Let Israel Do It
Reader comment on item: Mr. Olmert Visits Washington
in response to reader comment: END WITHDRAWAL FROM TERRITORY; DO NOT GIVE UP LAND

Submitted by John R (United States), May 18, 2006 at 18:55

Dear Carmen,

Respectfully speaking, has it ever occured to you that one major reason why we are experiencing violence in the Middle East, resentment and ill feelings by Arabs towards the United States, is because the Arab world perceives that the United States gives so much preferential treatment towards Israel, that there is a double standard of treatment of Arabs and Jews by the United States, seeing it much like the double standard of treatment of blacks and whites since way long time ago? And I make a point regardless of whether the double standard is justified or not.

I say Israel should continue the withrawal, and the Bush administration to remain as neutral as possible. I am beginning to think that regardless of what we do, we cannot achieve peace and minimize terrorism towards us if we continue to sleep with Israel as perceived by the Arab world. We tried everything. We should try this for the interest of peace. I do not think siding and openly supporting Israel over the Palestinians would result in peace. We have tried that already a long time ago in the pre-Bush era when politicians simply suck up to Israel. How much money for example have we given Israel all througout these years and how much money have we given to the Palestinians? It's billions for Israel and zero for the Palestinians. Let’s give the Palestinians a break. Come on. This double standard that had been going on for a long time also keeps on being pointed out as a major reason why the Trade Towers blew up. Simply, the Arabs got extremely angry over the mistreatment. And whether the anger is justified or not is beside the point, reality is it angers them, and that is lethal, as we have witnessed with the Trade Towers.

We should try to do it the way the Bush administration has been handling it: Remain neutral. The withrawal is worth the try for peace, and even the Israeli government knows that that is why they are withrawing. I think they know what they’re doing. They know they have to try this because everything else has failed. They attack with their tanks, 3 suicide bombings follow in a week. The stakes are high: terrorism and Iran anger. And even if Palestinian or Arab anger is not justified, it does not mean we are legitimizing them, it means we want to simply have peace, or greatly reduce the violence.

You may be right that the truth is that the Palestinians want everything and want no Jews in the area, and that this is the source of violence in the Middle East. Certainly there are many things that can support this argument, but for us to start World War III there over something like this that we are not sure of if true, is not worth it. What is the worst that can happen? The Israelis withraw, Palestinian violence does not subside, now we know but we still have Israel intact, and we have a precedent as a guide. That is much better for example than totally driving the Iranian president to unbelievable rage as to launch nuclear missiles at Israel and wiping out all Jews. Doing that would also give Iran an excuse for attack: United States double standard of treatment and Palestinian oppression. It so happens that the Iranian president keeps on pointing these things out. I am not saying we or Israel is oppressing the Palestinians. I am just saying that is the perception. Watch how I phrase things.

I know Dr Pipe's position on this: Force the Palestinians to total defeat by using force, and that that is the way to peace. There's nothing to defeat. The Palestinians have been already defeated a long time ago. Look at what they do, they throw stones as opposed to the Israelis who have the tanks and machine guns. Look at the Palestinian econonmy and the Israeli economy. There is nothing to totally defeat. What we have just been witnessing is what you might call in war terms "resistance" or a bunch of "rebels" who still fight. These will always exist even if someone won a war. I beg to differ with Dr. Pipes solution. Let us not let our anger and a few rebels ruin the quest for peace.

I say continue the withrawal. Remain neutral. Try this for the sake of peace.

John R

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