dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (03/26/84)
~| From: lat@stcvax.UUCP (Larry Tepper)
~| Israel also denies the right to participate in the national government
~| to Palestinians in Israel since it was captured in 1948. These people
~| were given the same choice of participating in Israel as the American
~| Indians were given to participate in America. What a deal!
Pardon me? To my knowledge, there are Muslim Arabs who sit in the Knesset
(Israeli Parliament). That hardly sounds like being denied the right to
participate in the government. Yes, I admit they must operate within the
confines of a system which defines Israel as a home for the Jews. But
that's what Israel is. If the Arabs had agreed to the partition of Palestine
in the first place, the Palestinian Arabs would now have whatever government
they wanted - on their own territory.
~|
~|
~| To this date, most folks agree that it was Israel that attacked first
~| in 1967. Judging from the result, it's obvious which side was really
~| prepared for war. And no doubt at that point the Israel government
~| concluded "Gosh, by accident we seem to have captured this land in an
~| unfortunate but unavoidable conflict. I guess the only thing to do is
~| to annex and settle it with our people. That way the world will know
~| that we never had designs on it from the beginning."
~|
You obivously do not know the history of the 1967 war. Go to your nearest
library and pull out the microfilms of your local paper for May-June 1967.
You will find:
1. Egypt had closed the Straits of Tiran and Nasser was making
all sorts of threats about "pushing the Jews into the sea".
2. Israel did NOT attack Jordan in 1967. The war did not involve
Jordan until the fourth day or so. Israel specifically asked
Jordan not to get involved; however, King Hussein was swayed
by the glowing reports coming out of Egypt about how Israel was
being destroyed, and decided to get in on the action. Once Jordan
attacked, it was fair for Israel to respond.
There is nothing magical about the "1948 boundaries", except that that is
where the fighting ended in 1949. Consequently, I see nothing wrong with
Israel retaining control over land it took over in 1967.
As to which side was better prepared for war - the Israelis don't have
a choice. If Israel had not won the 1967 war, it would have ceased
to exist. The same cannot be said for any of the other participants.
~|
~| That's a great argument you have though. We can just wind back the
~| clock to 1966 and give all those influential folks in the West Bank
~| the opportunity to change history.
~|
Well, dammit, if the people of the West Bank have a beef, then, it's with
Jordan, not with Israel. And if Palestinians want to go and live in Jordan
today, they are given automatic citizenship. I suggest they go there.
~|
~| > If they don't like it now, they are welcome to leave for their own
~| > country (Jordan), just as Jews throughout the Middle East left their
~| > homes for their own country (Israel).
~|
~| Their OWN country? Prior to 1948, when was there last a nation
~| called Israel?
~|
Jews have always (i.e., continuously) lived in Israel/Palestine/"the Holy Land".
I believe Jerusalem has always had a Jewish majority. You can go back through
history and deny any controlling power the justification for controlling the
land (e.g., Britain, Turkey) on the grounds that they took it from someone.
Yes, Israel is the Jews' OWN country. Today. And don't forget that the
land on which the Jews settled in the 18th and early 19th century wasn't
stolen from anyone - it was bought.
~| BTW, those Middle East Jews are called Sephardim (yes, I do know
~| you're aware of that, Dave) and from what I've read (a little
~| sarcasm in his voice) they're really getting the red carpet treatment
~| in Israel too.
Sure there are cultural problems in Israel, and discrimination. You find
problems in any society. But the Sephardim in Israel would FAR rather be
Jews in Israel than Jews in the midst of a hostile Arab power.
Dave Sherman
Toronto
--
{allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsrgv!daverao@utcsstat.UUCP (Eli Posner) (03/27/84)
[]
Another important factor for Israel attacking Egypt kn 1967, was that
Nasser had just ordered out all UN (peacekeeping [!]) troops out of the
Sinai. Israel made it clear in 1957 when the withdrew from the
Sinai after their brilliant capture of it, that the only way
they would exit from the Sinai is if there would always be UN troops
stationed there.
Tell me that the ordering out of UN troops from Sinai is not an act of war.
--
Eli Posner
{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!utcsstat!rao