The ME conflict in a nutshell

6 Comments / 6 Comments

1. While a good start this Prager U entry has several major flaws which are misleading. 1) The proper name for the region, through history, is Judea and Samaria. “West Bank” is an Arab propaganda term concocted and used (and unfortunately accepted by) Israel’s enemies, the left of the world (including Israelis and Jews)! 2) UN did not “establish” Israel. The General Assembly Resolution 181 was merely a recommendation. It merely acknowledged the fact that the Yishuv had already established an embryonic Jewish state which had to fight against attacking Arabs and survived. The UN did nothing to prevent the Arab aggression, nor did it penalize the aggressors. 3) Properly, there is already one Palestinian state. It is called “Jordan” and is made up of 77.5% of the territory of the original Mandate of Palestine. Its people are 80% “Palestinian.” In fact there is already a second Palestinian state: Hamastan in the Gaza Strip. 3) Why is there reference to the area as “Geographically Palestine.” That was a Roman imposed name from the era of Emperor Hadrian. The land was always historically known as the Land of Israel. 4) Furthermore, the term “occupied” is used, lending credence to those who oppose Israel and accuse it of “occupying territories.” These territories, Judea-Samaria-Gaza (and a case can even be made re the Golan Heights) are all disputed territories, since NO SOVEREIGN state existed there before. 5) Lastly, mention is made that Israel has “autonomy” which implied home rule. Various areas of the United Kingdom for example, have autonomy, e.g. Scotland, the Isle of Man etc. But they are NOT sovereign independent nations. The modern State of Israel is the third historic instance of Jewish SOVEREIGNTY in the long history of the world, in the same location – the Land of Israel. Israel’s Jewish sovereignty is what Israel wants to keep and its enemies obliterate, certainly Israel does not want “home rule” i.e. autonomy, under an Arab administration. For further details, read my book: Middle East Rules of Thumb: Understanding the Complexities of the Middle East.
   Dr. Steve Carol
   Prof. of History (retired)
   Associate Producer and
   Official Historian of
   Middle East Radio Forum
   http://www.middleeastradioforum.org
   Middle East Consultant to
   Salem Radio Network News

2. Prager is precisely right –

   certainly more than the above self-gratifying malibuan wisecracker.

3. Yamit:

   Here’s my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.” – Ronald Reagan

   Jewish history can be summed up: “They wanted to kill us; we won. Let’s eat.” How’s that for a nutshell??

   Whoa Whee- Now here is a war strategist, historian, international affairs analyst, and an obvious expert on

   nutshells wrapped up in one mortal.

   We are highly impressed.

4. malibu says:
   November 7, 2010 at 7:06 pm

   When anyone writes about The ME conflict in a nutshell, you may be sure he is nuts. Any conflict that involves clash of religions, clash of national identities, historical rights, access to oil, competing Big power rivalries, east, west intersts, etc.,etc., etc., CANNOT BE SUMMED UP IN A NUTSHELL. Much, much too complicated!

   “Here’s my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.” – Ronald Reagan

   Jewish history can be summed up: “They wanted to kill us; we won. Let’s eat.” How’s that for a nutshell??

5. When anyone writes about The ME conflict in a nutshell, you may be sure he is nuts. Any conflict that involves clash of religions, clash of national identities, historical rights, access to oil, competing Big power rivalries, east, west intersts, etc.,etc., etc., CANNOT BE SUMMED UP IN A NUTSHELL. Much, much too complicated!

6. Even Prager uses the term “occupied”. There is no “occupation”. The land rightfully belongs to Israel. As I said, our side must stop using the terminology of the muslims and leftists.