The "Path of Least Resistance" is a law of nature. It is as "instinctual" and "self-centered" as the flow of water that seeks to avoid anything that might stand in its way. Water will seek out a path where it can flow freely with the least amount of resistance or obstruction, and it will flow without concern about the consequences of its actions. The "Path of Least Resistance" is a law of nature that does not reflect or aspire to the higher values and standards of what it means to be human or humane. It is a law of nature that knows no ethics, morality or justice, and certainly is not concerned with history.
This law not only applies to the flow of water and other worldly elements, but it also applies to how animals and humans often go about the business of achieving their goals. Politicians, nations, diplomats, world organizations and other human groups are not immune to the temptations of choosing the "Path of Least Resistance" when it comes to satisfying their needs. Humans have been observed to choose the least obstructed path towards a desired goal with little regard for the consequences of their actions, and this has been especially true when it comes to advancing their self-interests.
Furthermore, choosing the "Path of Least Resistance" is frequently the standard decision making tool that is applied to issues regarding Israel's security and rights. Neglecting or trampling on the rights of Israel, its people, and Jews in general has often become a "Path of Least Resistance" employed by world powers to avoid conflicts with Arab world. This is why many Middle East peace proponents and their plans (Oslo Accords, Road Maps, and now Geneva) have repeatedly sacrificed the security needs and the historical and sovereign rights of Israel. Israel has been discovered to be a "Path of Least Resistance" for avoiding conflicts between many world powers and the nations of Islam.
Choosing to follow the "dictates" of this law is a major reason why Arafat remains protected. It is a major reason why Arabs/Palestinians are rewarded for terror by world powers, with planned "land grabs" (a state having no legitimate historical basis) in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Seemingly, the proposed Palestinian State (with fact and history removed) is a humanitarian act, but actually, its creation is the least obstructed path that can be taken by world powers to avoid conflicts that would threaten their security and economic needs.
The "Path of Least Resistance", wittingly or unwittingly, has become the most comfortable coping mechanism for balancing the needs of Israeli Jews against the needs and demands of the Arab world. In part, this path of expedient decision making is preferable to many, because of the minority status of Jews and Israelis in the world. It is also due to philosophical thinking (often lacking facts) that is expressed by political groups like those on the Left. The Left and many world leaders "flowing" toward the goals of a "new" world order and Middle East peace have discovered that bringing pressure on Israel is the path that will incur the least amount of resistance.
Israeli leadership has also been responsible for turning itself and its nation into a convenient "Path of Least Resistance". Israel has done so by submitting to world pressure/demands (no matter how ludicrous) to forsake many security needs, and by abandoning its historical and legal rights to its lands. The more that Israeli leadership abandons its sovereign rights and historical claims to its lands, the more that world powers (friend and foe alike) use Israel as a "Path of Least Resistance".
Unlike Israel, Israel's enemies (the PA, most of the Palestinian population and Arab world) maintain a status of significantly greater and ominous resistance and obstruction to world peace by sheer size alone, and the threat that poses to the Western world. The Arabs have multiplied their resistance power through acts of terror, economic threats, distortions of reality, and false claims of victimization, to such an extent that Israel is perceived as the weakest link in the chain, or the easiest target for self-sacrifice. The resistance to peace in the Middle East by most Arab nations and their support groups makes it more "natural" (once ethics and morality are removed) for world powers to side with Arabs against Israel - the "Path of Least Resistance".
Bowing humbly to the ludicrous and self-serving demands of many of the world powers, over the past 60 or so years, served to strengthen Israel's position in the world as a "Path of Least Resistance" for political and economic pressure. It is very unlikely that being the world's least obstructing path will bring the peace and security that Israel desires. Water will continue to "choose" the path that resists its flow the least. The more Israel makes itself a "Path of Least Resistance" the more it will be used as such a path by the world, regardless of losses and injustices it may suffer.
This need not be Israel's destiny any more than it has been the destiny for other minority groups. Many minorities throughout the world have put up enough resistance to achieve their goals and prevent themselves from becoming a "Path of Least Resistance" in the service of others. Israeli leadership and Jews can stand up and be counted by resisting the temptation to remain a victim of this expedient law of nature while world powers attempt to "flow" freely towards their intended goals, with little or no concern about Israel's sovereign rights and heritage.
