Israel, under pressure from the United States, is continuing its plan to remove settlers from Gaza, and in order to accomplish this task, this once democratic country which encouraged such settlement, has not only resorted to threats and intimidation, but in its' most recent declarations, states that parents who repeatedly indulge in protesting the Government's actions, will have their children removed from their care and made wards of the state.(Column One: Spare the children Caroline Glick, THE JERUSALEM POST Jun. 10, 2005 - available on several sites including www.womeningreen.org and www.benadorassociates.com/article/15807) Now whatever you may think of the situation in Israel in relation to the Gaza Strip settlers, doesn't it strike you as odd that the same government which encouraged people to go there, not only now threatens to forcibly remove them, but imposes penalty after penalty upon them if they don't (eg: a $40,000 fine). Surely it would have been better to say: 'Hey folks, things have changed. We'll pay you for your trouble in relocating, but if you choose not to go, then your life is in your own hands'. The problem is, that the Government of Israel has become Dictatorial and autocratic. In other words, it has become like all the governments around it, and whereas the United States has been pushing democracy down everyone's throats in that region, it not only approves of this dictatorial style, but is encouraging it. As Caroline Glick reports: "In its attempts to defend its increasingly precarious position, the government has reacted wildly to its critics. Rather than increase public support, its moves have simply added to the general sense that the Sharon-Peres government has lost control of events and, in its zeal to defend its controversial program, it is willing to sacrifice the nation's security and its own morality. ... In recent weeks the fact that there has been a steep decline in the Bush administration's support for Israel, matched by a steep increase in the administration pressure on Israel to make concessions to the Palestinian Authority, has become undeniable."
His assessment for the future is that the Palestinians will say: 'You left Gaza? You get quiet. You will leave Judea and Samaria? You will get quiet. Leave Tel Aviv and things will be completely quiet.' Whatever you may think of the Israeli and Palestinian situation, search your hearts with this question and see what is the true answer: 'When the Palestinian government has gained every concession demanded of it, and Israel has given everything demanded of it, and is once again on the receiving end of a united Arab war, who will you blame? And Why? R.P.Bendedek Email: rpbendedek@hotmail.com
"The King's Calendar" [ on sale - while the economic recession is on], is a chronological study of the historical books of the Bible (Kings and Chronicles), Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, and the (Essene) Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls. See Chapter Precis page. Academic Articles at Magic City
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