Peace And Security

If being forever in a turmoil of anticipation that something lurks around the corner meant to unsettle, challenge, threaten and cause unceasing harm is the price of being a Jew in the Middle East, it is evident that Israelis know the price and have had little option but to accept it.  There are no times when peace and stability are present for prolonged periods of time to lull the Government of Israel and its people into a sense of security.

Peace and security are ideals that simply do not present themselves to any country in the Middle East, forever roiled in a battleground of entitlements, threats, tribal menace and sectarian unrest.  For Israel, the sole non-Muslim country in the geography, the threats are manifold and never-ending.  Fed by the fiction of its having been established in a land that was never theirs through heritage and history, and that the true inheritors of the land were dispossessed by alien invaders.

Most countries of the Middle East view the presence of Israel as an assault upon the glory of Islam, furiously resentful that land consecrated to Islam is now in the hands of those who practise the Judaic faith, Islam's ancient predecessor.  All harbour a wish to see the Jewish State miraculously disappear and fade into a dark memory.  The Palestinians promise themselves that there will come a time when they will re-possess the land, and their Arab and Muslim brethren, though having no real use for Palestinians otherwise, support them fervently in that mission.

Another annual "Land Day" has come and gone.  With Palestinian "youth" demonstrating what they know best to do; throwing rocks at security forces in yet another rally geared to demonstrate unequivocally what their final intention is, spurred on by the Palestinian Authority that has always stirred them to "resist the occupiers", who would no longer be occupiers if the PA agreed to a lasting truce that would result in their own ultimate sovereignty alongside the State of Israel.

Easier said than achieved, because simply put, this is not what is envisioned, other than by statements designed to be heard and approved by the West, by those sympathizers and funders of Palestinian 'refugees', who despite generations of opportunity have never wished to wean themselves away from their position of 'victims', ensuring that ongoing empathy for their miserable plight, and resulting enmity toward Israel will be enshrined in the consciousness of those whose liberal-left sensibilities see a clear division between 'oppressor' and 'oppressed'.

Iran, Syria and militant-proxy Hezbollah and Hamas have been busy organizing the "Global March to Jerusalem", calling for a return of Jerusalem to Arab hands, characterizing Israeli jurisdiction over Jerusalem, its national capital and historical homeland, illegal and criminal.  The lavish expectations of a million marching toward Jerusalem, swamping Israeli security's ability to handle such a gigantic protest to once again fix world attention on Arab and Palestinian demands resulted in thousands of vocal Arabs marching in solidarity, instead.

"We are determined to march together toward Jerusalem, and hopefully we will break through and reach it", expressed the general expectation of masked youth.  Flag-waving, hurling stones at security forces (and managing to hit square on a Hamas parliamentarian) moving on the eastern sector of Jerusalem.  Lebanese and Jordanian Palestinians gathered to comprise tens of thousands, but not the one to two million organizers anticipated.

Among the protesters American, European and South African 'activists'.  Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood leader addressed the demonstrators, encouraging them with his message that "Volunteers from around the world have come to Jordan to demand the end of occupation and returning Palestinian rights to their owners.  They have sacrificed thousands of martyrs and prisoners so far."

The infamous Neturei Karta who had lent themselves to Iran's Holocaust-denying conference were there, also among the marchers, distinguishing themselves as certifiably lunatic.  "The nation's right to the whole of Palestine is not dead.  Palestine is not waiting for the Arab summit of international decisions.  The Palestinian nation relies on the guns of fighters in Gaza, in Ramallah and in Beint Jbeil", one Hezbollah sheikh announced to the crowd.

Their unflagging dedication to continued conflict allied with their resolute insistence on destroying Israel demonstrates them to be the fanatic destroyers of peace and stability that Israel has committed itself to outlast and outlive.