KOSHER DELIGHT - YOUR JEWISH ONLINE MAGAZINE!
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KD MAGAZINE!
Posted: May 17,
2006 - יום רביעי,
י"ט באייר,
תשס"ו |
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When
the British Mandate ended on May 15, 1948, it opened the door for the
establishment of the State of Israel. The Arabs of the Palestinian Authority
commemorate this “terrible event” with Nakba Day or Day of Catastrophe.
The Hamas terrorist movement, which now controls the Palestinian Authority,
issued its Nakba Day proclamation emphasizing the legitimacy of terrorism
against Israel, as well as the demand for the return of millions of Arabs to
Israel. Additionally, it repeated the claim that the Arabs were thrown out
of their homes by Israel in 1948.The historical facts prove, though, that
the largest number of Arab refugees fled at the urging of their own leaders,
who promised them a quick victory over the fledgling Jewish state and a
quick return to their homes. The Nakba Day proclamation killed any chance
for peace with Israel.
A while
ago there was a chance for the US and the rest of the world
community to use financial means to exert some kind of control over the
Hamas - control that would have left the Nakba Day announcement as an
unrealized dream.
When
Hamas took control of the Palestinian Authority in March, Secretary of State
Condoleeza Rice told the House of Representatives that the United States
wants to stop all funding to the Palestinian Authority because of the
American policy not to fund terrorist groups. Rice demanded that the PA
recognize Israel's right to exist, disarm its terror group and renounce
Jihad in order to continue giving Hamas financial aid. She strongly
encouraged other nations to similarly cease paying the PA since the money
helps perpetuate the Hamas terror regime. Many nations complied triggering a
freeze in foreign aid.
Hamas
leaders tried to keep the flow of international funding running. However, it
wasn’t easy. Many local, regional and international banks stopped dealing
with the Palestinian Authority because they were afraid of sanctions by the
United States. The United States is powerful enough in the world community
that we could have used our clout and financial pressure to affect a change
in the Middle East.
Though Hamas
was publicly declaring that they would never change their charter, the
terrorist group was in fact trying to tone down their anti-Semitic rhetoric.
The current charter, written when Hamas was founded in 1988 declares that
“so-called peaceful solutions contradict the principles of Hamas” and
calls for “Jihad” to liberate all lands owned by the Jewish people.
After Rice’s announcement that financial aid would be cut off Hamas
officials secretly worked at developing a more moderate charter which would
carry a non-anti-Semitic image. The threat of losing financially
seemed to be doing the trick.
Yet the
US dropped the ball, when they recently bowed to pressure
from the other Quartet members - Russia, the European Union and the
United Nations - that an aid deal was needed to avoid financial collapse of
the PA and more violence. Rice agreed to send ten-million of dollars of
direct medical aid to the Hamas led PA for a three-month trial period.
It is
unconscionable for the US and the rest of the Quartet to give money to the
PA and help keep Hamas in power as they have not given up their terrorist
aims against Israel. At the same time that Rice was sitting with the Quartet
and deciding to send funds to the PA, Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal was meeting
with his colleagues in Qatar. He called on the Arab and Islamic world to
send Hamas "weapons, money and men." Mashaal reassured his
audience, explaining that their “donations” would be a force for
good in the world because Hamas is engaged in "resistance, not
terrorism."
To
Hamas's calls for the destruction of Israel, Rice answered that
the goal of the Quartet meeting was "to provide assistance to the
Palestinian people so that they do not suffer deprivation and do not suffer
a humanitarian crisis." The Quartet incorrectly claims that the
hundreds of millions of dollars they are about to provide the Palestinians
will not benefit the Hamas. It’s already clear that some of the “direct
medical aid” will pay the overdue salaries of PA employees who are
supposed to be getting paid by Hamas. That means, the money will be paying
Hamas's bills directly.
Even
worse, every cent transferred in "direct aid" to the Palestinians
is money that will prevent Hamas from failing. Not every PA citizen is aware
that Hamas is surviving on Western charity. In fact, the notorious lies that
cycle in Muslim circles would lead me to believe that PA citizens will claim
the money came from their supporters to strengthen and continue the Jihad
against the West.
Incredibly,
even after the “Quartet” agreed to send aid, Hamas leaders said they
still had problems accepting Western demands to recognize Israel and
renounce violence. Though they clearly want and need foreign aid to stay in
power they want the money to come with no strings attached!
"The
Quartet have conditions. They aim to push the Palestinian
government to make concessions that harm (Palestinian) rights and red lines
and give the (Israeli) occupation legitimacy," Ismail Haniyeh, Prime
Ministerof the PA told reporters in Gaza.
What
a loss of opportunity! Had the international community “stuck to their
guns” the PA could have been “pushed in the right direction.”
Additionally they would have sent a strong and clear message to the rest of
the world that terror can’t rule. As it is, the aid from the international
community, will help Hamas stay in power and continue their violence and
destruction, clearly sending a message that all terror groups need to do is
take over the government and the aid will pour in to help them stay afloat.
The US
seems to feel comfortable supporting a government bent on the destruction of
Israel. I wonder how the USA would feel and what they would say if the rest
of the “Quartet” decided to send money that could be used to fight the
USA - even under the guise of humanitarian aid - to the rebels in
Afghanistan, the defense fund for Sadaam Hussein, to Osama bin Laden or to
Iran.
Read
more articles by Rabbi Hecht
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KOSHER DELIGHT MAGAZINE
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