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don't you think? I presume that, by 400,000 to 1, you are referring to the entire Islamic world, versus Israel, and presuming also that the entire Islamic world intends to wipe Israel out? Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm finding your comment enigmatic. And I'm not sure who you are including in the 400,000. First of all, I think that's a wrong presumption. I think the Islamic world is a mixed bag, as various as our own culture, in political views. Secondly, I think the attitude that Palestinians do not seek justice, and are engaged in "idiotic terrorism" is, indeed, smug. I am not projecting. It is very similar to U.S. flag-waver bigotry that all "ragheads" are "terrorists." I am not saying that Israel is not in peril. But I think that half the reason that Israel is in peril is the rightwing Israeli attitude toward, and actions against, the Palestinians. And another part of it is the "armed medieval fortress" part. By being armed to the teeth, largely by the U.S., Israel maintains the illusion that that condition can go on indefinitely--and it insulates Israel from taking the many actions it should be taking to create friends in the region, or at least healthy productive alliances.
I'm trying to think of an example. Say that France had decided to reassert a presence in the U.S. during our civil war era, and had armed Louisiana during the civil war, and say that LA had therefore managed to fight off the Union army, and was able to maintain itself as a separate, independent state--and also to maintain slavery--by trading with France out of the port of New Orleans. To maintain its independence, LA would have to remain armed to the teeth, and it would obviously have hostile relations with the U.S., which had banned slavery, and which had lost a chunk of its territory. Now imagine a leader in LA, who has inherited this situation some time later, and sees that it can't continue indefinitely--it has to change. LA cannot continue as an armed camp, a vassel of France, surrounded by hostile neighbors. The first thing to do--to work toward a detente with the U.S.--would be to end slavery. Secondly, strong diplomacy with the surrounding states, and with the U.S. government. Also, gradual disarmament. Also, gradual cutting of direct ties with France--perhaps an anti-colonial movement would be in order. The best thing for LA would be peace, and perhaps eventually re-joining the Union. How do you achieve it, after a long history of hostility?
You can imagine the patriotic feelings, the anger, the history of injuries, and various kinds of bigotry, on both sides. Some in LA would think that all the slaves were anti-LA--an "enemy within." They would probably treat them more harshly, even cage them up, in the interim. Those in the U.S. would consider all LA-ers to be traitors and white supremicists. Etc. Etc. To achieve peace--the best condition for all--this history of mutual injury has to be jettisoned, and a new social and diplomatic pact achieved. By saying that Palestinians do not seek justice--something that is obviously untrue--you are still trapped in the history of past wrongs, inflicted by both sides. You can't envision a peaceful future.
Granted, there may be some smugness in my being able to say this. I am not an Israeli, nor a Palestinian--and have no direct stake in that conflict, other than my desire that Israel survive, and successfully integrate itself in the Middle East context, for a peaceful future. That is my main desire. I don't have a lot of sympathy with Arab culture. But, because I am removed--and have no direct stake (other than my tax dollars being spent on military aid)--I think I am able to see it more objectively, the way a diplomat and a peace negotiator must see the conflict, in order to help resolve it.
What would your solution be? Continued hostility--forever? But it won't be forever. Either Israel or the U.S., or both, will be bankrupted by it, and collapse from within. That is what war does. Or what? Completely crush the Palestinians--cage them in, shoot all their rebels? That is the path that Israel is on, led by the rightwing and war profiteers, and it is also a suicidal path, because Israel will end up with no friends in the world at all, and its lonely, "surrounded" status will be worsened. Israel cannot survive by means of weaponry and war. It must start living up to its ideals, creating friends, and reaching out diplomatically to its own region. It cannot keep relying on "big brother" to back it up, because "big brother" is in big, big financial trouble, and also moral, ethical, constitutional and every other kind of trouble. We just slaughtered a million innocent Arabs to get their oil! This has gravely harmed our ability to help Israel, and to achieve any credibility at all in the Islamic world. So Israel needs to start seeing to its own credibility and diplomacy and future. And in my opinion that means changing, abandoning this militaristic stance, and becoming diplomats.
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