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Lest we forget

January 5, 2009

I find the issue of Israel being a country having the right to defend itself against attacks by Hamas quite interesting.

It is so easy to forget the circumstances leading to Israel's declaration of independence in 1948.

Then Britain and not America was the mediating power and it was the Arabs who were turning down one settlement proposal after another.

Then the British were wavering in their support between the Arabs and the Jews, today the Americans are unwavering in their support for Israel.

Many do not remember that Iran was one of the few countries whose early recognition of Israel as a country helped in establishing it.

That Israel’s declaration of independence was vehemently opposed by Egypt and Transjordan (now Jordan) who have fought several wars against Israel.


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Today, Egypt and Jordan are friends of Israel, while Iran is a sworn enemy of Israel and one of the main supporters of Hamas.

Then it was the Jews who had organizations that the Arab nations regarded as terrorist, today Palestinian groups such as Hamas are the terrorists.

Then it was the Arab nations that were persecuting a war of attrition against the Jews in Palestine.

Today it is the nation of Israel that is engaged in a war of attrition with Palestinians in Gaza.

Then it was the Jews who were scattered all over Europe and in search of a homeland of their own.

Today it is the Palestinians who have become generational refugees and who seek a homeland of their own.

Then it was the Jews who were being slaughtered in large numbers in concentration camps by Nazi Germany.

Today it is Palestinians, who are being killed in large numbers in Gaza, which some have called the largest concentration camp in the world.

When the Ottoman Turks held sway in the areas that Israel calls its ancestral home, where was the nation of Israel?

When the British exercised the mandate over the region of Palestine where was the nation of Israel?

But for the undertaking given by Lord Balfour in support of the Jews to a homeland of their own in Palestine, what would Israel be?

But for the defeat of Nazi Germany who was supported by some Arab nations opposed to a Jewish nation in Palestine, where would Israel be?  

But for the holocaust how many nations would have supported the establishment of a Jewish nation in Palestine?

May be the large number of Palestinian dead especially the spilling of blood of innocent women and children will count for something.

May be the condition of 4 million stateless generational Palestinians in neighboring Arab nations will have to count for something.

May be the harrowing living conditions of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza will count for something.

May be the daily missiles fired by Hamas at Southern Israel, where the Israelis at least have bunkers to hide in, will count for something.

http://israelipalestanianwatch.blogspot.com/

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