generalspeaking

Recognizing a Palestinian State

Malta and Cyprus are the two Western European nations to declare their recognition of the 'Palestinian State'. Now they have been joined by another Western nation, Sweden. Israel maintains that independence can rightfully be gained by the Palestinians only through peace negotiations. Does that sound too ambitious, for two countries bargaining for the right to live side by side in peace to agree that neither will aspire or conspire to wage war against the other?

Would any of the three which have so far decided to officially recognize Palestine as a state, even before it has been declared so by the United Nations, in view of its troubled history with the State of Israel, agree to similar conditions for themselves? How comforting would any of them find it to be challenged violently on a continual basis by representatives of the country beside whom they are to live as neighbours?

The simple fact of the matter is that because of the violence continually being directed toward Israel; historically through the agency of the combined Middle East military forces, and more latterly through the efforts of Islamist militias considered terrorists, but even while being labelled as such, being regarded with a degree of acceptance by the West, Israel has little option but to defend itself militarily, to be forever on a defensive war footing.

And, because of ongoing escalations of violent assaults, from time to time, being forced to defend itself by seeking to root out the attackers where they secure themselves barricading themselves and their arms behind the human shield that the civilian population represents to them. While firing off their barrages of rockets from within crowded civilian areas, challenging Israel to respond, then reaping the reward of seeing Israel being demonized for assaulting Palestinian civilians.

Western nations have increasingly absorbed a large quotient of Muslim migrants. This has resulted in a diminution of their own laws, customs and values and a growing demand from among the immigrants for reforms and laws favouring their own religion, customs, laws and values quite at odds with those of the receiving nations. The native populations have grown restive witnessing their culture slowly being degraded.

Yet these largely Christian countries seem oblivious to the fact that by diluting their indigenous culture, values and social structures they are slowly being absorbed into Islam's web of conquest by stealth and prosetylization of numbers and persuasive appeals to equal rights. Even while countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar with their vast oil wealth invest billions in building giant mosques and cultural centres, swamping the native religion and culture.

While in Saudi Arabia public Christian worship is not permitted, the Bible is banned and non-Muslims forbidden from entering Mecca, let alone becoming citizens. The ancient Copts of Egypt  may not attend Al Azhar University, are restricted from joining the police and military, banned from holding high political or commercial positions. The building or repair of churches is difficult to obtain. In most Islamist countries conversion to Christianity represents a capital offence.


The five million Christians who still live in Pakistan live as an underclass doing work that no one else will accept. A Muslim can testify in court against a non-Muslim, but the opposite will not be permitted. Blasphemy laws targeting Christians are abused in the persecution of Christians, and bombings and gun attacks on churches and Christian schools have taken numerous lives.

Margot Wallstrom, the Swedish foreign minister is adamant; her government was simply fulfilling a promise it made when the left-leaning government was voted into office this month. "There is a territory, a people and government", she stated in Stockholm, with Sweden representing the 135th country in the world to recognize a Palestinian state; and accordingly, the third Western European nation to do so.

Israel's foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman stated what is obvious to Israel and of which Sweden seems oblivious, that this represents "a miserable decision that strengthens the extremist elements and Palestinian rejectionism.", But since he is labelled a 'right-wing' member of the Israeli political establishment his comment will not turn many heads in favour of re-thinking the decision.

"Nor is such persecution of Christians limited to Egypt. From Morocco in the west to Indonesia in the east and from Central Asia to the north to sub-Saharan Africa to the south; across thousands of miles of lands inhabited by peoples who do not share the same races, languages, cultures, and/or socio-economic conditions, millions of Christians are being persecuted and in the same exact patterns.
Muslim converts to Christianity and Christian evangelists are attacked, imprisoned, and sometimes beheaded; countless churches across the Islamic world are being banned or bombed; Christian women and children are being abducted, enslaved, raped, and/or forced to renounce their faith." 
Raymond Ibrahim, author of Crucified Again: Exposing Islam's New War on Christians (Regnery, April, 2013) is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

Labels: Conflict, Israel, Palestinians, Peace, Security, Sweden

posted by Pieface @ Saturday, November 01, 2014