In this, the latest article by Sydney lawyer and international affairs analyst David Singer, the focus is on antisemitism among Palestinian Arabs, and why it's an impediment to a true and lasting peace with Israel. The article is entitled "Palestine: End The Jew Hatred, End The Conflict".
Writes David Singer:
'The universal international condemnation of the anti-Islamic film "Innocence of Muslims" – whilst defending at the same time the freedom of individuals to express those abhorrent views – has come in response to the anger and violence that has broken out in many Moslem populations around the world and cost the lives of the American Ambassador to Libya – J. Christopher Stevens – and three other members at the Embassy in Benghazi on September 11.
Such reactions need to be compared with the continuing failure to condemn, repudiate, and disassociate from the official policies of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Hamas when it comes to extreme vilification and denigration of Jews.
These vile statements do not emanate from individuals – but from organizations that seek to assume leadership roles in any future Palestinian Arab State.
The original PLO Charter in 1964 - contained the following provisions in Articles 7 and 18:
"Jews of Palestinian origin are considered Palestinians if they are willing to live peacefully and loyally in Palestine"
"The claims of historic and spiritual ties, ties between Jews and Palestine are not in agreement with the facts of history or with the true basis of sound statehood. Judaism because it is a divine religion is not a nationality with independent existence. Furthermore the Jews are not one people with an independent personality because they are citizens of the countries to which they belong."In 1968 these statements were revised and the following provisions appeared as part of Articles 6 and 20 in the newly adopted PLO Charter:
"The Jews who had normally resided in Palestine until the beginning of the Zionist invasion will be considered Palestinians"
"Judaism, being a religion, is not an independent nationality. Nor do Jews constitute a single nation with an identity of its own; they are citizens of the states to which they belong."In 1974 the PLO was appointed as the sole spokesman for the Palestinian Arabs, and its leader,Yasser Arafat, was welcomed to the United Nations with an olive branch in one hand and a gun in the other.
Since then the PLO has progressed its above-declared racist policy of recovering every square meter of former Palestine and denying all Jews any right to Palestinian nationality in any part of former Palestine. It refuses to acknowledge Israel as the national home of the Jewish people.
The PLO is perfectly entitled to maintain and propagate its vile and racist program – but the civilized world should show its repugnance and rejection of such policy – and its refusal to recognize or endorse such a hate-filled program.
The President of the United States should refuse to welcome PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas to the White House or maintain any diplomatic discourse with the head of such an Organization. Let President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton issue such a declaration.
Other countries that have come out so strongly against "Innocence of Muslims" should be equally as responsive in rejecting the retention of these racist provisions in the constitution of an Organization they deal with. Financial assistance – now running into billions of dollars – should be discontinued until these provisions are removed.
Should Islam, being a religion – indeed a divine religion – be treated by the world in the same way Islam seeks to denigrate the Jews? Should the 56 Islamic member states forming the Organization of Islamic Co-Operation be denied any national identity or national recognition as Islamic states? Clearly not.
At the same time, Jews need to be treated differently by these Islamic states, which – with the exception of Egypt and Jordan – still have not recognized Israel after 64 years of concerted and ongoing efforts to deny the Jews a state in their biblical and ancestral homeland since Israel was established in 1948.
The 1988 Hamas Charter is equally as virulent in its steadfast opposition to Jews, Jewish statehood and Christianity – declaring in Article 13 (among many offensive provisions):
"Now and then the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question. Some accept, others reject the idea, for this or other reason, with one stipulation or more for consent to convening the conference and participating in it. Knowing the parties constituting the conference, their past and present attitudes towards Moslem problems, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not consider these conferences capable of realising the demands, restoring the rights or doing justice to the oppressed. These conferences are only ways of setting the infidels in the land of the Moslems as arbitrators. When did the infidels do justice to the believers?
"But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of Allah is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against Allah." (The Cow - verse 120).
There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith:
Hamas has been banned as a terrorist organization in many countries around the world."The people of Syria are Allah's lash in His land. He wreaks His vengeance through them against whomsoever He wishes among His slaves It is unthinkable that those who are double-faced among them should prosper over the faithful. They will certainly die out of grief and desperation."
That is not enough.
It should be similarly banned from any form of contact or receive financial assistance of any sort whatsoever whilst it retains such inflammatory and offensive statements in its Charter.
Those who meet with its officials and representatives should be condemned for engaging in and giving encouragement to such Jew-hating and Christianity-hating incitement.
Those who have voted such an organization into power and do nothing to seek a change in its Charter or to overthrow it must bear the consequences of their decisions.
Jew-hatred – more than anything else – has been the driver in ending the 130-years-old conflict between Jews and Arabs. It did not begin in 1967.
Until it is stamped out and removed from the official policies of those representing the Palestinian Arabs - no real resolution of the conflict between Jews and Arabs can ever occur.
Band aids – yes. But a lasting peace – never.'
I was watching Obama's UN speech and it struck how far we've fallen. We're actually thrilled and delighted that the President of the US is standing up in the UNGA and making a plausible assertion for the right of free speech. And not even an entirely forceful one, just that he's making one at all. Woopdie freakin Doo!
ReplyDeleteSame with this - we're actually saying that as rational statement the problem with dealing with genocidal freaks is that they're too insane but if they were a little less violent and unhinged and only wanted to kill some of us we could meet in the middle.