Unilateral withdrawal from Gaza is only the beginning of a much wider and extensive retreat from Yehuda and Shomron (Judea and Samaria), which will result in the establishment of a terrorist-based provisional Palestinian state. Even with the best intentions, this will strengthen and encourage terrorist groups in the region and throughout the world. It will make it more difficult (if not impossible, once they gain international recognition and support) to stop the smuggling of weapons and troops to Palestinians. Unilateral withdrawal will create a safe haven for terrorists wherever they are.
Unilateral withdrawal will promote more instability and violence. Egypt has refused to prevent weapons smuggling from its territory and will not fight Palestinian terrorists in Gaza; Jordan can barely maintain security in its own country without taking on Palestinian terrorists. The result will be chaos.
Unilateral withdrawal undermines every compromise solution that might resolve conflicts, and turns power over to the very same people who operate terrorist groups in the area; it offers no incentive for ending the struggle.
But ending the struggle is not the Palestinian agenda, political and economic gains are less important than their hope for ultimate and total victory.
Specific US legislation prohibits US citizens, businesses, or any government agency (including the president) from engaging in activity that directly or indirectly supports terrorist groups (like the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Islamic Jihad), or any transactions with them (66 Fed. Reg. 51088 and Presidential Executive Order 13224).
The Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (1996) makes support of terrorist groups illegal. The National Defense Authorization Act (1996) prohibits the Defense Department from providing funds to terrorist countries and those who aid terrorists.
The Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Appropriations Act (1996) and the Omnibus Appropriations Act (1997) prohibit funding terrorist organizations.
The US Patriot Act to intercept and obstruct terrorism (2001) makes it unlawful to provide support or assistance to terrorist organizations.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's withdrawal plan violates these laws by assisting the creation of a terrorist entity; by facilitating the plan, President George Bush would be culpable as an accessory to terrorism.
Unilateral withdrawal from Gaza undermines Bush's war against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as his efforts to contain other countries that support terrorism, like Iran and North Korea. It undermines the "Roadmap to Peace", which stipulates a negotiating process. It will strengthen and encourage terrorists by rewarding them with greater autonomy and authority. It will eliminate the possibility of moderation and conciliation in those areas under Palestinian control.
Defending and strengthening Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and elsewhere in Israel, is part of the worldwide effort against terrorism. Like it or not, our finger is in the dike.
The burden to keep hope alive rests not only on Israel, but on everyone; it demands a change in perspective. Consider the following as such an alternate view.
Solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict demands a change in perspective, not piecemeal, local maneuvers. This is a regional problem, involving surrounding Arab countries; all must work together, with international assistance and enforcement, towards a regional solution. The burden must be shared.
United Nations-sponsored Palestinian "refugee camps" must be dismantled, turned into towns and residents given citizenship rights in their host and/or other countries. Until the Palestinian Authority abandons terrorism and moves towards peace, Jordan should be considered the sole representative of the Palestinian people and responsible for them.
Palestinian terrorism and incitement must end as a prerequisite to any other progress. This is a fundamental principle, not only for Israel, but for the world community. Terrorism deserves no rewards or legitimacy. A society that teaches homicide and murder threatens not only Israel, but our entire civilization.
The Palestinian Authority (and its militias) must be abolished, since it is a terrorist organization. All funds should be directed to legitimate institutions that promote the health, education and welfare of "Palestinians" in need, for a limited period, wherever they reside and whatever their origin. This will allow people to get on with their lives.
Terrorism must end once and for all. That's the bottom line.
Patience. This is going to take a long time. Only after communism was defeated was it possible to reform the Soviet bloc or build democracies in Latin America. We are talking here of a historical epoch of 20 to 50 years.
Steadfastness. Only a willingness to wage a long-term struggle can succeed.
Fighting back. Using everything from force to maintaining one's normal life.
Containing extremism. Denying it victories, especially a chance to extend its rule to more countries.
Encouraging alternatives. Alternative forces in the Arab and Islamic world must be encouraged, while understanding that outsiders' influence will be limited and transformation slow.
Tell the truth. Lies must be combated and struggle waged on the intellectual battlefield to combat the "useful idiots" (Lenin's term) and fellow travelers who echo the radicals' propaganda.
