The terrorism that has caused so much grief to Israel and has sent its population into despair may have also saved Israel from even greater agony. Palestinian terror has claimed over six hundred Israeli lives and left thousands of injured, many still in serious condition. It has also plunged a dagger into the Israeli economy. Despite it all, the Palestinian attraction to violence and all the damage it has caused hardly compares to the damage the Palestinians could have inflicted by terror if they exercised more restraint, negotiated a deal with Ehud Barak, signed a treaty with Israel, and then waited for the right moment to strike. In effect, Israel has been blessed by the Palestinians? greatest weakness, which is not their lack of military hardware, but their inability and unwillingness to control the violence.
During the pre-Israel years of the British Mandate, decades of Arab riots and attacks against the Jewish community of Palestine, along with intense political diplomatic pressure by Arabs, were able to slow the growth of the Zionist enterprise, but could not prevent the birth of the Jewish State. As small and diminutive as it's original U.N. designated borders were, on May 14, 1948, Israel became a fact. What if the Arab nations accepted United Nations resolution 181 on Nov 29, 1947, which partitioned the land between a Jewish and Arab Palestinian State. If that had been the case, the Palestinians could have prepared themselves for future war while counting on the support of the Arab nations when that time arrived. If there was tranquility at the time, the war weary survivors of Hitler's death camps might go off their guard and focus upon the task of rebuilding their lives. The Palestinians then could have organized and eventually mounted a more effective attack, catching their enemy off guard.
The events of history turned out far differently. Long before David Ben-Gurion declared the new Jewish State official, battlefields were drenched with blood and the streets of Jerusalem and other cities in Israel were targets for Arab terrorists. Israel was busy scrambling to be on the highest state of alert possible, organizing its forces and obtaining whatever weapons could be found. Although out-manned and out-gunned, the Jews were no doubt aware of their dismal fate in the event of defeat, yet they had some chance because of their heightened state of preparedness. No one fights as hard as one who fights for his life. It was at that moment, that the nations of the Arab league attacked, determined to "drive the Jews into the sea."
Fifty years later, what if Yassir Arafat, Ehud Barak and Bill Clinton left Camp David as partners, with an agreement. There would have been a Palestinian State; supposedly, the actualization of Palestinian dreams. With peace, the Jews of Israel would rejoice at the realization of their dreams. Arafat and his cohorts would return to their homes and prepare the next 'phase' to liberate Palestine from the 'river (Jordan) to the sea (Mediterranean)'. What would change? Why would that day be different from any other within the Palestinian camp? Weapons would continue to be smuggled, terrorist training camps would continue to spring up, mosques would be magnets drawing the multitudes to the call of Jihad against the Jews. The Palestinian media and schools would continue to preach against the Zionists and teach the principles of sacrifice and martyrdom to liberate "all of their land". It would not be long before the new, independent State of Palestine would become a terror base and it would be located right next door to Israel.
Few around the world would care about the buildup; as in the years following the Oslo accords until September 11. Israel's long list of Palestinian violations, such as the Palestinian Authority aiding and abetting acts of terror, would hardly be noticed. Once again, history would repeat itself. The well-organized and trained terrorists, emboldened by Israel's apparent weakness in granting land concessions and by Israel's new inability to sufficiently monitor the enemy's movement and control military activity within Palestinian territory, would be on the move. They could smash at Israel?s population centers as never before from the confines of an independent state. Assisting them would be their compatriots, Arabs within Israel's boundaries, who despise the Jewish State no less, and would also join the 'struggle' if given the opportunity. As poll after poll indicates, they are Israeli citizens, but Palestinians at heart. During the campaign, Palestinian spin artists would no doubt turn to CNN and the BBC and turn the blame on Israel. Their outrageous claims would no doubt be reported. Remember Jenin?
The euphoric dreams of peace in Israel would turn into a nightmare of confusion and desperation. But events have played themselves out differently. The Palestinians refused Barak's offers at Camp David, and have not wavered from their demand that Israel commit demographic suicide and accept the return of refugees from 1948. In addition, Palestinian violence has eliminated any sense of trust and has helped to prevent the birth of a Palestinian State. Tragically, the people of Israel have suffered from the violence over the past several years, but fortunately that suffering has not been even worse.
Today, Israel faces serious challenges, as it is in a state of war, but Israel is strong and capable of combating terrorism. The Palestinian Authority is no closer to its goals. Arafat frequently cites the truce of Hudaybiyah forged between Mohammed and the Quarish tribe, which was broken by Mohammed, as justification for negotiating with the Israelis. Hudaybiyah is the precedent in Islam for permitting a truce with an enemy if war is not feasible at present. The intentions of such negotiations are to deceive and weaken the enemy, enabling future conflict. However, in practice, Arafat and his cohorts may have preached the language of deception and bogus treaties, but in truth they could not live up to their creed. Too many passions, too many emotions got in the way. One can only thank the Palestinian leadership for that.
