generalspeaking

Celebrated Statehood

As Israel celebrates sixty-one years of statehood, she fends off verbal accusations of racism, of oppression, of denying statehood and opportunities for the future for Palestinians. Along with violent physical assaults from within the State on her citizens from the very citizens who deny the legitimacy of the state yet who share the country's equality and justice, beyond traditions of tribe, creed or religion. Majority Jewish, but accepting of a minority non-Jewish population in a liberal democracy.

And to ensure that attacks from beyond its borders are not mounted to interrupt the solemnity of the celebration of existence as a Jewish state, the need to seal off the West Bank for the duration of the celebrations; Independence Day, and Remembrance Day. The occasion of Independence Day, a bitter day of mourning for the Palestinians; Remembrance Day where Jews mourn their fallen representing both civilian and armed services members, since 1860.

Israeli Jews are still facing attacks from the Palestinians with whom they share the territory, both from within the borders of Israel, and from beyond, through West Bank and Gaza Strip Palestinians. Those who continue to demand the disintegration of Israel and the creation of one national entity, led by, peopled by Palestinians. Fatah-led Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas defies the official Israeli demands for recognition of the Jewish state.

He speaks of a peace option, of the need and necessity to set up a parallel Palestinian state beside that of the Jews, but this is for public consumption beyond the Middle East, in polite social terminology found acceptable by the international community. Among his own, he speaks uncompromisingly of recapturing that which destiny holds in store for the Palestinians, the entirety of the area, perhaps permitting a Jewish presence within the larger Palestinian state.

Israel is cautioned by the international community that it must assent to surrendering the Old City of Jerusalem to the Palestinians, destined to be their capital. Arabs do not do things by half-measures. They pry open narrow interstices where they may insert themselves and then cling to the demands that more and even more be surrendered to their needs and aspirations. Jerusalem divided; Palestinian returnees and the surrender of Israeli cities to the Palestinians to follow.

There are crafty political ploys as an interregnum in the wider scheme of attrition where the world observes an authentically earnest Palestinian Authority gravely bargaining for peace with the State of Israel. Both sides, it is assumed, must make sacrifices, for the larger and honourable purpose of establishing peace between the adversaries. Israel gives up half of Jerusalem, withdraws from all of the West Bank, embraces millions of 'returnees'.

And the Palestinians? What are they prepared to sacrifice? Nothing too awfully much, it appears. For they still teach their young to detest, fear and swear vengeance against the Jews. Their official map represents their aspirations to inherit all of the area, the impediment of Israel nowhere in sight. The Arab loathing of the presence of a Western-based ideology, a religion other than Islam remains unabated.

The United States, the European Union, Norway, France, Britain, insist that Israel accept the olive branch extended by the Arab League through Saudi Arabia's plan for peace; the only, the last, the final option. Jordan warns that lack of acceptance of the offer as it stands will define the future where Israel can anticipate further and ongoing attacks against its sovereignty, its very existence.

The Western world swears its allegiance to the idea of the continuation and the security of the State of Israel. However, Israel must succumb to expectations of it; to accept the promise of a peace proffered by Arab states which have no control of the jihadists among them, of the proxy Islamist armies whose mission is to destroy Israel. Or languish as it has for over a half-century in constant fear of attack.

Now Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, meeting in Israel with President Shimon Peres, affirms China's commitment to respect and aid Israel, acknowledging the reality of the Holocaust, offering China's kind regards to Israel. Two countries which, throughout history, however distant they are geographically, have shared much.
During the Second World War, Jews sought and found refuge in Shanghai, mostly due to Japanese assistance.

Here is the blind leading the halt; China's foreign minister offering the opinion that the world hopes to see Israel make "sensible decisions that lead to peace and stability in the area". As though it is Israel alone that must make those decisions. As though China, with its dreadful, fractured 20th Century history of mass slaughter of its own, oppression of minorities and religions, is in a position to act as a mentor, a moral guide.

Like most other critics of Israel, piously insisting she must give up much, make great sacrifices for the greater good of co-existence with a neighbour demonstrating scant indications that normalcy of civil relations can be anticipated if she surrenders to all the demands made of her, China is in a compromised position. While not sharing Iran's insistence on the mirage of the Holocaust, and professing sympathy for Israel, her dependence on oil and natural gas from Iran taints her overtures.

And while Israel entreats China to use its influence with Iran's leaders to persuade them to halt their march toward nuclear armaments, China is leery of its vulnerability in the issue, should Iran in high dudgeon over undue interference decide to stop supplying vital energy needs. It needn't be; Iran needs the export business and the funding it provides for a sad economy more than China needs the energy source.

Meanwhile, Israel celebrates its miraculous presence on the world stage as a sovereign nation, despite the monumental difficulties it continues to face in a hostile Middle East and an ever-increasing hostile world. Dependent on its own stubborn need to provide a homeland for its people, subordinate to none other than the imperative of its existence.

Labels: Israel, Political Realities, That's Life

posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, April 29, 2009