Yesterday in Chicago, I was one of 5,000 who gathered to voice our support for Israel during this time of war (with Lebanon). It is not a war Israel chose to fight, but it is a war they must win. Would we tolerate regular rockets hits on our towns or the kidnapping of our soldiers? That these launches and kidnappings took place on territory that Israel withdrew from in the name of peace only makes the situation crystal clear. It should lay to rest the lie that violence against Israel is about the occupation. It is and has always been about Israel's right to exist.
One fellow was carrying a sign that, for me, perfectly encapsulates the whole Middle East crisis. On the sign were drawings of two baby carriages and two men with machine guns pointed at each other. One was an Israeli soldier and the other an Islamist terrorist. The soldier put himself between the carriage and the terrorist, while the later used another baby carriage to protect himself from the soldier. A quote from former Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir, read "We will have peace when the Arabs love their children more than they hate ours."
As I will always clarify when I write on this subject, I have nothing against Arabs as a people or the religion of Islam. It is only the radical Islamists who use violence and terror that I consider the enemy, not just of Israel or the U.S., but their own people.
I, like most supporters of Israel, not to mention it's government, would like to see a peaceful Palestinian state. But how can Israel continue to justify withdrawal from territories when they're used as launching grounds for attacks. The Palestinian people are victims, not of Israel, but their own radical leaders. A few years ago, I thought we were close to a peace agreement, but now it seems another generation removed.
It was comforting to see so many brave the hot Chicago day to attend the rally. Israel has always been a great friend of the United States and rallies like this show that American support is widespread. We gathered to pray for peace and for victory because the former is impossible without the later.
This article nicely sums it up.
http://jewishworldreview.com/0706/prager071806.php3
I'll end with a link to the lyrics of Bob Dylan who in 1983, wrote Neighborhood Bully, which remains as biting and true today as it was back then. http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/bully.html
One fellow was carrying a sign that, for me, perfectly encapsulates the whole Middle East crisis. On the sign were drawings of two baby carriages and two men with machine guns pointed at each other. One was an Israeli soldier and the other an Islamist terrorist. The soldier put himself between the carriage and the terrorist, while the later used another baby carriage to protect himself from the soldier. A quote from former Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir, read "We will have peace when the Arabs love their children more than they hate ours."
As I will always clarify when I write on this subject, I have nothing against Arabs as a people or the religion of Islam. It is only the radical Islamists who use violence and terror that I consider the enemy, not just of Israel or the U.S., but their own people.
I, like most supporters of Israel, not to mention it's government, would like to see a peaceful Palestinian state. But how can Israel continue to justify withdrawal from territories when they're used as launching grounds for attacks. The Palestinian people are victims, not of Israel, but their own radical leaders. A few years ago, I thought we were close to a peace agreement, but now it seems another generation removed.
It was comforting to see so many brave the hot Chicago day to attend the rally. Israel has always been a great friend of the United States and rallies like this show that American support is widespread. We gathered to pray for peace and for victory because the former is impossible without the later.
This article nicely sums it up.
http://jewishworldreview.com/0706/prager071806.php3
I'll end with a link to the lyrics of Bob Dylan who in 1983, wrote Neighborhood Bully, which remains as biting and true today as it was back then. http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/bully.html
No comments:
Post a Comment