My good friends over at that fine site Gates of Vienna have a must read post up - a personal account by several European politicians and writers of a recent trip to Israel. Here's a slice:
From Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff:
It is quite simple: if one understands Eurabia and its provisions regarding the “Palestinian” question, and combines this with rudimentary knowledge of the relevant Quranic suras, then one is but a step away from understanding basic Israeli reality. There can be nothing but utter support for the Jewish state; nothing but utter support for Israel holding on to and defending land that is publicly and politically called the “West Bank”, what Israelis call Judea and Samaria. Without Judea and Samaria there is no military defense of the State of Israel. It is as simple as standing right there on a mountain overlooking the Jordan valley to realize that giving up Judea and Samaria is tantamount to committing national suicide, especially given the Muslim chant “Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return”, referring to the expulsion of Jews by the Muslim armies from the oasis of Khaybar.
It is precisely the half-knowledge of historical facts, the ignorance of realities on the ground, and myths that have been propagated since the inception of Eurabia more than twenty-five years ago that drive the critics of Israel to demonize it. A trip to Israel, such as the one I had the honor and privilege of being a part of earlier this month, dispels the ignorance very quickly. While even a cursory glance at a map of Israel should suffice, assessing the situation first-hand delivers the final blow to those unwilling to listen and to learn.
Our educational trip started in the country’s southeast, in the city of Ashkelon, which has been the target of rocket attacks from the nearby Gaza Strip. According to Wikipedia,
On 1—2 March 2008, rockets fired by Hamas from the Gaza Strip (some of them Grad rockets) hit Ashkelon, wounding seven, and causing property damage. Mayor Roni Mahatzri stated that “This is a state of war, I know no other definition for it. If it lasts a week or two, we can handle that, but we have no intention of allowing this to become part of our daily routine.” On May 12, 2008, a rocket fired from the northern Gazan city of Beit Lahiya hit a shopping mall in southern Ashkelon, causing significant structural damage. According to The Jerusalem Post, 4 people were seriously injured and 87 were treated for shock. 15 people suffered minor to moderate injuries as a result of the collapsed structure. Southern District Police chief Uri Bar-Lev believed the Grad-model Katyusha rocket was manufactured in Iran. In March 2008, 230 buildings and 30 cars were damaged by rocket fire on Ashkelon.
In March 2009, a Qassam rocket hit a school, destroying classrooms and injuring two people.
In July 2010, a Grad rocket hit a residential area in Ashkelon, damaging nearby cars and an apartment complex.
The Western media are bending over backwards to diminish these rocket attacks. I ask the reader to imagine the following to understand the situation Israel is facing:
Vienna during the hottest times of the Cold War. The Soviet troops who have garrisoned nearby Bratislava have decided to shell Vienna with rockets on a daily basis, targeting schools and hospitals, causing terror among the civilian population in addition to killing and wounding. The Austrian government, after 100 rockets have landed in Vienna and its vicinity, decides to retaliate, while the United Nations condemns the Austrian government and calls for restraint. I am an Austrian citizen whose daughter attends school. Would I allow for the UN to call restraint while the enemy, who incessantly calls for the total and utter destruction of my country, continues to terrorize me and my family? You decide.
The delegation was also invited to tour the last Israeli military post close on the border of the Gaza Strip. Contrary to liberal belief, the Gaza Strip is no longer occupied by Israeli troops. Hamas, the rulers of Gaza, thank Israel for its withdrawal by sending rockets into the Israeli cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod.
For Europeans like us who are not used to a military presence, it was very unusual to see soldiers like this young fellow manning the IDF military base. These 22-year-olds are considered the very best of their generation. Their demeanor shows awareness of the importance of their duty to defend their country.
In essence, what these young people are doing day and night is defending us and our freedom. Instead of demonizing them, we should thank them. Perhaps one day, when we have lost this freedom, we will understand what it means to patrol in the desert, in the heat, in the dust, while we in the West rant about “evil Israel”.
From Paul Weston:
From just outside the Gaza Strip we headed north and found ourselves on a bullet-proof bus heading into what the unknowledgeable/Liberal/Left know as the West Bank, but what historians — Israelis and others — know as Judea and Samaria.
The Western liberals who proclaim the area as “occupied” are known historically as the Useful Idiots. The City of Ariel, which did not exist in 1978, is now inhabited by Jews. And they inhabit it for a very good reason.
Israel is only 70 km wide. From a mountain-top just outside Ariel, one can view with the naked eye Jordan on one side and the Mediterranean on the other. And through the valley that cuts through this mountainous region there are two roads. Just two roads.
One road leads to Iran, via Iraq and Jordan. An armored column would come this way and this way only, so to control the hill tops around the area is a matter of geo-political importance.
During the 1967 war, the Muslim Arabs installed “Long Tom” cannons on the mountain tops, from where they shelled the civilians living in Tel Aviv, a mere 45 KM away.
When you next get involved in an argument with a liberal/leftist about the “occupied territories of the West Bank”, it might be a good time to point out the political/war realities. Islam wants the area back, because the Israelis would be rendered defenceless if they gave it up. Hence the concerted efforts of Islam and their Western useful idiots to do just that.
“But land for peace is how we will achieve peace in Israel!” squeal the Western liberals. Tell that to the inhabitants of Sderot. Israel gave up Gaza and the peace loving “Palestinians” turned it into a terror state from which they could attack Israeli civilians.
Read the whole thing (complete with a few telling photos) here.
This is a great out reach on the part of Israel. America really needs to do something simillar. We should probably begin with taking these people on tours of areas near our southern border.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble for us is such a trip needs to be organized at high levels of government. At least Israel is blessed right now to have a men like Benjamin Netanyahu in positons of power, while America has people like Barack Obama. As long as people like Mr. Obama run things around here, I don't see us working to organize things like that. Perhaps the incoming House can do something in this area.