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Larry Domnitch is an author and educator who resides in Efrat.
During the pre-Israel years of the British Mandate, decades of Arab riots and attacks against the Jewish community of Palestine, along with intense political diplomatic pressure by Arabs, were able to slow the growth of the Zionist enterprise, but could not prevent the birth of the Jewish State. As small and diminutive as it's original U.N. designated borders were, on May 14, 1948, Israel became a fact. What if the Arab nations accepted United Nations resolution 181 on Nov 29, 1947, which partitioned the land between a Jewish and Arab Palestinian State. If that had been the case, the Palestinians could have prepared themselves for future war while counting on the support of the Arab nations when that time arrived. If there was tranquility at the time, the war weary survivors of Hitler's death camps might go off their guard and focus upon the task of rebuilding their lives. The Palestinians then could have organized and eventually mounted a more effective attack, catching their enemy off guard.
The events of history turned out far differently. Long before David Ben-Gurion declared the new Jewish State official, battlefields were drenched with blood and the streets of Jerusalem and other cities in Israel were targets for Arab terrorists. Israel was busy scrambling to be on the highest state of alert possible, organizing its forces and obtaining whatever weapons could be found. Although out-manned and out-gunned, the Jews were no doubt aware of their dismal fate in the event of defeat, yet they had some chance because of their heightened state of preparedness. No one fights as hard as one who fights for his life. It was at that moment, that the nations of the Arab league attacked, determined to "drive the Jews into the sea."
Fifty years later, what if Yassir Arafat, Ehud Barak and Bill Clinton left Camp David as partners, with an agreement. There would have been a Palestinian State; supposedly, the actualization of Palestinian dreams. With peace, the Jews of Israel would rejoice at the realization of their dreams. Arafat and his cohorts would return to their homes and prepare the next 'phase' to liberate Palestine from the 'river (Jordan) to the sea (Mediterranean)'. What would change? Why would that day be different from any other within the Palestinian camp? Weapons would continue to be smuggled, terrorist training camps would continue to spring up, mosques would be magnets drawing the multitudes to the call of Jihad against the Jews. The Palestinian media and schools would continue to preach against the Zionists and teach the principles of sacrifice and martyrdom to liberate "all of their land". It would not be long before the new, independent State of Palestine would become a terror base and it would be located right next door to Israel.
Few around the world would care about the buildup; as in the years following the Oslo accords until September 11. Israel's long list of Palestinian violations, such as the Palestinian Authority aiding and abetting acts of terror, would hardly be noticed. Once again, history would repeat itself. The well-organized and trained terrorists, emboldened by Israel's apparent weakness in granting land concessions and by Israel's new inability to sufficiently monitor the enemy's movement and control military activity within Palestinian territory, would be on the move. They could smash at Israel?s population centers as never before from the confines of an independent state. Assisting them would be their compatriots, Arabs within Israel's boundaries, who despise the Jewish State no less, and would also join the 'struggle' if given the opportunity. As poll after poll indicates, they are Israeli citizens, but Palestinians at heart. During the campaign, Palestinian spin artists would no doubt turn to CNN and the BBC and turn the blame on Israel. Their outrageous claims would no doubt be reported. Remember Jenin?
The euphoric dreams of peace in Israel would turn into a nightmare of confusion and desperation. But events have played themselves out differently. The Palestinians refused Barak's offers at Camp David, and have not wavered from their demand that Israel commit demographic suicide and accept the return of refugees from 1948. In addition, Palestinian violence has eliminated any sense of trust and has helped to prevent the birth of a Palestinian State. Tragically, the people of Israel have suffered from the violence over the past several years, but fortunately that suffering has not been even worse.
Today, Israel faces serious challenges, as it is in a state of war, but Israel is strong and capable of combating terrorism. The Palestinian Authority is no closer to its goals. Arafat frequently cites the truce of Hudaybiyah forged between Mohammed and the Quarish tribe, which was broken by Mohammed, as justification for negotiating with the Israelis. Hudaybiyah is the precedent in Islam for permitting a truce with an enemy if war is not feasible at present. The intentions of such negotiations are to deceive and weaken the enemy, enabling future conflict. However, in practice, Arafat and his cohorts may have preached the language of deception and bogus treaties, but in truth they could not live up to their creed. Too many passions, too many emotions got in the way. One can only thank the Palestinian leadership for that.
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Larry Domnitch is an author and educator who resides in Efrat.