Middle East conflict explained
The ongoing fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas fighers in Gaza is a challenging topic for journalists to explain within the parameters of a four or five minute interview.
This morning on Weekend Breakfast we attempted to go back to the roots of the conflict as a means to provide listeners with some context to the current situation. Not everyone agreed with everything that our guest, Professor Greg Harms, the author of "The Palestine Israel Conflict, A Brief Introduction", had to say.
Below you can listen to the interview and judge for yourselves as he takes Rachel Burden through some of the history of the conflict.
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5LNPI: What makes a sporting legend? 14 Dec 09
10:21 Mon, 14 Dec 09
The winner of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year last night was Manchester United's Ryan Giggs. The Formula One World Champion, Jenson Button, was runner-up. The lifetime achievement award went to Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros who's recuperating from a brain tumour. But what is it that defines a legend? Is it the number of trophies in the cabinet? Is it staying at the top of your sport year after year. Is it overcoming adversity like our paralympians? And does a legend have to be a success in all parts of their life- have the revelations about Tiger Woods and his private life reduced him in your eyes?
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I am amaze how this sort of situation can go on and nothing is done to stop this war going on. So many people being killed, it is such a tragedy. I work with people/business
to help them to improve their current situation.Not work against them.
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David:
Thanks for the excellent summary of the broadcast....of the middle east conflict...
~Dennis Junior~
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To help you put the main problem of the Middle East in perspective, let me draw you a parallel:
What if the Russians decided to “give” the United States to the Gypsy tribes of Eastern Europe as a homeland because they are homeless and have been persecuted throughout history, even to the point of attempted extermination by Hitler. Then, the Russians arm the Gypsies and aid them in terrorizing the U.S. population with death squads- armed gangs that slaughter the inhabitants of whole towns. The American people become so frightened they flee their homes in search of safety. In such a way, these death squads ethnically cleanse whole areas of the United States, paving the way for waves upon waves of Gypsies to enter the U.S. and take over the land (supported by Russian money and weapons). The frightened people who fled the killing are, then, either taken in by Canada and Mexico as second class citizens with limited rights, or have been crammed together in refugee camps in the southern U.S. and New York.
Russia and China then “decide” that the U.S. should be divided: with the southern U.S. and New York belonging to the Americans and the rest of the country belonging to the Gypsies. Then, they use their influence within the United Nations to pass a resolution dividing the United States.
What do you think the American people would do? What do you think any honorable, freedom loving people would do?
Naturally, the dispossessed Americans would fight the Gypsies to get back their land. However, the Gypsies are so heavily supported by the Russians economically and militarily that the Americans are no match for the Gypsy-Russian war machine. Several years later, though, Canada and Mexico attempt to help their American neighbors expel the Gypsies from American soil, only to have the Russians provide massive support that turns events in favor of the Gypsies. The gypsies then take over all of the southern U.S. and New York, despite U.N. resolutions calling for their return to the previously accepted borders. They build more and more Gypsy settlements, cramming the Americans into progressively smaller and smaller areas.
The Gypsy State, in the meantime, has been receiving uninterrupted massive economic aid from Russia; aid without which the Gypsy State could not survive. The Gypsies claim to establish a democracy. Only Gypsies, however, are afforded full rights of citizenship. Furthermore, Americans are not allowed to return to their homes; and those who never left are routinely expelled from their homes so new Gypsy settlers can take their place. Widespread bulldozing of other American homes, as well as farms, is carried out to make room for new settlements for more Gypsy newcomers. And the exiled Americans are still not allowed back to their land. The Russians, in the meantime, are providing massive economic aid to import more and more Gypsies and establish an artificially created civil society that could not stand on its own if the Russian money stopped pouring in. And all this time the Americans are still crammed in refugee camps.
The Gypsies, although enjoying the full fruits of a “prosperous”, “democratic” state, deny the Americans basic rights like freedom of movement. Americans have to contend with detours and blockades and restricted access to roads in order to keep them away from the Gypsy cities and heavily fortified settlements. Critically ill American patients are routinely delayed or denied passage to reach hospitals. Pregnant American women denied passage have been known to give birth at the Gypsy checkpoints. Americans are routinely arrested on the flimsiest of charges with no legal checks against abuse. Gypsy settlers are protected by the military and are allowed to carry weapons which they may use according to their own discretion against the Americans. The military is instructed to shoot to kill any American fighting a settler. However even if a Gypsy settler is on a shooting rampage against Americans, the military is instructed to wait until he/she stops shooting, then approach the settler. Under no circumstance is the military allowed to harm the Gypsy. Gypsies attacking churches or murdering worshipers in the churches are also not to be harmed- the military must wait until the rampage is over and they are able to approach the Gypsies without harming them. One of the founders of the Gypsy state has even publicly stated that “The only good American is a dead American.”
The economic welfare of the Americans, furthermore, is naturally made to intertwine with that of the Gypsies. The Americans are totally dependent on the Gypsies for their livelihood; and have become the cheap labor in their own country. Even the water resources are diverted by the Gypsies so that they receive 90% of the water while the Americans, who are a much larger group, only receive 10%. Most Americans are reduced to living below the poverty line while the Gypsies are supported by massive influx of Russian money (some estimate $15 million daily- $4.5 billion / year ).
