Israel-Palestine: What is terror
Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 29, 2004
It seems a number of national media outlets are biased by siding with Israel in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, labeling the Palestinians "terrorists." But an in-depth look at both sides reveals there are terrorists on both sides of the Gaza strip, as Ted Turner said last year while CNN's "views didn't coincide" with those of their former owner.
And it can all be traced back to the U.N., who was responsible for the onset of the conflict more than 50 years ago when they gave Israel a part of the Palestinian land - the "holy land" of Bethlehem. Did they expect for a nation to peacefully allow such a takeover and occupation to exist? Surely not.
The U.S. government funded the Israeli defense, but not the Palestinians. I wonder if there are some political motives behind certain national media…
One only needs to flip on any of the national TV news broadcasts - and almost at any point during any given day - to see either Palestinians or Israelis murdered by each other.
But just how do we define terrorism?
In the headlines of reports of Israelis killed by suicide bombers there is usually some kind of tag-line to the effect of "terror." Take Thursday's CNN online report, for example, which states "At least 10 dead in Jerusalem terror attack." Compare that headline with yesterday's "8 Palestinians Killed." Wasn't the latter incident just as terrible? And wasn't it also a terror attack?
The report from yesterday - with only the Israeli Defense Force as the source of reporting - stated the Palestinians who were shot were armed with anti-tank missiles. I seriously doubt that, because the Palestinians don't have that kind of firepower in their "army." Just homemade bombs with spare items. And they'll use what they have to ward off the IDF.
I say "army," but most of the fighting on their side is from an un-unified group. I don't agree, or condone the suicide bombings; and yes, it is terror. But I understand their situation and predicament. They have an Israeli militia infringing on what they believe to be theirs, and they won't give it up without a fight. And it goes deeper than that.
The IDF, despite national reports, are guilty of shooting civilians -
women and kids – just as a group of Palestinians are guilty of killing civilians in suicide bombings.
And it doesn't seem to be letting up. But what I am disgusted over is the media pointing a finger to the Palestinians as the "terrorists." Just because an Israeli wears a uniform doesn't make him not a "terrorist."
And more lies from the U.S. government and the U.N., who claim to have "a road map" for peace. This false hope consists of allegedly of having the conflict ended and an independent Palestinian state by 2005. I'll believe that when it happens.
The best commentary on the conflict came from chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, who said the security barrier is useless.
"The answer to Israeli security is not going to be achieved through walls and settlements and incursions and the occupation."
If only it were that simple. And to think this whole thing could have been avoided years ago. But I digress.
And I hope the U.S. – Iraq conflict won't be a similar story 50 years from now; but then I remember it is already.