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I would like to clear the air and enlighten those who have read the opinions of attorney David Schwager and Dr. Matthew Berger on the front page of the Times Leader.
The Middle East is a very complicated political chess game of life and death. Every person killed, every Israeli settlement, every Palestinian rocket, every word and every action is a move on the Middle East chess board; a move forward or a move backward.
From a peace standpoint the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem is clearly a move in the wrong direction. Sadly, the pawns are human beings on both sides.
Though these two gentlemen present themselves as leaders of the Jewish community, it is unlikely that many of the Jewish people in this country, let alone the community, share their opinions.
There are many American Jews that recognize that the Palestinians have an absolute right to their own country. The UN resolution in 1947 gave the Palestinians that “right,” and the Jews gleefully accepted that as part of the bargain. Like so many resolutions there are conflicts and there will be hostilities; hostilities that lead to violence and war. One of the results of these hostilities was the 1967 War in which the Israelis prevailed. The Israelis, in their arrogance, felt that this area, Judea and Sumaria, better known as the West Bank, was theirs, and as a result believed they had every right to establish settlements there. Fifty years later, it’s a bad excuse for continued annexation and occupation. I do not accept the “spoils of war” argument.
The Jerusalem embassy action is just another move on the chessboard. The party line is, “Israel has a right to declare its own capital.” They certainly do, but on the Middle East chessboard, it’s clearly a bad move.
Realize, that Jerusalem is just as important to the Arabs who resided there for over 2,000 years and have had their share of mistreatment and oppression. Later, it became a city that was, to say the least, holy to Muslims. Getting there first doesn’t get you dibs on the whole enchilada; it’s not nearly that simple. This embassy move is nothing more than bragging rights.
It’s a net loss and a wasted move. It serves only to continue to infuriate the Palestinians and to show them that their bargaining partner bargains in bad faith.
I’m sure there’s a passage in the Bible that can guide the Jewish people to finding peace over there. I don’t know what it is but maybe the authors of this story can find it … and print it.
Now that would be a good move.
Allan Frank
Kingston