Monday, January 29, 2007

[middle-east] violence everywhere surrounding israel

It’s always puzzled me why there is just so much unrest in the land surrounding Israel. Gaza is a case in point.

The two sides have been arming themselves for months with light weapons - such as machine guns and rocket launchers, while talks that began last spring on a power-sharing national unity government have stalled. Iran and radical Islamists across the Arab world have bankrolled Hamas, while the U.S. supports Fatah and most of the weapons reach the tiny strip through tunnels under the 11-kilometre-long border it shares with Egypt.

Cut to Iraq and everyone knows the story there.Let me put it this way: if any one element in the equation were to be removed, e.g. Hezbollah, Hamas, Fatah, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the US, would peace come to the region?

3 comments:

  1. Plenty of hate to go around. I do not think hte Modhammedans are very keen on having the Jewish state imposed.

    The US has tried neutralising various of the players, only to have failed in the long-term.

    not sure what the solution is myself. Perhaps a victory of arms by Isreal once and for all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. James-

    You seemed to have simplified things - and seem to suggest that one of the "elements" are creating the problem for all.

    I think the US (along with help from Israel and many European countries) have effectively started a civil war the occupied territories by refusing to accept the democratically-elected Hamas. By funding Fatah, as you point out, the western powers have basically given Abbas permission to hang onto power despite the wishes of the people. Not exactly democracy.

    The recent suicide bombing (yesterday, I think) in Israel showed the media's role. While many reports pointed out that Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade claimed responsibility as well as noting that "Hamas is the terrorist group in power," virtually all media outlets failed to note that Hamas's suicide team - the al-Qassam - DID NOT claim responsibility. more than that, no media outlet noted that Al-Aqsa is actually part of Fatah - the group that the US is helping/funding/arming.

    So did the US arm/fund/help out on the suicide bombing yesterday?

    There has to be an answer somewhere...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cityunslicker, you're not wrong and you're in some position to know. Wil, you say to: "You seemed to have simplified things."

    That's exactly what I've done - tried to simplify complex issues down to their main elements but for any allegation, I try to be sourced, as you'll see in the latest post on Davos, dedicated to you.

    ReplyDelete

Comments need a moniker of your choosing before or after ... no moniker, not posted, sorry.