Handwriting on the Wall with a Caveat: I have been a vociferous opponent of the anti-Israel local blogger Doris Cadigan's opinions (See June 5, 2011 Metro West Daily News, Cadigan letter "End Palestinian Conflict") about Israel throughout the years. I STILL cringe at her virulent anti-Israeli statements but I have changed slightly my opinion as realities on the ground change. Of this I can be sure: I WANT THE JEWISH STATE TO SURVIVE. It is because of this I support EXACTLY what the president said at AIPAC. It is why many at AIPAC agreed with him. NOW IS THE TIME to perfect a peace with not simply empty words. I say that NOT as a supporter of Palestinians. I say that as a supporter of the State of Israel. Our president knows the odds the Jewish state is up against. They are and will be formidable unless an all out hot war is waged with the US as Israel's ally. Given the weariness of this country to the commitment of American force to this regional conflict if not ultimately the world war it could engender, it would be not only impossible to wage but if waged repulsive in the extreme. The body count would be exponentially horrific. Because of this a return to the 67 borders WITH MUTUALLY AGREED UPON LAND SWAPS is a must.
The Arab Spring began in Tunisia by a simple vendor who was mad as hell, couldn't take his government's corruption anymore and set himself on fire. He thereby set the region on fire with him. The US initiation of the Iraq War based on a lie began, too, the destabilization of that already volatile part of the world. It handed Iran the hegemony it savors to this day. All of this has negatively affected the west and it has negatively affected Israel as well.
Do I want a Jewish state to survive? YES and that is why I come out in support of what the president said at AIPAC. He KNOWS the stakes and those who do not see it are ostriches with their heads in the sand. Either one wants the Jewish state to survive or one THINKS with the superior weapons of war one can fight the many other forces from all sides wanting Israel's destruction. This is stupidity in the extreme.
Palestinians and their other supporters have numbers and time on their side and we, the Jewish people, do not as we will be abandoned one by one by many who gave Israel initial support including possibly soon even the UN. An IMPORTANT caveat too must be made. Everything is predicated, OF COURSE, on the stipulation that the Arabs/Palestinians MUST, without question, accept the legitimacy of the Israeli state and BOTH MUST cease violence against the other.
Jews need to count on Jews for survival BUT they MUST do the right thing as well. I cannot count tit for tat all the death wielding maneuvers of each side. BOTH are guilty of gruesome and heinous acts. My most ardent perception, given the changing Middle East is that NOW is the time for true peace to begin in earnest and not with empty words. The MSNBC headline below lends credence to my view.
"Israeli forces open fire as protesters storm Golan border." I rest my case!