The effort of reclaiming Israel's rightful place in the world will require that its leadership and citizenry, and Jews the world over, firmly reject the self-serving "flow" that would use them as the world's "Path of Least Resistance".
This law not only applies to the flow of water and other worldly elements, but it also applies to how animals and humans often go about the business of achieving their goals. Politicians, nations, diplomats, world organizations and other human groups are not immune to the temptations of choosing the "Path of Least Resistance" when it comes to satisfying their needs. Humans have been observed to choose the least obstructed path towards a desired goal with little regard for the consequences of their actions, and this has been especially true when it comes to advancing their self-interests.
Furthermore, choosing the "Path of Least Resistance" is frequently the standard decision making tool that is applied to issues regarding Israel's security and rights. Neglecting or trampling on the rights of Israel, its people, and Jews in general has often become a "Path of Least Resistance" employed by world powers to avoid conflicts with Arab world. This is why many Middle East peace proponents and their plans (Oslo Accords, Road Maps, and now Geneva) have repeatedly sacrificed the security needs and the historical and sovereign rights of Israel. Israel has been discovered to be a "Path of Least Resistance" for avoiding conflicts between many world powers and the nations of Islam.
Choosing to follow the "dictates" of this law is a major reason why Arafat remains protected. It is a major reason why Arabs/Palestinians are rewarded for terror by world powers, with planned "land grabs" (a state having no legitimate historical basis) in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Seemingly, the proposed Palestinian State (with fact and history removed) is a humanitarian act, but actually, its creation is the least obstructed path that can be taken by world powers to avoid conflicts that would threaten their security and economic needs.
The "Path of Least Resistance", wittingly or unwittingly, has become the most comfortable coping mechanism for balancing the needs of Israeli Jews against the needs and demands of the Arab world. In part, this path of expedient decision making is preferable to many, because of the minority status of Jews and Israelis in the world. It is also due to philosophical thinking (often lacking facts) that is expressed by political groups like those on the Left. The Left and many world leaders "flowing" toward the goals of a "new" world order and Middle East peace have discovered that bringing pressure on Israel is the path that will incur the least amount of resistance.
Israeli leadership has also been responsible for turning itself and its nation into a convenient "Path of Least Resistance". Israel has done so by submitting to world pressure/demands (no matter how ludicrous) to forsake many security needs, and by abandoning its historical and legal rights to its lands. The more that Israeli leadership abandons its sovereign rights and historical claims to its lands, the more that world powers (friend and foe alike) use Israel as a "Path of Least Resistance".
Unlike Israel, Israel's enemies (the PA, most of the Palestinian population and Arab world) maintain a status of significantly greater and ominous resistance and obstruction to world peace by sheer size alone, and the threat that poses to the Western world. The Arabs have multiplied their resistance power through acts of terror, economic threats, distortions of reality, and false claims of victimization, to such an extent that Israel is perceived as the weakest link in the chain, or the easiest target for self-sacrifice. The resistance to peace in the Middle East by most Arab nations and their support groups makes it more "natural" (once ethics and morality are removed) for world powers to side with Arabs against Israel - the "Path of Least Resistance".
Bowing humbly to the ludicrous and self-serving demands of many of the world powers, over the past 60 or so years, served to strengthen Israel's position in the world as a "Path of Least Resistance" for political and economic pressure. It is very unlikely that being the world's least obstructing path will bring the peace and security that Israel desires. Water will continue to "choose" the path that resists its flow the least. The more Israel makes itself a "Path of Least Resistance" the more it will be used as such a path by the world, regardless of losses and injustices it may suffer.
This need not be Israel's destiny any more than it has been the destiny for other minority groups. Many minorities throughout the world have put up enough resistance to achieve their goals and prevent themselves from becoming a "Path of Least Resistance" in the service of others. Israeli leadership and Jews can stand up and be counted by resisting the temptation to remain a victim of this expedient law of nature while world powers attempt to "flow" freely towards their intended goals, with little or no concern about Israel's sovereign rights and heritage.
The effort of reclaiming Israel's rightful place in the world will require that its leadership and citizenry, and Jews the world over, firmly reject the self-serving "flow" that would use them as the world's "Path of Least Resistance".