The Right is Right

The Hypocrisy of the Road Map to Peace

by Wesley Thoene June 2003 The Hypocrisy of the Road Map to Peace
Originally, I was going to write on something lighter which I thought was annoying, but the past week has seen an increase in the bloodshed between Israel and the Palestinians as the Palestinian terror group Hamas attacked and murdered more Israelis. As a result, I am going to state my opinions on this complex issue, explain why the road map is actually an example of hypocrisy, and state what I believe needs to be done.

First, I will provide a short history of the conflict. Following World War II, many Jewish people fled Europe to resettle the country of Israel in the Middle East. Israel itself became a country in May 1948- a move which resulted in fighting between local Arabs and Jews. When Egypt began mobilizing troops from Syria and Jordan, Israel, goaded by France and Great Britain, attacked in 1956. Israel won the war and captured the Sinai Peninsula, but was pressured by the United States to return the land. The Palestinian Liberation Organization was founded in 1964 with the mission of annihilating the Jews. As Arab armies again began to mobilize, the Jews launched a pre-emptive strike known as The Six Day War in 1967. In this short amount of time, Israel conquered the Sinai, Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. In 1973, the Arabs attacked, beginning the Yom Kippur War, so named because it was launched on that Jewish holiday. Again the Jews won.

In 1980, the Camp David Accords were signed, which brought about peace between Egypt and Israel. The Oslo Accords of 1993 helped to bring about recognition between Israel and the PLO. In 1994, Jordan and Israel agreed to peace. These agreements have resulted in the return of the Sinai and the removal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon (2000). However, the terrorist group Hamas, a radical branch of the PLO, has vowed to keep fighting in the face of the road map for peace.

OK, here's my take on it all. At first I was pleased to see President Bush's "Road Map for Peace"- afterall, it seemed like an idea which would work, and who doesn't want peace? However, now I am convinced that it will not work right now and is a bad idea. The selection of Abbas to represent the PLO instead of Arafat was a positive sign from the Palestinians that they wanted peace; however, I believe their refusal to stop Hamas speaks even louder. Afterall, Abbas has within his power the ability to calm these guys down and get them to stop their activities, but he has yet to do that. Let's review a few of the things Hamas has done in the past few months alone: they send homicide bombers into malls, buses and the streets where they blow themselves up. In addition, they pack shrapnel so that they can injure as many people as possible. Women, children- they don't care, as long as they kill. I heard someone on TV say that these weren't people, they were animals. I'm beginning to agree with this assessment.

Now, President Bush wants to give the Palestinians a place to live. Well, that seems like a good idea. The United States has been a proponent of self-autonomy for people throughout its history, and giving the Palestinians a country could help to ease anti-American sentiment in the Middle East. BUT- aren't rewarding these terrorists? If the Palestinians get a country, then so will groups like Hamas. Think about it. President Bush goes to war with Iraq because they posed a threat to the US from halfway across the world. (Note: I agree that they did) Israel, however, was scolded by Bush for launching missiles into building housing Hamas leaders. So the US can go around the world to protect our interests, but Israel can't fight terrorism in its own backyard? If Americans had to live in constant fear like the Israelis, you can bet we'd fight back. This is why I believe President Bush was wrong to scold Israel when they retaliated.

In retaliating, Israel, like the US, is targeting the leaders of a terrorist group, while the terrorist group is trying to kill civilians. I see no difference here between US and Israeli goals and methods. I don't understand how President Bush does, either. Would you want President Bush (or some other leader) to give a terrorist group its own state right here in the Union? What if he, in an attempt to stop terrorism, gave one of the Western states to a terrorist group? I know it sounds preposterous, but it's realy not. That is what he is doing over there right now. The Palestinians will get their own country, but so will Hamas. Thus, their bad behavior will be rewarded. They would have an outpost from which to strike Israel and attempt to annihilate the Jews right on Israels' doorstep. Whenever they want more land, they could just launch another attack from their new country.

So what can be done? I say the United States should allow Israel to go after Hamas- no holds barred. How can we justify fighting some terrorists while appeasing other ones with a new state? How can we condemn one of our closest allies for protecting themselves from a real threat? How can we condemn them for reacting to the deaths of innocent men, women, teens, and children- family members and friends? We can't- and that is why all terrorist organizations need to be targeted, because they are threats to everyone (and I sincerely believe they are all connected anyway- decapitate one and you cut off the arms of another organization). Israel has a right to defend itself, and it should be able to do that. The Palestinians have had their chance to control Hamas, but they did not accept that responsibility. Now it is Israel's turn to act. Israel has come to the table wanting peace, but Hamas wants only to destroy them. Besides, if Palestinians want peace and want their own country, they should accept Israel destroying Hamas, because that organization is the major road block to peace. If they want to support it and its actions of slaughtering civilians, then they don't deserve a country. Besides, Palestine, with Hamas, would be one more terrorist state we will have to watch closely. We just went into one, so why set up another?

Thus you can see why I am against the peace plan- it places our ally Israel into a position to be targeted by terrorists- a position the United States would never purposefully place itself in. However, if long-term peace is ever to be achieved in this region, Palestine will need to become a state. The only way to do this AND protect Israel is to support Israel in destroying Hamas instead of scolding them for doing so. This means the road map must be stalled, but it will eliminate the hypocrisy behind it.

May's column- "The Liberal Bill of Rights"
April's column- "The Moral Justification of a War against Iraq"
March's column- "The Liberals and the Little Guy"