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Arab-Israeli Conflict: Temptation Obscures Truth

by Rumi Noman
I—< EWARE, my dear
JLJ friends 1
Be careful of these fellows full of charms
Before linking your own with their arms."’
This is a classic extract from a translated Telugu poem, which reminds us of cunning surroundings.
Palestine Is a name which has an overwhelming presence in the minds of the persons, who are impelled by conscience because of the historical experiences between the people of Palestine and the people of our world.
1 would like to bring out a salient problem, which, surprisingly. the Muslim countries Ignore. Before coming to this problem first I need to draw a background.
In May 14,1948, the Jews declared "Israel" as their sovereign homeland. But according to the Muslim World the land was completely an Arab territory and belonged to the Palestinians. Fundamental differences between two sides remained. While to the Jews the creation of Israel meant the recovery of their "homeland", to the Arabs It was the result of an unwarranted plantation of an alien people on a land that was rightfully theirs for centuries.
The Jews are a very remarkable people. Originally they were a small tribe, or a conglomeration of several tribes in Palestine and their early story is told in the Old Testament of the Bible. Rather conceited they were thinking themselves as the " chosen people.'" But this is a conceit in which nearly all people have Indulged. They were repeat cdly conqueror and sup pressed and enslaved and some of the most beautiful and moving verses lamenting these Jews is given In the authorised translation of the Bible. For ex ample Pandith Jawarhalal Nehru in his glimpses of the World History " wrote few lines in English from the original Hebrew psalms:
"By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept: When wc remembered thee, O Sion
How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land?
If I forget thee. O Jeru salem: let my right hand forget her cunning.....
If I don not remember thcc, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth: yea, if 1 prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth.
These Jews were finally dispersed all over the world. From 1922 Palestine had been administered by Britain as a League Mandate. Although the majority of the population at that time were Arabs. Whose interest, under the terms of the Mandate, Britain was to protect, she was also, under the agreement, to place "the country under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of a Jewish National Home". These two alms were not that easy to reconcile. Finally the creation of Israel brought the dispersed Jews all together and from then Uli today the 'problem' exists. Now the reality is that everyday we see and listen to the grief and sorrow of the victims. Since 1948 the Arab countries have fought massively against Israel at least four times, and by the 1970 s Islamic, Non aligned and third world countries have successfully turned up world opinion overwhelmingly against Israel But when we tend to contemplate an outcome. It simply remains obscured.
Where the Problem is
As 1 mentioned before, a problem which Muslim countries Ignore virtually lies in the conflict between their faith and temptation. Historically , Middle East is considered as a holy place and being received cordially by the people of all religions. But religion becomes obscure when the question of self interest comes. For example, after the Jews' rearrival in Palestine, Arabs had the full support of all Christian churches in Palestine. Both Muslims and Christians thus together joined in some great strikes and demonstrations. Even women took a prominent part. This shows that the real trouble was not religious, but economic conflict between the newcomers and old residents.
Now. in the present day. it is very difficult to marginalize this conflict because of the centrality of the Middle East; because of its arsenals of" weaponry and because of oil and above all. the predominant distrust among the Arab countries. A mentionable example is the Gulf crisis which took place In August, 1990. through which it is easier to see the ulcer present in the Muslim world. In this crisis we see Iraq occupied Kuwait all most overnight and the whole Muslim world was against Iraq. Though Jordan, Libya and some non-Musllm countries were compassionate towards Iraq but they failed to pursue any diplomatic settlement of the crisis. On the other hand, this crisis created an arrfazlng situation that Israel was at tacked by Iraq and Saudi Arabia with her companions had to become Israel's protec -lorl Though Israel had the power sto defend herself but she only received the attacks and pursued a policy of civil defence. Truly we were not ever habituated to see such a protective role from Israel. But still then the people of Palestine were alive against Israel.
In the Gulf War, there was significant role of United States. Here troops and mainly her western allies devastated Iraq by hellish bombing .
In this circumstances, a conscientious question may be asked: was it the power of judgement? Indeed, the so called Western friends of the Muslims needed a crisis like Gulf war for final settlement of Middle East including the Palestine problem according to their will. The confounded Arab states prayed for help and declared U.S troops as a " peace force" only to protect their own Kingdoms and Governments. The Holy Quran says:
"When you prayed to your Lord for help, he answered: "1 am sending to your aid a thou sand Angles in their ranks " By this good news God sought to reassure your hearts, for victory comes only from God; God is Almighty and wise'' ( see Sura Anfal: 8:9, 8:10|. But near about two hundred thousand US troops,who took part In Gulf War In the name of peace, were not that angles. And It can be said that most of the Arab countries did not even think that they might suffer the consequences.
Post-Gulf War Opportunity
As a result, after the Gulf War, the United States and western powers found It a best opportunity to settle down the Palestine "problem" because Middle East is relatively quiet and less explosive now, and Soviet Union has disintegrated and also with all key Arab countries they found themselves very much predominant. With the U.S endeavour last November, an Arab Israel face to face peace conference was held in Madrid. U.S President George Bush appeared with the slogan "territorial compromise" Instead of "land for peace". Explaining his will Bush said— "I mean treaties, security, diplomatic relations, economic relations, trade, investment, cultural exchange, even tourism," (see TIME 11.11.1991):
Where has gone the strug-gle of Palestinians for their homeland? The aims of U.S diplomatic Initiative Is not unpredictable to the actors of Arab world and they are going to meet again in an obviously peace conference in Moscow this year.
To bring out this controversial instinct of western attitude we can cite from the teachings of Christianity about war. At the end of Mosaic tradition, we had Jesus who taught: "But 1 say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him "the other also"(Matthew 5:39).
Many have often cited this teaching of Jesus and argued that Jesus preached against war. But in the New Testament, we have a passage which purport to teach quite the opposite:
"Think not that 1 am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" ( Matthew 10-.34).
These two verses contradict each other, and the peace process they always make, goes to a contradiction in the same manner.
They are the dominant powers in the world today. According to them Western civilization has come to mean what ever tends to be dominant and successful.
Yes, they are successful, but the question now arises how long they will exploit the world in the name of "peace"?
We don't need to follow any teachings from them. Give the Palestinians an independent homeland, and they will stop throwing rocks