You are very right in saying that this has been going on in some form from thousands of years. But this modern conflict can be said to have started with the end of WWI and the redrawing of national lines by the Allies in the aftermath. From an Arab point of view, a tribe of Arab Jews, that they had been fighting for thousands of years, suddenly has the best land in the area given to them, because some mad man killed a whole bunch of Jews in Germany. That would be the beginning of the historical causes of the current crisis. But that isn't Isreal's fault. What happened after is that Egypt almost immediatly attacked the new state and was soundly beaten. But Isreal didn't stop at defending itself. It took the opportunity to annex land that almost DOUBLED the size of Isreal. Going back to the original boarders set is one of the largest demands of the palistinian leadership.
The reason that I concentrate on those actions, is that until those actions are revesed, there will be too much bad blood in the reagon for a lasting peace. The talks broke down at camp david over three things.
1) The Right of Return
2) The use of Jerusalam as the combine capital.
3) SETTLEMENTS
All these issues were deal breakers for the PLO and Isreal knew this. Just as the cesasion of violence was a deal breaker for Isreal. But Isreal wouldn't budge. STILL won't allow the right of return, or the use of Jerusalam as a combined Capital.
The main reason that I focus on Isreal and the US is because of Isreal's use of settlements. The settlements are an ongoing act of aggression. It would be like Canada, comming down into the US, building a town where ever we wanted to, putting a wall up around it and then saying that it was part of Canada now and if you don't like it, too bad!
The Arabs have done their share of awful things, but in the end it comes down to the fact that they are being occupied. One of the most heious things conencted to suicide bombers is that Sadam Husain would pay the faimlies of the bombers. For the people who live in those slums, haveing a son that is a martar is a blessing and a saddness. They will be taken care of, their days of poverty are over as their community will give them all they need as a way of recognizing their sacrifice (I am not condoning this, just trying to show it from a differnet point of view).
We tend to think of this as two nations fighting, but we are crippled by our North American veiw points. This would be more like Toronto fighting with it's suburbs, rather than two nations going at it. Jobs and families are on BOTH sides of the boarder, to top it off, Isreal wouldn't fund hospitals, schools etc etc, in the occupied teritories, the palistinians lacked the funds or the structure to take in taxes to build these facilities themselves, so they are all on the Isreal side. it is a complex situation. But before we can truely condem the palistinians for their actions (and they deserve this) Isreal has to stop occupying them, because ALL is allowed when you are fighting to free your country. |
