With All Due Respect....
We have an honoured guest in Canada's National Capital. None other than Jordan's King Abdullah II, come to visit. This man has turned into quite the statesman. He has inherited from his late father, King Hussein, many statesmanlike attributes, as well as a sound practical sense. It was a brilliant move on his part to marry a Jordanian woman of Palestinian descent, to offer to a large portion of his population the assurance of complete equality in citizenship, in his choice of Queen.He has much invested in the future of Palestinians living in the Palestinian territories, since Jordan, along with Egypt, once had the oversight responsibility of the area, which had never attained the autonomous presence of an independent state. The great influx of militant Palestinians into Jordan after the creation of the State of Israel also created a great problem for Jordan, which was pushed to the brink, having had to prosecute a war against the militants.
Now King Abdullah is in Ottawa, affirming respect and friendship between Jordan and Canada, pressing the Conservative-led government to become more involved in the hopes for a peaceful outcome between Israel and the PA led once again by Fatah, after the schism with Hamas. According to King Abdullah, "lasting peace in the Middle East will only be achieved if the suffering of Palestinians is ended and their institutions strengthened".
Nonsense, but nice try. The establishment of a solution to the ongoing struggles between Israel and the Palestinians might create peace between the two, but have no consequences whatever for a lasting peace in the Middle East geography. There would still be the problem of some states, such as Iran and Syria instigating and funding deadly attacks against Israel. The internecine warfare in Lebanon would not be influenced by a settlement between Israel and the PA.
The deadly assaults between Sunni and Shia in Iraq's civil war that has completely destabilized the country and set one sect against the other in murderous conflict would not at all be affected by any settlement leading to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This is an ongoing canard, to place international pressure on Israel to settle in a mode of desperation, to have her accept conditions which will prove to be deleterious to her long-term survival.
King Abdullah's efforts to encourage Canada's Prime Minister to restore aid to the Palestinian Authority now that Fatah is once again in control, and Hamas confined (but for how long, before the two re-unite in disordered and vengeance-filled camaraderie?) to the Gaza Strip is measured to assist the Palestinians but promises no surcease of tensions and attacks to Israel.
The simple fact of the matter is, Fatah has traditionally been the PA power, and it has accomplished nothing at all in the way of workable institutions to assist their population. The simple fact is, Fatah-affiliated militias are actively engaged on an ongoing basis to destabilize Israel in the hopes of eventually destroying it. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is but one such Fatah-aligned and -inspired guerrilla group.
The Canadian Coalition for Democracies, through its president, Alastair Gordon, is urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper to be fully cognizant of the relationship between PA leader Mahmoud Abbas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs brigade, designated as a terrorist group in Canada, along with the fact that rampant corruption in Fatah continues its long-established diversion of aid money to its leaders, rather than toward restoring some of the war-ruptured needs of the people.
It is Fatah policy to target those Palestinians accused of assisting the State of Israel; they are brutally murdered on suspicion of passing information to Israel. Fatah-approved school books teach impressionable children that Israelis are their enemy, an enemy that it is their future to attempt to dislodge from the geography to restore Palestinian pride and territory. Fatah spokespeople, and Mahmoud Abbas himself have engaged in publicly inciting hatred against Israel and Jews.
For Canada to agree to a resumption of aid to the PA, the Canadian Coalition for Democracies recommends four vital conditions be met by the PA:
- All hate and incitement against Jews and Israel be removed from the education system and controlled media;
- Both Fatah and Hamas charters eliminate the call for destruction of Israel and the de-legitimization of Israel and Jews;
- Militants must be disarmed;
- There be no additional terror acts against Israel for a period of 2 years.
Thankfully, Prime Minister Harper , while he asserts that it is a necessity to support the Palestinian National Authority's attempts to alleviate suffering and strengthen national institutions, also affirms that Canada is "looking at ways we can increase our financial and other assistance." At the same time, Mr. Harper is unequivocal in stating that the Palestinians will not receive aid until such time as a more dedicated, strengthened governance emerges.
"It's our strong view that the Palestinian people did not vote for extremism. They voted against problems in governance. And those [issues] have to be addressed." For his part, King Abdullah has expressed his satisfaction with Canada's role, and expressly "with the Prime Minister's vision for working as part of the team to try and get us moved forward."
"It's our strong view that the Palestinian people did not vote for extremism. They voted against problems in governance. And those [issues] have to be addressed." For his part, King Abdullah has expressed his satisfaction with Canada's role, and expressly "with the Prime Minister's vision for working as part of the team to try and get us moved forward."
Are we agreed, then?
Labels: Conflict, Middle East, Political Realities
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, July 14, 2007
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