January 26, 2008
THE EVENTUALITY SHARON WAS TRYING TO AVOID:
'Breakout into Israel' ahead (Abraham Rabinovich, January 26, 2008, The Australian)
A SENIOR Hamas official warned yesterday that the next breakout from the Gaza Strip could be into Israel, with 500,000 Palestinians attempting to march towards the towns and villages from which they or their parents fled or were expelled 60 years ago."This is not an imaginary scenario and many Palestinians would be prepared to sacrifice their lives," said Ahmed Youssef, political adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya.
Israeli minister Ze'ev Boim said the threat must be taken seriously in light of the successful Hamas breakout into Egyptian territory on Wednesday, adding: "We must learn from what has just happened there."
The most dangerous threat of the Palestinian leadership has always been that they'd renounce statehood and just ask for their rights as Israeli citizens. Because an undemocratic Israel would betray its own principles, Ariel Sharon sought to create--as quickly as possible--a viable Palestinian state beside an Israel where Jews would predominate over Arabs for at least several more decades. Making Palestine unlivable has been entirely counterproductive. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 26, 2008 6:20 PM
Maybe they could spend those millions of dollars and Euros they've received on making their country liveable, instead of either making missiles and bombs or stuffing it into their leaders' private bank accounts.
What that article describes is an invasion of an army into a sovereign nation, and should be treated as such.
Posted by: Just John at January 26, 2008 6:47 PMOJ won't agree, but the Palis don't have the guts to something like that. Not that they wouldn't want to march into Israel, but it takes moral courage to want to be free, and they haven't shown that in decades. Besides, the other Arabs have abused the Palis far worse than Israel has.
For example, why aren't there Egyptian power and water lines into Gaza? Surely the Euros would pay the bills.
Posted by: ratbert at January 26, 2008 7:51 PMI must point out the difference between immigrants who wish to become cirizens and alien invaders bent on reconquista.
Posted by: Lou Gots at January 26, 2008 8:10 PMAs long as the Palestinians are led by would-be Arafats (like Abbas) and far-away pupper masters like Mashaal (and his ilk in Tehran and Riyadh), the people of Gaza and the West Bank will never be free.
And along with water and electricity, why haven't medical supplies and food been crossing the Egyptian border since the Israelis left? When all the principal Palestinians met in Mecca 12 months ago (at the urging of the Saudis) to make peace, they could have opened the Egyptian border and begun trade at that time.
Nothing is going to change for the Palestinian people until they move past their status as proxy victims. And changing that means facing their Arab oppressors and purging the corruption and terror from their midst. It's not an easy road, but they have been in the ditch for almost 100 years, and only the bitter truth will help them get out now.
Posted by: jim hamlen at January 26, 2008 9:24 PMWhat does it have to do with wanting to be free? An undemocratic Palestinian Israeli wouldn't betray any principles.
Posted by: oj at January 26, 2008 11:59 PM