Past and Present and Future for Israel

Today’s Thoughts About Bush and Rice

How has it happened that the Jews, scapegoats for the world for over 2,000 years, are still reviled by so many people. Jews have been burned, confined in ghettos, objects of ridicule, and almost exterminated, and yet many people cannot bring themselves to allow them their homeland in peace.

These same Jews have given so much to the world in spite of the conflict they have found themselves in. The very fact that one of them was proclaimed son of G-d by others started much of the world’s intolerance, but that was only half of the problem. Muslims couldn’t convert all of this stiff-necked group of people, so also turned against them. Even the Romans found them unbending, helping to create the climate that was to follow for all these years.

And yet this small group has survived and has regained their ancient homeland that they were taken forcefully from in 70A.D. The hatred of the world acted as the agent in keeping them together for all this time. They were confined to "The Pale" in Russia, ghettos in Italy, attacked and killed in the Spanish Inquisition, and when they wouldn’t convert in other places, forced out. When nations needed something, like economic growth, they implored Jews to enter their countries. How many times have they found that countries they were invited to then chose to ban them after their work was done.

Still, the population of Jews was almost decimated in the Holocaust, and the remnant founded Israel, finally with permission of the United Nations. The moment of declaration brought on a barage of attacks from all the Arab countries, and before we know it, people are siding with the 22 Arab countries by 1967. One teeny state against 22 Arab nations. 22 Arab nations whose lands contain oil against the speck of land called Israel which doesn’t have any oil. Much of the world has now sided with the Arabs who can deliver oil to them.

In an act of self-preservation, Israel has tried to protect its citizens and has had to retaliate against the attackers, only to find that because of their intelligence and capabilities in producing arms, they are now the bad guys. I see that people like to be on the side of the weaker ones, though they number in the millions and millions. Israel hasn’t even been a nation for 2,000 years and it’s people have been the scapegoat every time for any problem, and who has ever stood up for them? Not many.

The "Promised Land" was a far bigger piece at the time of the Balfour Declaration, and had been gnawed away before its birth. Much of it was given away to become Jordan. Surprise attacks from the Arabs gave Israel back some of the land it was promised to start with, and the surrounding countries want it back again so haven’t quit fighting. Now we’re contemplating giving back the Golan Heights, as if words spoken will give Israel a peaceful outcome. This is turn should make Syria a peaceful neighbor, and that would be great.

This is a time when Lebanon is being taken over by Hezbolla terrorists, and Iran is threatening us with atomic warfare, and are backers of Syria and Hezbolla. We’re being shelled every day in the South by Hamas. In other words, we’re almost surrounded by problematic behaviors that could erupt into an all out war.
And what does the USA expect from Israel now? Of course; give away the West Bank, "Judea and Samaria" to be Palestine, full of terrorists, the 23rd state. . What happens if this happens? Will Hamas join the Fatah group, some of which are still semi-terrorists in the area and fight from there? Will they abide by some peace accord? Will Rice encourage the establishment of the state without peace guaranteed for Israel? She has a very narrow timetable; by the end of the year. This fullfills Bush and her agenda, but it doesn’t help Israel at all to be further surrounded by an attacking force.

Sixty years of attacks, sixty years of being thought of as aggressors when attacked makes me feel that the whole world has become the town of Chelm, full of nutty people. As Spock said, "This doesn’t compute!."