Enough peace talk By Joseph Farah, World Net Daily, 22 Aug 2003. What will it take for Israelis and Americans to understand you can't negotiate with terrorists? How much innocent blood needs to be spilled before we acknowledge the "peace process" has failed? How many more little children and old people have to be blown up by evil suicidal maniacs before we say, "Enough is enough!" These are the questions going through my mind a day after the latest terrorist attacks in Jerusalem and Baghdad. Since the beginning of the Oslo Accords in 1993, Israel has fulfilled all of its commitments to peace: * It has given the Palestinian Authority control over territories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; * It has dismantled Jewish communities on historically Jewish lands; * It has released prisoners who have been convicted of committing terrorist acts against the Jewish state; * It has used its schools and its media to promote peace and harmony with the Arabs even long-time terrorist adversaries such as Yasser Arafat; * It has provided arms and ammunition to the Palestinian police force really an army sworn to destroy Israel; * It has continued to negotiate in good faith with its adversaries despite an increase in terrorism; * It has placed itself in a position, through land concessions, where its own military authorities are no longer certain it can defend its national security; * It has proposed, for the sake of peace, even greater compromises even offering part of its own sacred capital city to the Arabs; * Long before that, Israel even gave administrative authority to its enemies over the holiest site in Judaism the Temple Mount. What has Israel received in return? Bloodshed. Nothing else. The more Israel gives, the more violence it experiences at the hands of its enemies. This is the truth about the so-called "cycle of violence" we hear about from Washington. Israel concedes, Israel bleeds. It's time to stop this madness. The U.S. has sent troops around the world to answer terrorism that came to its shores Sept. 11, 2001. The U.S. has overthrown two governments and occupies two nations halfway around the world in its war on those who attacked it. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to demand Israel show restraint in the face of these continuing, unrelenting attacks from terrorists amidst its civilian population identifiable enemies operating within the country and from the neighboring territory Israel gave its enemies in a desperate search for peace. There are no two sides to this story. Not any longer. This is right vs. wrong. The only solution now is to put a stop to the terrorist violence once and for all. Mahmoud Abbas, sometimes known by his "war name," Abu Mazen, told a U.S. senator this week Arafat is undermining him as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. He admits he doesn't have control. This proves we're back to where we've always been in the conflict Arafat the terrorist is calling the shots. It's time for Washington to unleash Israel. Israel's only real leverage with its enemies is its war machine. It is what has kept Israel alive for the last 55 years. It is the one thing that can preserve the tiny bastion of real freedom in the Middle East. I say this not because I love Israel, but because I love freedom because I love America. This country is in a fight for its life against the forces of darkness in this world. We can prevail only with consistency, fortitude and by doing what is right. The right thing to do is to be consistent, to be strong. That means abandoning the failed policies of the past. That means having one standard that applies equally to the U.S. and to Israel, which is in a far more precarious and desperate fight for its life. Joseph Farah is an Arab Christian. He is the editor of the well known World Net Daily. |
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