The saying goes “If you want a job done well, do it yourself.” Ever since I have been following the Israeli-Arab conflict, I have noticed a pattern: Israel defends herself and the outcries of “disproportionate” and “this won’t bring peace” emerge. Everyone apparently knows better, and therefore I hereby formally invite anyone brave enough to come and do a better job.
So who will volunteer for this Mission Impossible, and show Israel how to fight Islamic terrorists without killing too many terrorists, or adding civilian casualties to the death toll? (Of course, the volunteer will have to take into account that the civilian casualties are inevitable given the nature of Islamic terrorists to hide among civilians in order to increase victims.)
Perhaps the U.N. could do a better job. There again, would a bureaucracy that hasn’t even managed to define terrorism be able to fight it better than Israel, which probably has the most experience of any country in fighting Islamic terrorism?
I seriously wonder what all those who are sure they know better than Israel think that Israel should do in response to Islamic terror. Clearly, doing nothing is not an option – for years Israel has suffered rocket attacks and done very little in response, and all that has done is increase the number of rocket launches and embolden the terrorists to upgrade their weaponry. And that old favorite cliché “end the occupation” is obviously a no-brainer since leaving Gaza in 2005 has only increased Palestinian violence – and there is no indication from the Palestinians themselves that the end of occupation would mean the end of conflict or the end of terror.
So, perhaps Israel should try a more proportionate response. I can only imagine the global congratulatory cries of “what a proportionate response” when Israel launches a suicide bomber into a Palestinian café in response to a similar attack from the Palestinians.
Or there is another alternative. Israel could build a physical barrier to stop Palestinian terrorists from reaching Israeli civilian populations. What a brilliant idea – no one dies from a mere wall and terror is reduced or even stopped. I imagine the world would be champing at the bit to embrace a non-violent effective measure in preference to death and destruction. I imagine wrong – the world rushed to condemn the anti-terrorist barrier, ignoring the statistics proving it to be effective in eliminating terror. (Yes, it was inconvenient to Palestinian farmers, etc., but just imagine the inconvenience of being blown up while riding on a bus.)
Clearly, the international community must have a better solution to the problem – presumably the infamous Road Map. The “only” problem with this is that one of the first things it requires is for the Palestinians to fight terrorism. Some lip service (English language only) was paid to this request by Yasser Arafat, but times have changed. Perhaps someone ought to remind the international community that the Palestinians elected Hamas. (Do I even need to contemplate whether they will fight terrorism or not?) After all the years the international community dedicated to trying to get them a state, the Palestinians thanked the world by (democratically!) voting for an Islamic terrorist group that outright rejects a peaceful solution in its covenant. The international excuse for this was “fighting poverty or corruption” or “that they didn’t want Fatah” or suchlike – never admitting that the Palestinian people selected Hamas to represent them. The only conclusion that can be drawn from the refusal to admit that Hamas was the Palestinian people’s choice merely indicates that the international community thinks that the Palestinians are too stupid to realize what they voted for.
So, what would I suggest the world do? Well, as a mere “Joe the Plumber” of the Israeli-Arab conflict, I suggest recalling that there is a global war on terror, and that Israel is on the front lines of this battle, fighting alone. Zero tolerance for terrorism against Israel would be a good start. If the Palestinians have enough money to buy rockets, they have enough money to buy their own food – they don’t need your money, too. In these times when money is more of an issue than ever before I am sure there are peoples who are far more deserving of the world’s attention – people who didn’t vote for Islamic terrorists. What a powerful message that would send to the terrorists and others who might contemplate terror to get attention for their cause, seeing how well terror has served the Palestinians.
As for promoting the two-state solution – drop the subject for now! The Palestinians have yet to demonstrate that they are worthy of their own state and the responsibilities that entails. Groveling to them with a carrot and a stick has failed miserably, only cementing the concept that they will receive a state despite continuing terrorism. The international community has given the Palestinians no motive to fight terrorism – indicating that they can have their cake and eat it too, and then visit the dessert tray. The time has surely come for the onus to be put on the Palestinians.
Though I am hesitant to suggest it knowing that the majority will shrink in horror at the very idea, how about supporting Israel in its efforts to fight Islamic terror? Solving the problem of Palestinian terror is key to solving the global problem of Islamic terror. Any suggestion for improving Israel’s methods is welcome, and as I said before, if you have no constructive criticism, but merely criticism, then you are more than welcome to come and do the job yourself.
How’d Trump do it? Here’s his secret weapon
Wayne Allyn Root