(no subject)

[novapsyche]

Israeli warplanes strike Beirut airport: Attack comes after militants capture soldiers; Olmert decries 'act of war' | Sign That Crisis Is Regional, Not Just Israel vs. Palestinians

I wish I could go back to Truman (and Eisenhower) and say, "See what you have created."

Comments

[timiathan.livejournal.com]

This is what I always have a hard time understanding:

On June 5, 1967, Israel waged a war against its Arab neighbors. The result was the occupation of the remaining 22 percent of Palestine (the West Bank and Gaza), the Syrian Golan Heights and Sinai. Israel returned Sinai to Egypt in 1979 as a result of the Camp David Accords, while it annexed the Golan Heights in 1981.

After the 1967 war, Israel did not spare a moment in building settlements for Jewish newcomers from all over the world on land confiscated from the native Christian and Muslim Palestinians. Often, this required bulldozing Palestinian homes or building bypass roads that cut across their neighborhoods. As would be expected, animosity between the native Palestinians and the Israelis was there to be nourished.

Seeing no hope from Arab regimes to help them liberate their homeland, the Palestinians launched the first Intifada in December 1987; it lasted until September 13, 1993, when the Oslo Accords were signed at the White House. Despite the ongoing peace process, Israel continued its policy of land confiscation, building settlements and demolishing of Palestinian homes.


It seems very black and white as to who's in the right and who's in the wrong here, yet no one, at least in the west, seems to acknowledge that. What was Isreal's justification for occupation and the 1967 war? 78% wasn't enough?? I know we've got to cut them a little slack after the Holocaust, but give me a break.

[mehinda.livejournal.com]

I really recommend picking up a copy of The Israeli-Arab Reader which is a compendium, of sorts, of numerous historical documents related to the Zionist movement and the activities of the State of Israel vis-a-vis Palestine and other neighboring Muslim states.

My edition is older; newer editions may have more recent documents included.

I think it's also important to recognize waxing and waning nationalistic and political trends within Israel (which the documents often reveal).

[mehinda.livejournal.com]

It might actually be titled The Arab-Israeli Reader. I don't have my copy in front of me; I'm housesitting for the ex :)

[timiathan.livejournal.com]

Maybe I should...it's one thing I've never been able to quite wrap my head around. Plus I don't know if there's another topic where everything smacks so much of propaganda, from all sides.