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An Important Point that Must be Reiterated Over and Over

Reader comment on item: Two Years of Intifada

Submitted by David Minkin (United States), Oct 1, 2002 at 15:14

No discussion on Israel - no discussion - should fail to include one specific clarifying fact.

This fact is the crux of any discussion on the Middle East: Israel offered 97% of the West Bank and all of Gaza to the Palestinians two years ago, so that they could attain an independent state peacefully co-existing next to Israel. The response was the Intifada. The response was the murdering of babies with nail bombs. Israel can not be blamed for the so-called "occupation" (a term which is absurd if one reads the history of the war of 1967.) Yassir Arafat rejected the creation of a Palestinian state next to Israel, as it was offered 2 years ago through the Clinton administration. Every official map of the Palestinian Authority shows "Palestine" where Israel now exists. There is no official map that shows two states. They show only "Palestine". Without mentioning that a Palestinian state was offered by Barak, a Middle East discussion has no reference. Most people who catch an occasional debate on T.V. or radio are absolutely clueless. The fact about Israel's offer of statehood needs to be reiterated so often that it makes our heads ache. Do not assume that this can be taken for granted.

Poverty? Yes, the Palestinian people regretfully live in poverty. Strange that Yassir Arafat would have imbezzled roughly 8 billion dollars - that's billion with a "B" - in international aid (largely U.S. taxpayer dollars) and placed it into his private bank accounts (ironically, some in the U.S.), according to his former treasurer whose comments were widely reported in the news media and yet largely ignored. This stolen money was meant for hospitals, schools, and infrastructure - good things. Instead it went into Arafat's pockets and into raw materials for nail bombs with which to kill babies. It went into 50 tons of weapons from Iran which were thankfully intercepted on the "Karine A" before they reached their destination.

Lack of a Palestinian State? Poverty? Despair? These are real problems that the Palestinians face. However, the source of these problems rests solely with the Palestinian leadership, for it has rejected every attempt by Israel to create a genuine two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.
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Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
here is an intelligent question for you and all [124 words]RobertApr 8, 2009 01:33153561
No Personal Insult [13 words]Gary GunnelsApr 7, 2003 03:388103
ad hominem, no [225 words]jackstpaulOct 15, 2002 06:113086
Yes... it was Ad Hominem [59 words]DaneOct 9, 2002 19:232998
Land isn't a carnival prize [848 words]jackstpaulOct 9, 2002 04:132971
Again, Thank you Mr. Pipes [69 words]ReportOct 8, 2002 13:102963
"Occupied" Territories [225 words]Gabriel DavidovicsOct 6, 2002 20:172945
Let's tackle "political correctness" [156 words]DestinOct 3, 2002 02:512873
Ad Hominem [285 words]GeorgeOct 2, 2002 02:412830
Settlements [81 words]Jack CaughranOct 1, 2002 19:482821
The crux of the arguments [417 words]Fred HauptmanOct 1, 2002 17:382811
Arafat's secret bank accounts [24 words]PhilipOct 1, 2002 16:302804
Fighting off an Ambush [38 words]Steven MalynnOct 1, 2002 16:242802
An Important Point that Must be Reiterated Over and Over [368 words]David MinkinOct 1, 2002 15:142796
Thank you for standing up for the truth! [179 words]RachelOct 1, 2002 13:212790
Typical Militant Muslim Psyche [39 words]Hari IyerOct 1, 2002 12:202786
No Peace for Terrorists and Their Supporters [92 words]Jon AlvarezOct 1, 2002 11:482783
ABUNIMAH's personal attacks [21 words]Rusty MasonOct 1, 2002 09:512776
Blind Hate [74 words]Mark FeldsteinSep 30, 2002 18:092742
Beating A Dead Horse [326 words]Gershon ben DanielSep 30, 2002 16:182738
In addition... [116 words]Ben ShniperSep 30, 2002 15:122736

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