Forty- five years after the start of the Gypsy occupation, a group of Americans, which had previously resisted the occupation, decide to recognize the right of the Gypsy State to exist. The Russians, Gypsies, and Chinese are delighted and start touting this group as the “legitimate” representative of the American people and give it political and financial backing, despite its obvious widespread corruption. Other Americans, on the other hand, refuse to recognize the right of the Gypsy state to exist on their lands, and continue their struggle against occupation.
This American resistance movement, initially, has no weapons to fight the Gypsy occupation; so they just use rocks. And remember, weapons from the military arsenal of the Russian military are readily available to the Gypsies- even before they become available to the Russians themselves. American men, women, and children throw rocks at heavily armed and shielded Gypsy soldiers, who respond with live bullets. The Gypsy soldiers even deliberately target and kill American children.*
Eventually, the Americans are able to buy weapons from Gypsy arms dealers or obtain them from individual supporters from Canada and Europe. The American resistance fighters are, thus, able to more effectively retaliate against the Gypsies when the Gypsies kill Americans. The American Resistance makes it very clear to the Gypsies:
“If you kill our civilians, we will kill yours.”
“Stop killing our people, and we will stop killing yours.”
“You will only be safe- when we are safe.”
“End the occupation of our lands- that is the only road to a lasting peace in North America.”
Instead of heeding the calls of the American Resistance, the Gypsies continue with the bloodshed, and their racist, apartheid policies. The international community witnesses American children and infants being killed by the Gypsy military- live on television. The free world is outraged but nothing is done to stop the Gypsies. Out of desperation, American resistance fighters start sacrificing themselves and conduct suicide attacks against Gypsy targets because that is the only way they can effectively fight back against Gypsy murder of Americans. Eventually, the American Resistance is able to develop primitive home-made rockets which they fire at Gypsy targets. The rockets are not very effective militarily- only 20 Gypsies are killed by rockets in 8 years. They are no match for the Russian F-15 missiles fired by the Gypsies into heavily crowded American neighborhoods- killing tens of American civilians with each missile. During the upcoming 8 years two ceasefires are agreed upon between the American resistance and Gypsies, only to be broken by the Gypsies. The Americans even document the abuses of the Gypsy military which occur during “ceasefires”.
The Gypsies, in the meantime, continue the killing of Americans. To ensure Americans cannot fight back, the Gypsies clamp down on them with draconian measures and further oppression. A wall is constructed to isolate the Southern U.S. from the main country, incorporating a significant portion of the South into “The Gypsy State”. The wall destroys many neighborhoods and farms, and separates American families. Then, as a prelude to a clampdown on New York, the Gypsy settlers in New York are relocated to new homes elsewhere in the country and given stipends to aid them in the relocation (the tab is picked up by Russia). Then the Gypsies establish a blockade of New York from the land, air, and sea. No food, drink, or medical supplies can enter, and NO ONE CAN EXIT. Even when aid convoys from NGOs try to enter, they are turned back. Even the United Nations UNRWA stores become depleted- and they are not allowed to restock. United Nations officials began warning of a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions.
A ceasefire is then agreed upon between the American Resistance and the Gypsies. The ceasefire entails lifting of the siege of New York in return for a halt to the firing of American “rockets”. The rockets stopped but the GYPSIES NEVER LIFTED THE SIEGE. As such the Gypsies broke the ceasefire.
Thus the American people- children, women, the elderly, AND men- faced death from hunger and disease while the world watched. The only superpower, Russia, called the siege of New York “self-defense” on the part of the Gypsies. Thus, it was up to the New Yorkers to do what they could to fight for their basic survival, yes actual survival. The American Resistance in New York waited until the ceasefire period expired, then began launching rockets once more.
THE RESULT IS WHAT YOU SEE ON TELEVISION NOW.
Please turn on Al-Jazeera News Channel to see how the Gypsies responded.
Naturally by now you’ve drawn the parallels of the preceding narrative. If you cannot accept the Gypsy State on American soil, how can you expect the Palestinians to accept Israel’s right to exist?
And even if you could somehow justify to yourself giving more than half of the United States to a foreign group of people, could you do so knowing the death and destruction they have brought upon the American people, and continue to do so?
In 15 days: 854 Americans killed (at least 230 children, 93 women, 60 elderly)
3681 Americans injured (approximately 50% children and women)
In response to: 20 Gypsy deaths from rockets in the past 8 years.
If you are thinking to yourself, the American Resistance still does not have a right to target Gypsy civilians, let us not forget how many thousand innocent Afghani civilians were killed in retaliation for the deaths in the World Trade Center.
* If you think the scenario of an occupying army deliberately seeking children to kill is farfetched or untrue, please just Google the words “Israel military children” and you will have immediate access to documented cases.
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The 'dummy' view is that because Hamas (conveniently labelled terrorists) fired rockets (commensurate with pea shooters as compared to Israeli firepower) into Israel territory then it wouldn't have provoked the Israeli forces to enter Gaza again!