The battle against radical Arab nationalism and Jihadist Islamism involves the willingness to fight for one's rights, to sustain that battle over a long time, to avoid appeasement, and to win possible allies. None of this is glamorous. But history will show that this is what the current era is all about.
Unilateral withdrawal will promote more instability and violence. Egypt has refused to prevent weapons smuggling from its territory and will not fight Palestinian terrorists in Gaza; Jordan can barely maintain security in its own country without taking on Palestinian terrorists. The result will be chaos.
Unilateral withdrawal undermines every compromise solution that might resolve conflicts, and turns power over to the very same people who operate terrorist groups in the area; it offers no incentive for ending the struggle.
But ending the struggle is not the Palestinian agenda, political and economic gains are less important than their hope for ultimate and total victory.
Specific US legislation prohibits US citizens, businesses, or any government agency (including the president) from engaging in activity that directly or indirectly supports terrorist groups (like the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Islamic Jihad), or any transactions with them (66 Fed. Reg. 51088 and Presidential Executive Order 13224).
The Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (1996) makes support of terrorist groups illegal. The National Defense Authorization Act (1996) prohibits the Defense Department from providing funds to terrorist countries and those who aid terrorists.
The Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Appropriations Act (1996) and the Omnibus Appropriations Act (1997) prohibit funding terrorist organizations.
The US Patriot Act to intercept and obstruct terrorism (2001) makes it unlawful to provide support or assistance to terrorist organizations.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's withdrawal plan violates these laws by assisting the creation of a terrorist entity; by facilitating the plan, President George Bush would be culpable as an accessory to terrorism.
Unilateral withdrawal from Gaza undermines Bush's war against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as his efforts to contain other countries that support terrorism, like Iran and North Korea. It undermines the "Roadmap to Peace", which stipulates a negotiating process. It will strengthen and encourage terrorists by rewarding them with greater autonomy and authority. It will eliminate the possibility of moderation and conciliation in those areas under Palestinian control.
Defending and strengthening Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and elsewhere in Israel, is part of the worldwide effort against terrorism. Like it or not, our finger is in the dike.
The burden to keep hope alive rests not only on Israel, but on everyone; it demands a change in perspective. Consider the following as such an alternate view.
Solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict demands a change in perspective, not piecemeal, local maneuvers. This is a regional problem, involving surrounding Arab countries; all must work together, with international assistance and enforcement, towards a regional solution. The burden must be shared.
United Nations-sponsored Palestinian "refugee camps" must be dismantled, turned into towns and residents given citizenship rights in their host and/or other countries. Until the Palestinian Authority abandons terrorism and moves towards peace, Jordan should be considered the sole representative of the Palestinian people and responsible for them.
Palestinian terrorism and incitement must end as a prerequisite to any other progress. This is a fundamental principle, not only for Israel, but for the world community. Terrorism deserves no rewards or legitimacy. A society that teaches homicide and murder threatens not only Israel, but our entire civilization.
The Palestinian Authority (and its militias) must be abolished, since it is a terrorist organization. All funds should be directed to legitimate institutions that promote the health, education and welfare of "Palestinians" in need, for a limited period, wherever they reside and whatever their origin. This will allow people to get on with their lives.
Terrorism must end once and for all. That's the bottom line.
Patience. This is going to take a long time. Only after communism was defeated was it possible to reform the Soviet bloc or build democracies in Latin America. We are talking here of a historical epoch of 20 to 50 years.
Steadfastness. Only a willingness to wage a long-term struggle can succeed.
Fighting back. Using everything from force to maintaining one's normal life.
Containing extremism. Denying it victories, especially a chance to extend its rule to more countries.
Encouraging alternatives. Alternative forces in the Arab and Islamic world must be encouraged, while understanding that outsiders' influence will be limited and transformation slow.
Tell the truth. Lies must be combated and struggle waged on the intellectual battlefield to combat the "useful idiots" (Lenin's term) and fellow travelers who echo the radicals' propaganda.
The battle against radical Arab nationalism and Jihadist Islamism involves the willingness to fight for one's rights, to sustain that battle over a long time, to avoid appeasement, and to win possible allies. None of this is glamorous. But history will show that this is what the current era is all about.