-Caveat Lector-
From
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=342882002&rware=NYVUOTGMQEKV&CQ
_CUR_DOCUMENT=1
}}}>Begin
COMMENT: Terror bred by the very effort to destroy it
DANNY RUBINSTEIN
LATE into Thursday night, the Israeli army began moving into Palestinian territories
in order, Ariel Sharon declared, to "destroy the terrorist infrastructure".
In a dramatic press conference in Jerusalem yesterday, the Israeli prime minister
described the action as being not only understandable but necessary.
A young Hamas activist from Tulkarem had killed himself on the eve of the Jewish
Passover, in a hotel in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv. He blew himself up, killing more
than 20 Israelis.
Later in the evening, four members of the same family from an Israeli settlement in
the West Bank were killed by Palestinian gunfire. And another two more were killed
in the Gaza strip.
The atrocities continued yesterday when a 16-year-old girl from the refugee camp
Adhaisha, near Bethlehem, blew herself up in the entrance to a supermarket in a
western suburb of Jerusalem, adding another two victims to the death count over the
Passover holiday.
Is this not, in itself, enough to justify the Israeli occupation of the centre of the
Palestinian Authority in Ramallah in a bid to eliminate the "infrastructure" of terror.
The first problem for the Israelis is a definition; what does the "infrastructure of
terror"
mean? For 19 months now, there have been bloody incidents and confrontations in
both the Palestinian territories and within the state of Israel.
The Israeli government of national unity, headed by Ariel Sharon, elected by a solid
majority little more than a year ago, has resorted to almost every military means to
force a peace.
Using the most sophisticated aircraft and missiles in the world, the Israelis have
repeatedly bombarded Palestinian Authority bases in an attempt to pressure Mr
Arafat and his lieutenants into halting the terrorists operating out of the West Bank
and Gaza Strip.
Backed by their enormously sophisticated intelligence services, Israeli commando
units have singled out Hamas activists, Muslim extremists and others, who are
organising the attacks, and killed them.
The Israeli government has attempted to humiliate the Palestinian Authority and
Arafat personally. They destroyed the helicopters used by Arafat to travel around the
Palestinian territories, they destroyed the runway of Arafat’s airport and knocked out
its radar system. Eventually they laid siege to Arafat - virtually imprisoning him in
his
headquarters in Ramallah.
But the greatest pressure exerted by the Israelis was on the Palestinian people. They
used widespread road blocks to limit vehicle movement; they demolished houses
and farms from which ambushes and terrorist attacks were launched.
They also attacked the Palestinian radio and television stations.
Everything has been done in the name of "destroying the infrastructure of terror".
But it turns out that none of this has helped. Not only has the problem for the
Israelis
not been solved, it has actually worsened. Palestinian terror is growing and growing.
It seems that the infrastructure of terror has not been destroyed, not even
diminished, but just the opposite: it is increasing more and more, reaching
unprecedented levels.
Where is this "infrastructure of terror"? One should take a look at the public opinion
polls taken from time to time in the Palestinian territories.
In the last month, all of them have shown a clear tendency towards growing support
for the suicide attacks. In the late summer of 2000, the start of this most recent
uprising, only 10 per cent of the Palestinian population showed support. But in a poll
carried out at the beginning of this month in the West Bank town of Nablus, 80 per
cent of respondents showed solidarity with the suicide bombers.
Intifada activists in the West Bank and Gaza say that they have no problem in
recruiting youngsters who are ready to die - as long as they can kill as many Israelis
as possible. It’s impossible to know how many Palestinian youths are ready today to
die in this terrible way. There are certainly hundreds, maybe even thousands.
A society which produces so many young people who are ready to die in such a
horrible way, must be a society with indescribable levels of anger, frustration and
hatred.
Those who give their own lives are regarded as heroes in Palestinian society.
Many members of the Palestinian leadership are saying that this readiness to commit
suicide will even redress the current imbalance of power between the weak
Palestinian Authority and the enormous military strength of Israel. It may even be
thought of as balancing the fear.
In Gaza and Ramallah, Palestinians have been afraid to go out in the streets in
recent weeks, fearing injury from an Israeli aircraft missile or tank shell. On the
streets of West Jerusalem and in the coastal town of Netanya too, the streets are
deserted because Israelis are afraid that a Palestinian will breach the security
cordons and explode himself and them in a café or a supermarket or in the entrance
to a disco.
Eighty per cent support from Palestinians for the suicide attacks and the readiness of
so many youths to die in this way surely defines the real "infrastructure" of the
Palestinian terror.
In other words the infrastructure of terror does not lie in the primitive explosives-
producing workshops in Gaza or Nablus. The Israeli Army has uncovered them and
destroyed them. The Israeli intelligence service has also located and assassinated
commanders and activists belonging to the Hamas and other terror groups. But the
result of these Israeli actions has created even more anger, more bitterness, and
ultimately more justification for the Palestinian youths to kill themselves and kill
Israelis.
The infrastructure of terror is a readiness to die.
Just two years ago and over many years, most Palestinians supported the peace
process with Israel. What has happened to them? Is it possible that an entire people
will evolve to become a nation of terrorists?
Against this background, one can be certain that the military option used by the
Israeli government to deal with Palestinian terrorism will not work.
Even the latest operation, which may well see an end to Mr Arafat’s rule, might
equally turn out to be like a boomerang that will return to damage the Israelis.
Reoccupation of the Palestinian territories will not destroy the infrastructure of
terror.
Tragically, it merely runs the risk of enlarging it.
Danny Rubenstein’s biography, The Mystery of Arafat, was first published in 1996.
He is a columnist for the leading Israeli newspaper, Haaretz.
©2002 scotsman.com
End<{{{
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forwarded as information only; no automatic endorsement
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material
is distributed without charge or profit to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information
for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe
simply because it has been handed down for many generations. Do not
believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do
not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not
believe in anything merely on the authority of Teachers, elders or wise men.
Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it
agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all.
Then accept it and live up to it."
The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutta
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will
teach you to keep your mouth shut."
--- Ernest Hemingway
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html
<A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A>
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
<A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
