OTHER VIEWS

Time To End The Soft Talk

n approaching any strategy for
Israeli security, there is a critical
need to understand the histori-
cal mindset of the Muslim Arab
world, especially as it resides in the
Middle East. The mindset is centered
in power ... the desire for it and the
respect of it. Power is gained in many
ways, but no way is unacceptable if it
serves as a means to the end and tragi-
cally, tyranny knows no bounds.
But, even as the Muslim Arab world
conspires for power, power is a force
they respect with abject fealty. The
largest mistake we've made among the
Western democracies has been in
assuming that if we backed off, the
Arab world would get where the West
was coming from. That they would
play by Western rules — that they
might assume our sense of morality, our
sense of purpose, our sense of decency.
Rather, as we consider restraint a
sign of strength, they consider it a
proof of weakness. Each stand-down,
each attempt at negotiation is per-
ceived as one more proof of non-
resolve. Peace is a strategy to be
employed until conditions favor
another assault upon the object of
their desire. They may legitimately
talk "peace," but their intention is far
away from ours. Nothing short of
replacing autocratic systems with
democratic rule will ensure a lasting
"Western" peace.
The time has come to end the soft
talk and to implement the big stick —
both for Israel and the Western
democracies: As for Israel, the time
has arrived to unilaterally determine

I

David Castiglione is a rabbi at Temple
Beth El.

the borders that meet her security
needs and to annex that land. Let her
immediately make its residents citi-
zens of the [Jewish] state. Upon that
annexation, let her accord them full
rights. Let them have the choice to
stay or to leave. If they accept their
citizenship, it will remain intact until
such time as they break their alle-
giance with acts of treason. Then they
will be exiled for good.
As for the West, under America's
leadership, it is time we understood
Muslim extremism as the new com-
munism, the new fascism of the 21st
century. It is time we realized that
Muslim extremism is the greatest
threat to the future of democracy. The
names Stalin, Ho Chi Minh, Castro,
Hitler — bear every similarity to the
names Saddam, Qaddafi, Bin Laden
and Arafat. We must be as steeled in
our determination to eradicate its
presence as we were to the collapse of
the iron curtain.
Before the Middle East is a military
presence the likes of the former Soviet
Union, it is time to go in and take out
the--government of Iraq, of Syria, and
while we're at it, of Libya, too.
Compensate Russia for the money it
hopes to gain for its involvement in
Iran's nuclear development, then shut
Iran's capability down. We'll see the
rest fall in line. Let us employ the
weapon of economic power against
them. Let us form our alliance with
Russia — gain the staging ground we
need, secure the oil we depend on. Let
us make the Arab Middle East as
much in need of us, as they seem to
believe we are of them.
This is power. This is what the Arab
world understands: unequivocal

action. As to diplomacy and
period. Those who now call
Palestinian suffering ... unilat-
themselves Palestinians may
eral.
have whatever is left.
In the years since Israel's
Further, if the refugees live
founding, cries of foul have
in squalor, it is not the doing
been heaped upon her for
of Israel, but the graft and
doing what any other country
corruption that funneled bil-
at a time of war would do,
lions of dollars of world aid
namely to take every measure RABBI DAVID away from financing the
possible to secure the safety
CASTI GLIONE building of a new society
and well being of its people.
Corn m unity
and into the pockets of
Only the Jews of Israel are
Palestinian leader Yasser
Vi ews
held to this double standard
Arafat, his cronies and the
and we are within our rights
making of bombs. It's the
to reject it. We are in our rights to
same insanity that raises funds
declare: Enough! No one will tell us
through telethons — not for hospitals
how many Jews must die before we act!
and for schools, but to further encour-
Diplomacy saw 6 million of our people
age terror and death. It's the United
turned into smoke. No one but we can
Nations, that, instead of offering prac-
determine our own self-interest. If the
tical aid as it is charged to do, contin-
world is unhappy with us, nu? The
ues to allow oil-rich Arab nations to
world has never been happy with us. If
abandon their own responsibility
it wants us to stop, it is welcome to
behind resolutions of hate. Let the
eradicate the terror that assaults us
Arab nations live up to their responsi-
daily.
bility.
As to the "refugees," the world must
I said to the Israelis I met on the
be reminded that the issue of refugees
United Jewish Communities solidary
did not start two years ago. It must be
mission in May, "You are at war, but
reminded that it wasn't Israel who
it is a two-front war.
made them into refugees. Their Arab
"We, too, have joined the fight —
cohorts did and kept them that way
not with our dollars alone, but with
rather than reabsorbing them. We
the rights of our democratic society as
didn't want to go to war. It was forced
our weapon to bring about the pres-
upon us and then again and then
sure necessary to ensure a permanent
again. We pleaded with them not to
change in this region. None of us are
flee their homes when Egypt and
safe," I said. "We will fight shoulder
Jordan and Syria told them to get out
to shoulder, even with miles of ocean
of the way. It was they who didn't lis-
between us."
ten. It was they who took the gamble
We have waited long enough. We
and it was they who lost. We didn't
have buried more than enough. Israel
seek land; we didn't want refugees; but must know we are here to lend our
now by right of forced engagement,
strength in her defense. If she, and
the land is ours — ironically, as it was
we, are not for ourselves now, there
first intended during the mandate
will be no self, later on. ❑

A New Perspective On The Middle East

Haifa

t is becoming increasingly clear
that the Arab-Muslim world is
not the least bit interested in the
creation of a state of Palestine.
Indeed, while lip service is paid to the
upstart Palestinians, genuine assistance
is being withheld. Pledges of aid have
totaled billions of dollars, but actual
payments have been received only in
dribbles. At a time when the Palestinian
economy has practically collapsed, the

:E

Carl Alpert is a U.S. native who made
aliyah in 1952. He is former head of the
Zionist Organization of Americas educa-
tion department. His e-mail address is
alpert@techunix.technion.ac.il

6/14
2002

32

Palestinian Authority is making desper-
ate calls on the neighboring Arab coun-
tries to be more receptive to their agri-
cultural products. There appears to be
little genuine desire to help.
Managing the Arab refugee camps,
where hundreds of thousands of people
are kept in sub-standard living condi-
tions, are the Palestinians themselves. It
would have been expected that the plight
of the refugees would draw generous
philanthropic help from their kinfolk and
co-religionists, but financial maintenance
of the camps is left to the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency [UNRWA,
headquartered in Gaza].
Where do the funds come from? In
recent years, the United States provided

30 percent of the budget Less
though normally they are reluc-
than 1 percent came from
tant to air it. Yet Sheikh
wealthy Saudi Arabia. The
Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Madhi
records show that Syria gave
was outspoken in a G27n
$37,000 and Egypt only
mosque sermon that was broad-
$10,000. Iraq and Libya gave
cast live on Palestinian TV and
nothing. After all, it is only the
recorded by the Middle East
Palestinians who are suffering.
Media Research Institute.
This, despite the fact that the
C ARL
Al-Madhi said: "There is a
continued existence of the camps
secret resolution decided upon
AL PERT
is recognized as a political
by, unfortunately, many of the
Special
weapon against Israel. UNRWs
Corn mentary Arab and Muslim nations.
representative, Saheil Alhinadi,
While they [the Palestinians]
has praised the Hamas suicide
sacrifice the last Palestinian
bombers for their attacks on Israel.
child and the last Palestinian fetus, they
The Palestinians are.well aware of the
[the Arab nations] will satisfy themselves
lack of enthusiasm by the neighboring
ALPERT on page 34
Arab states for their nationalist goals,