Comments on: Israel: more disengagement reactions http://globalvoicesonline.org/2005/08/16/more-disengagement-reactions/ The world is talking. Are you listening? Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:19:58 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Sam Freedom http://globalvoicesonline.org/2005/08/16/more-disengagement-reactions/comment-page-1/#comment-2652 Sam Freedom Thu, 18 Aug 2005 19:39:58 +0000 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/globalvoices/?p=1256#comment-2652 I am not without compassion but my understanding of the Israeli Jew is that they are a hardened people - in a good way - they've learned to handle the rigors of that region and to survive, even prosper, where one would otherwise think it impossible. I understand that those who have lived there for 30 years are suffering, and yet I also understand that in order for there to be peace, one side had to give way first. And it was only fitting that the stronger side make the first move. How can anyone expect the weakest side to ever make concessions? The palestinian fanatics are not even rational about any of this so you cannot expect movement from them, and their more rational counterparts have their hands tied as the only option they have is civil war. Now this move out of Gaza gives Israel (and the rest of the world) all the ammunition it needs to tow as hard of a line as it wants if the Palestinians do not rise to the occasion and start to make their territory a safer place for everyone - not just palestinians. Someone once said that the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. That's unfortunate, but it seems true. Ironically, it seems to me that the Palestinians are a defeated people who were never dealt the final blow and as such what they go on fighting for is for a sense of dignity, but the more they fight for it with terror, the less likely it becomes so it is a self-defeating prophecy. The way to reclaim dignity is for them to assimilate into the modern world and take all the help they can get and put it into educating their young to grow up bright contributors to a global society rather than murderous bombers. Thank you for this article and the opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings. Sam I am not without compassion but my understanding of the Israeli Jew is that they are a hardened people – in a good way – they’ve learned to handle the rigors of that region and to survive, even prosper, where one would otherwise think it impossible. I understand that those who have lived there for 30 years are suffering, and yet I also understand that in order for there to be peace, one side had to give way first. And it was only fitting that the stronger side make the first move. How can anyone expect the weakest side to ever make concessions? The palestinian fanatics are not even rational about any of this so you cannot expect movement from them, and their more rational counterparts have their hands tied as the only option they have is civil war.

Now this move out of Gaza gives Israel (and the rest of the world) all the ammunition it needs to tow as hard of a line as it wants if the Palestinians do not rise to the occasion and start to make their territory a safer place for everyone – not just palestinians.

Someone once said that the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. That’s unfortunate, but it seems true. Ironically, it seems to me that the Palestinians are a defeated people who were never dealt the final blow and as such what they go on fighting for is for a sense of dignity, but the more they fight for it with terror, the less likely it becomes so it is a self-defeating prophecy.

The way to reclaim dignity is for them to assimilate into the modern world and take all the help they can get and put it into educating their young to grow up bright contributors to a global society rather than murderous bombers.

Thank you for this article and the opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings.

Sam

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