From antiquity to the turn of the last century China could be easily invaded but never conquered for the reason that its enduring culture would sponge up the invaders. Israel, though surely an enduring culture, was never as sprawling and was in danger of being absorbed by ancient Egyptian paganism until Moses’ vision of the promised land, and once achieved faced a history of hostility, particularly when its Christian spin off engendered intense hatred on both sides — and, of course, later with the advent of Mohammad.


Since 1948, after its own form of terrorism upon the British, they won back their land and reluctantly offered immersion of the Palestinians, even knowing that they would set themselves up as a minority. Fortunately, the Palestinians refused and preferred insurgency in behalf of the Muslim tradition. As luck would have it the ensuing wars meant more land for the growing immigration of European and American Jews. However, immigration never equaled the growing population of Muslims, and as a result the “demographic problem” reared its ugly head once again — the fear of being overrun by a hostile majority within Israel’s governmental infrastructure.


So why does Israel insist on growing settlements in Muslim areas that immediately bring this overwhelming problem to the foreground? What is the point of setting up pioneer outposts if the “Indians” still run wild? The volatile solution is military strength and ironically mortar and barbed wire, denying Muslim access to some of the richest patches of land under control of the minority. How long will this policy last when it is obvious that it lends to greater antagonism? And how long will the Israelis put up with the disastrous policies of Ariel Sharon who continues to bludgeon innocent victims while searching for terrorists? — surely, his tactics have shown to be no better than the bleeding hearts at Oslo. Had it not been for 9/11 and the overwhelming sympathy for the Israelis under the siege of terrorism for so long, Sharon, as a Little Bush, would not have lasted this long.

Perhaps encouraged by twenty-seven crack pilots refusing to attack civilian areas, each day more youth are resisting the draft — adding to the 1000 in three years who have resisted — refusing on principle to continue the senseless incursions of expansionism. In one sense the wall exemplifies the sad fact that Judaism and Islam do not mix. This is not like our own Civil War where secession was unacceptable. Granted the Palestinians never realized legitimate sovereignty, they nevertheless have squatters’ rights. They should be granted their own contiguous sovereign state and let them fend for themselves with help, if any, from Arab neighbors. If, however, they continue infringing on Israel’s space with terrorist acts, the result will be a no-hold act of war.
 
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: January 6, 2004.