In recent months, Israel has attempted to engage in peace talks with the Palestinians. Israel has called for a two-state solution and made offers to reduce barriers in the West Bank — Israel wants peace. Israel is a leader in democracy, freedom and human rights. As college students, we should be able to realize the significance of Israel in today’s world.
For decades, Israel has requested peace. Israel began as a fairly large piece of land in the Middle East, but time and time again, it has opted to trade land for peace. In 1979, to achieve peace with Egypt, Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula and evicted over 7,000 Jewish residents from the area. In 1997, Benjamin Netanyahu signed over most of Hebron to the Palestinian authorities. Again in 2005, the Israeli government evicted all Israelis from the Gaza Strip in hopes of establishing peace in southern Israel. Now, in 2010, the Palestinian authorities are asking for full control of the West Bank in exchange for peace talks. Israel already gave Sinai, Jordan, Hebron and Gaza, and is still waiting for peace.
Yitzhak Rabin, the fifth prime minister of Israel, spoke to the Palestinian people in 1993 and said, “Enough of blood and tears. Enough. We have no desire for revenge. We harbor no hatred toward you. We, like you, are people — people who want to build a home, to plant a tree, to love, to live side by side with you — in dignity, in empathy, as human beings, as free men. Let us pray that a day will come when we all will say, enough, farewell to arms.”
Israel has tried for peace and is still trying. Bill Clinton recently wrote in an op-ed published by the New York Times: “The remaining issues can be resolved, and the incentives to do so are there. Israel has its best partner ever in the Palestinian government on the West Bank led by President Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, with its proven ability to provide security and economic development.”
The time for peace is now. We all hope to live in a world with no phobias, no prejudice and no acts of hatred. Israel has taken steps towards achieving that reality — now it is our turn. It is our turn to understand that we must support a country that believes in peace.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/06/why_islam_will_never_accept_th.html
Their will not be peace in the middle eats until the world comes to an end. The nearby countries disagree to Israel’s being there at all.
This opinion piece is lacking in facts. The author desperately needs to learn the history of the Middle East reigon before making broad oversimplified statements. You need to examine the way that Israel was violently established. There is no mention of the continued opression of Palestinians, or the endless building of settlements on Palestinian land. These are not hysterical claims, they are well known around the world. I’m not saying that Palestinians don’t engage in violence. So would you if an imperialistic group began building a State in the land in which you live (and your ancestors have lived for… Read more »
You say: “The author desperately needs to learn the history of the Middle East re[gi]on before making broad oversimplified statements.” I don’t see a history lesson coming from you… in fact the author’s statements seem by far to be more specific and fact-driven than yours. You say: “You need to examine the way that Israel was violently established.” Israel was violently established in the sense that millions of Jewish people were slaughtered before the United Nations agreed that a nation without a home is left highly unprotected – and so they VOTED to give Jews a place to congregate, allowing… Read more »
Tim Wood, the Muslim Apologist, gives Muslims a free pass while accusing Israel of made-up crimes. While Muslims commit genocide in Sudan by killing all people (even black Muslims because they do not look “Arab” enough) Tim blames Israel for these crimes even though he cannot back them up with anything more than innuendo. While Muslims forcefully expel, kill and degrade Christians throughout the lands Muslims control Tim blames Israel even though their Muslim demographic (16%) is the fastest growing demographic group in the country. While Muslim built their “caliphate” through genocide and apartheid starting by eliminating all the Zoroastrians,… Read more »
Tim, this one is for you:
The genocide of Christians in the Middle East.
Before Mohammed was born the most ancient Christian communities existed in the Arab Middle East. Islam has been working at wiping all these communities off the map, and it looks like they’ll finish the job Mohammed started off pretty soon.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/11/iraqi-born-christian-the-tragedy-of-iraqs-christians-is-that-it-does-not-interest-anyone.html