|
Nothing Has Changed- Ambiguity
Continues
EDITORIAL
After Israel entered into Gaza last winter to root out the source of
daily missile attacks into her southern cities, Israel was portrayed
as an aggressor nation that practices apartheid. What was once a
battle over land and associated claims has turned into a war of
competing ideologies. It is a war that is often fought in the halls
of powerful government buildings in capitals far away from The
Middle East itself. When one considers the various blocks of
countries that have commented and inserted themselves into “the
Middle East conflict” it is very apparent that what is said is as
important as to what is done. In early August the Fatah wing of the
Palestinian Au thority convened its first congress in 20 years. One
keynote speaker was PA president Mahmoud Abbas. He was quoted by
Mohammed Assadi that “resistance would remain an option” as
Palestinians sought peace with Israel. Abbas was quoted further to
say “Although peace is our choice, we reserve the right to
resistance, legitimate under international law.” Assadi further
wrote that Abbas “used a term that encompasses armed confrontation
as well as nonviolent protests.” This is the continued dichotomous
language that has come from the PA since Yassar Arafat offered “the
peace of Saladin” when accepting the Oslo Accords on the White House
lawn in 1993.
The ensuing stream of suicide bombers that entered Israel for the
next few years was one of the worst periods in recent memory within
Israel. That was terror to its “enth degree.” Israel chose to erect
“the fence” to keep these undesirables and their “Saladin peace” out
of the land. Of course, Israel has been condemned for erecting this
fence. The charges of apartheid grew out of that. Yet we must
question just who will step up and challenge this speech from Abbas?
History has shown that despite there being someone at the head of
the PA, too often leadership is ignored and the renegades have their
day. President Obama has taken initial steps at trying to
“encourage” movement towards some form of peace. Yet one thing
remains clear; the more Israel concedes to any of her enemies, the
more there is a price extracted of her. The cost is always in the
lives of innocent people. If the PA truly wants peace, then the
utterance of ambiguous statements as quoted above need to be
retracted. True action will only come in this time from frank and
honourable negotiations. But one thing that prevents this is ongoing
sin. Until the true Prince of Peace comes to rescue His people, we
can sadly expect more ambiguity. Maranatha!
|