The other popular 'dummy' view is that if you were a good Palestinian living on the West Bank and prepared to be represeed peacefully then you will be rewarded for good behaviour by being repressed without tanks, bombers and artillery!
The reality is that Israel along with the rest of the 'responsible' international community has never got its head around the fact that Hamas beat Fatah in the legislative elections in 2006. Since then Israel has virtually 'ghettoised' Gaza, laying seige, closed its borders, conducted cross borders raids with tanks, bulldozers, helicopters causing maximum disruption to any form of economic activity that's likely to be of benefit to its blighted inhabitants. If all this isn't bad enough the EU and US impose draconian food and other sanctions causing hunger and havoc to Gaza decrepid public utilities. Is it any wonder a few want to retaliate with a few measly rockets they have at their disposal?
This act of blatant state terrorism by Israel is, like all Israeli military incursions have been in the past, simply an extension of US and its crony neoliberal governments foreign policy whilst they all pretend to sit by as passive onlookers. This is why it had to be the US who abstained from the UN resolution calling for a ceasefire. Any Israeli government couldn't do a thing unless it knew it had the backing of the US and indeed the EU!
Based on their meak and pathetic stance they've taken on Gaza even before inaugoration one thing at least this crisis has dispelled forcertain and that is the myth that President-elect Obama's new incoming Democrat administration will be any different from the outgoing Republican's. This is why the US constitution allows a three month handing over period after a President is booted out by the electorate. Not that there was any clear policy difference anyway this interregnum period is to ensure that just in case a newly elected White House incumbant does threaten to do something which by US standards is really left wing radical like the provision of universal health care for all US citizens, then it can all be brushed aside with a few prawn cocktail dinners, handshakes all of which is overseen by Wall Street investors, bankers etc who after all povide the main campaign funds for the party they think will protect their interests better!
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Its almost everytime I hear news from this region its war or suicide bombings. Its amazing how they put so less value on human life. I always wanted to understand what motivation could make someone plant a bomb on themselves and detonate it for some cause. Amazing! sad though.
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Absoloutely disgusting what is happening and has happened to the Palestinians for over 50 years, WW2 has not stopped for them. The IDF are the terrorists, and I think the euology of pea shooters against the worlds latest military equipment, in the worlds most densely populated area in the world is spot on. This is in my opinion, is a real attempt to get Iran to react (be real reason for US attack on Iran), and also politically show strength to their own people after the crushing defeat to the pea shooters in Lebbanon. What if Russia where to load up the Palestinians with weaponry equal to that of Israel, then we will see peace. Weapons cancel each other out as the cold war proved.
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Sir
It matters not one jot to the majority in the world [save for the USA] as to whether Israel has the right to defend itself because, for the majority, Israel should not only cease to exist but should never have been born.
As far as I could tell, because the 'comment' was ponderous in the extreme, the author of 'Gypsy' posting seems, like Hamas, to think that Israel should not exist. Or perhaps he thinks that it should be allowed to exist, but without friends, in a land that is devoid of any natural resources, or that its arab neighbours would have been more welcoming if it was also devoid of diaspora/USA support?
There have been times when I have wondered out loud whether the world would have been better off had Israel not have been created. After all, Jews, much to the chagrin of many in the world, have been extremely successful in the diaspora - out of all proportion to their numbers. The problem is that along with that success has come repeated persecution by most races and religions in the world. It was right, therefore, that the Jews should have their own country and should also be free, for the first time in their history, to defend themselves.
It seems to me that Israel serves a purpose and that is to enable its arab neighbours to hate that one small country. Without Israel does the world really believe that the arab countries in the middle east would be at peace with one another - I think not. Look at Iraq's invasion of Kuwait with Saudia Arabia next in its sights. Also look at Iran and the fear that that is engendering in much of the middle east outside Israel. Doubtless those countries and the rest of the world will be happy to see Iran brought down to size just as the world was not sad when Israel knocked out the Iraqi nuclear reactor. Of course on that occasion, there was some mumbled criticism but who now doubts that Iraq under Mr Hussain would have created a terrible threat to the world.
Ok, so Isreal has nuclear weapons but does anybody seriously think that they are for any other purpose than as a deterent?
Why is Israel ignoring the UN and Europe? Because in 1967/1973 the UN failed to fulfil its mandate to maintain peace between the jews and the arabs by monitoring/stopping the arabs rearmamant. Why is Europe being ignored, particularly France? Because of a comment not long ago by a former French ambassador during a private dinner party, referring to Israel as "that shitty little country" [apologies to the moderator for that, but I am quoting from a serious source].
That the anti-Israel feeling does contain more than a modicum of anti-semitism is beyond doubt. When this view is expressed, it is claimed that the use of the expression "anti-semitism" is a knee jerk reaction calculated to wrong foot anti Israel views. Not so, just look at the history of the jews and of Israel's attempts to defend itself from its neighbours.
Had Israel been allowed to live in peace by its neighbours, particularly the Palestinians then the whole of the middle east could have benefited from Israels ingenuity in the sciences and in food production. Instead the arabs must go on their own sweet ways with hatred in their hearts - or at least in their leaders hearts.
I hope that this is regarded as fit for publication.
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