Perhaps you\u2019ve noticed.\u00a0 Violence is escalating in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
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True, there is a current truce, but the hostility is still glaring.\u00a0 Even amidst a so-called \u201ctruce,\u201d the animosity is obvious.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHelp us!\u00a0 …This thing is getting worse! \u00a0The Arabic – Islamic nations see [the U.S.] as weak and further more they know our country is vulnerable and the attacks are intensifying as a result!\u00a0 … Several large bombs and packs of explosives have been found in the past few days… Islamic Jihad is declaring responsibility for these attacks.\u00a0 Hamas is blaming Israel for them.\u00a0 What\u2019s new about that?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The reality, friends, is that thousands of miles away, it\u2019s easy for us to pay little attention to what’s occuring in the Middle East.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got arguably tougher issues \u2014 at least things more pressing on our plates \u2014 items we\u2019re currently more passionate about, and colloquially speaking, we\u2019ve got seemingly bigger fish to fry.\u00a0 Yet the truth remains; violence continues to escalate in the Middle East.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Israelis and Palestinians are fighting one another. \u00a0The Jewish nation and the Arab nation. \u00a0Truth is, they\u2019ve been fighting for a long, long time.\u00a0 Hence, we must ask why…\u00a0 why do they fight?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is an ongoing struggle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Is it about territory?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Is it about religion?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Do people disagree as to what the struggle is all about?\u00a0 Also yes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The reality is that after more than 50 years of war, terrorism, peace negotiation and human suffering, Israel and Palestine remain as far from a peaceful settlement as ever.\u00a0 It\u2019s not an easy fix.\u00a0 Hence, as best as possible, allow me to attempt to explain. \u00a0This explanation is not full proof, but it’s an explanation given to children, as sometimes they \u2018get it best\u2019… getting it better than adults…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The area which Israelis and Palestinians are in conflict about is within the original British Mandate of Palestine of the 1922 League of Nations Palestine Mandate, which today is defined by the borders of the State of Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and the Kingdom of Jordan also called Transjordan…<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 1917, during World War I, Britain’s army took control of Palestine. The British government issued the Balfour Declaration, “viewing with favor” the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, but also stating that “nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine\u201d…<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 1948 the British departed, the State of Israel was declared, and a number of Arab nations invaded Palestine.\u00a0 As the pro-Israelis won the subsequent war, Israel became a reality.\u00a0 Civilian unrest and military conflict has intensified in recent years in two Palestinian uprisings…\u00a0 culminating in the Oslo accords.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Oslo accords was seen as groundbreaking and a first step to a firm and lasting peace.\u00a0 But after the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin (former Israeli Prime Minister) the peace process slowed down to a grinding halt. The Palestinians living on the occupied territories didn’t see their living conditions improve.\u00a0 Additionally the Israeli settlements, from Palestinian view seen as one of the largest obstacles for peace, weren’t beginning to be withdrawn.\u00a0 Instead their population almost doubled on the West Bank even if few new were constructed. This along with sporadic attacks from Palestinian militant groups and the retribution from the Israelis made the situation unholdable.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n After the failure of the summit between USA President Bill Clinton, <\/em>PLO<\/em> Chairman Yassir Arafat, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 2000, dubbed Camp David II, and in the wake of the controversial visit of Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount, violence erupted resulting in over 2,000 deaths to date. Certain [Muslim] Palestinian groups started a new wave of suicide bombers, people who load themselves up with explosives and detonate themselves near Israelis, often civilians, but sometimes also soldiers. In response, the Israeli army has reoccupied the West Bank enforcing strict military law, and sealed off the Gaza strip, imposing economic restrictions on the Palestinians. The Israeli security forces instituted targeted assassinations of Palestinian militants, and destroyed the homes of suicide bombers’ families.\u00a0 These things have lead to numerous casualties among civilians (mostly bystanders) as well as massive damages to property.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Massive damages.\u00a0 Massive.\u00a0 People blaming one another.\u00a0 Friends, it is always easier to blame someone else than to take responsibility for oneself.\u00a0 To claim one side to be completely pure would be nothing less than naive.\u00a0 We have more to discuss here.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So can these nations stop the fighting?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Great question.\u00a0 It\u2019s not an easy answer.\u00a0 Too much is getting in the way.\u00a0 At least for now…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Respectfully,<\/p>\n AR<\/p>\n [Intramuralist Note: \u00a0Special thanks to\u00a0www.encyclopedia.kids.net.au for significant content in this posting.]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Perhaps you\u2019ve noticed.\u00a0 Violence is escalating in the Middle East. True, there is a current truce, but the hostility is still glaring.\u00a0 Even amidst a so-called \u201ctruce,\u201d the animosity is obvious. \u201cHelp us!\u00a0 …This thing is getting worse! \u00a0The Arabic – Islamic nations see [the U.S.] as weak and further more they know … <\/p>\n