Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 1, 1993 TAG: 9403170007
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Cal Thomas
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As in virtually every other session, world attention seems to be focused more on how much land Israel can be forced to give up to Syria, to Jordan and to a Palestinian ``state,'' and less on what Israel needs for her own security (surrounded as she is by increasingly hostile terrorist cells who want complete domination of all land occupied by Jews).
Revisiting the Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement is a frightening reminder of what Israel faces as she ``negotiates'' with those who bear her no good will: ``Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it,'' begins the covenant. ``The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian movement, whose allegiance to Allah, and whose way of life is Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Islam over every inch of Palestine'' (emphasis mine).
This is a reminder to those inside and outside Israel that for terrorist groups like Hamas, there can be no faith in ``peace talks.'' There is faith only in Allah, who instructs his loyal followers to make war on the Jewish ``infidels'' and all others who reject Islam because this is their just punishment.
Those who don't understand that Muslims see death in a righteous cause as a worthy goal seriously misjudge Islamic intentions at the negotiating table. Consider the covenant's words: ``The Islamic Resistance Movement aspires to the realization of Allah's promise, no matter how long that should take. The Prophet, Allah ... has said: `The day of judgment will not come until Muslims fight and kill the Jews.'''
Given the tendency of the West to forget what is at stake, we should be reminded that Israel has fought five wars to maintain a small living space for world Jewry. She is a nation dwarfed by an encircling Arab population 500 times her size. Her army is outnumbered 13-to-1 by standing Arab armies and she faces an air force three times larger.
Various ``peace plans'' would cede portions of land that would so reduce Israel's size that you could walk across portions of the country in less than a day. Then the enemy's modern weaponry could be employed on the shrunken Israel's new borders and attacks could be launched against major population centers. There is nothing to prevent such attacks other than Israel's resolve, military power and as much of a ``buffer zone'' as possible.
In an editorial endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's decision to negotiate with Palestinians tied to the PLO, The New York Times characterized the move as ``brave'' and said, ``It is a political and diplomatic gamble worth taking because it just might open some previously locked doors to peace.''
This presumes that the obstacle to peace is Israel and that only what Israel does or doesn't do has an impact on the ``peace process'' in the Middle East. In fact, the door has been locked from the Arab side, with terrorists and others whose view of peace doesn't include the existence of Israel holding the key.
There can be no peace in the Middle East until the Islamic Covenant is repealed. Of course, that is not likely to happen because it is derived from ``holy writ,'' not subject to change by human negotiators. Israel's goal, and that of U.S. policy, should be Israel's preservation. That cannot happen with naive ``negotiations'' with those out to kill you, but by showing a stronger arm than your enemies'. Israel has managed to survive only by maintaining a sense of moral and spiritual purpose and not trusting the motives of others who claim to be looking out for her best interests but don't live in the neighborhood.
Let the Arab side try something new - like voiding its declaration of war. Israel should trust only God, and keep her powder dry.
Los Angeles Times Syndicate
by CNB