The current Middle-East Crisis has many cumulative causes over a period of time. As World War II was coming to a close in Europe, as a small boy, I was shocked and horrified by the newsreels showing Holocaust victims living behind barbed wire in the camps. Within a few (2-3) years the newsreels again showed people living behind barbed wire in camps. This time the people were Palestinians living in camps run by the Israeli’s. Being very sympathetic with the tragic plight of the European Jews during the 1930’s and 1940’s, I agreed with the development of the new state of Israel.
I, like most Americans, viewed these camps as a very temporary situation. I was sure, as soon as possible, the Israeli Government would find good new homes for persons displaced by the formation of Israel. Now more than 50 years later these Palestinian persons, as well as their children and grandchildren, are still locked up in the camps! What did the Jews of Europe learn at the hands of the Nazis? Certainly human compassion does not seem to be one of the lessons.
It seems incredible to me that Israel which boasts of the most intense brain and talent density per square acre, block or city in all the world has not been either able of interested in solving this tragic refugee problem by now. Further, the recent violence appears to have been triggered by an arrogant and provocative visit to the Temple Mound by a militant Israeli official. Once this sad event occurred then the Israeli Armed Forces seemed to have really and continuously over reacted.
There is little excuse to use live ammunition against boys throwing stones, let alone helicopters, gun ships and antitank rockets. The Israeli’s have been operating in a way we wouldn’t tolerate here. This stuff makes Kent State look like a Sunday School Picnic by comparison. Although, we wouldn’t do this here, no one in authority will call Israel on this egregious behavior and the media spin continues to try to blame the victims rather than to insist Israel live up to civilized behavior toward boys throwing rocks and sticks.
The sad up-shot of all this covering for those in the wrong, was the tragic death of 17 US sailors and wounding of many others in the bombing of the USS Cole. It is time to be honest to all and quit taking and holding on to wrong national positions.
Dr.
Joe Whelan
Libertarian
Candidate for U.S. Senate
P.O.
Box 211
Corinne,
WV 25826
304-252-0643
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