The world is once again blaming the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for being the source of its problems. In their eyes, Israel is to blame not only for terrorism within its own borders, but also for global terrorism; if it weren’t for Israel, the “Palestinian” people would have a country, and Jihad would not have permeated every Western society on the planet. And I am not imagining this or making it up.
Recently, Ban Ki-Moon, the head of the UN, published an opinion piece in the New York Times stating that, “History proves that people will always resist occupation… Palestinians — especially young people — are losing hope over what seems a harsh, humiliating and endless occupation.” Such comments indirectly legitimize the latest wave of terror against Israeli citizens, and further demonize Israel’s daily battle to overcome an enemy that has pledged itself to her total destruction.
Following suit, France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius declared his intent to bully Israel into creating a Palestinian State: “And what will happen if this last-ditch attempt at reaching a negotiated solution hits a stumbling block?… In that case, we will have to live up to our responsibilities and recognize a Palestinian state.” Furthermore, France declared that it would gather its allies to do the same as a means to realize a Palestinian State.
This is the same France that, not long ago, suffered a devastating jihadist terror attack and understood firsthand the evil of such hatred against the West. No other country better understands this evil than Israel. Yet, incredibly, France chose to throw Israel “under the bus” and side with terror.
I am the first to state that Israel does not do everything perfectly or above board, and has indeed made some grave mistakes against the Arabs. But I will never support the idea that Israel is to blame for the terrorism perpetrated against her. In general, the world ignores important facts happening on the ground in Judea & Samaria (the “West Bank”).
I recently had a conversation with an Arab Muslim man in a “Palestinian” village in the Judea and Samaria region. He described to me an incident that took place in his village that sheds light on a very real problem in the region.
He described an event that happened next to his parents’ home, where a group of Arab youth suddenly started to through rocks and Molotov bottles at a nearby IDF unit. The Israeli forces had to respond, and in their response they fired a smoke bomb to clear the area. This man’s 86-year-old father began to choke from the smoke, so the man ran to the rowdy youth and told them to leave the area at once since, because of them, his father was suffering. Later on that evening, a few Arab gangsters who belong to one of the local terror groups, came to his home and threatened him that if he dared to interfere again, they would kill his father. He later discovered that those gangsters were giving money to the youth in order to stir up trouble against the Israeli forces.
This is just one of many stories of the untold reality on the ground. Sadly, instead of condemning the cronyism and corruption within the Palestinian Authority and the various terrorist groups, organizations such as the UN actually encourage such acts by deeming them “legitimate” in the fight against the “occupation.”
Let me be very clear. A Palestinian State will not solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, nor will it end global Jihad. The chaos and corruption that has enveloped Gaza since Israel withdrew in 2005 should serve as a clear example of what will happen if Israel also withdrawals from the Judea & Samaria regions (which it legally and rightfully won in the 1967 war). But people tend to have a short memory, and do not learn from past mistakes.
In closing, I would like to quote a verse from Genesis, which will also bring us back to our study of the Covenants and promises regarding the Land. After Jacob’s dream, God clearly directed Jacob to return to the Land of Promise:
“Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your Land, and I will be with you.” Genesis 31:3
The covenant people, Israel, inhabit the Land of Promise today; it’s time to dispel the myth of “occupation” and instead, start to work towards a more promising reality for all inhabitants of the Land, Jew and Gentile alike.
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran