Israel’s 39-year occupation of Arab lands has poisoned relations between the West and the Muslim world, Britain’s anti-war MP George Galloway said, according to Reuters news agency.
“The poison which circulates as a result of this unresolved conflict is poisoning our own lives in the West and making our people more endangered," Galloway told a press conference on Thursday at the end of his visit to Lebanon and Syria.
Israel seized Arab territories in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Palestine during the 1967 Middle East War. Although the Jewish state withdrew from Egypt and Jordan under peace agreements with the two countries, it still refuses to end its occupation of Palestine or Syria’s strategic Golan Heights.
Israel also invaded Lebanon in 1982 but was forced to withdraw by the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah in 2000.
"Every time we see a martyrdom video from a young Muslim who was ready to swap his life for many of ours it is Palestine at the heart of this man's motivation," Galloway said.
"It is now the duty of the backers of Israel to impress upon the Israeli leadership... a comprehensive peace."
Galloway, whose opposition to the Iraq War and support for the Palestinian cause has made him popular in the Arab world, also urged the British government to distance itself from the U.S. policies in the Middle East.
He also slammed British Prime Minister Tony Blair over his response to Israel’s latest offensive in Lebanon, saying that the prime minister’s silence should put more pressure on him to quit his job.
Blair, who is facing growing calls to step down, has been criticized in Britain for refusing to call for an immediate halt to Israel’s deadly assault in Lebanon, which killed more than 1,200 civilians.
Galloway also said a post-Blair foreign policy should re-engage Syria, which he described as "moderate, progressive, secular, nationalist".
The new government should also respect the fact that Syria is not a U.S. “slave”, he said.
Galloway, an outspoken critic of Tony Blair, was expelled from the Labour Party for his strong opposition to the 2003 U.S./UK-led invasion of Iraq.
Last year, he became a member of parliament for the anti-war Respect Party.
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
Israel’s 39-year occupation of Arab lands
That never would have taken place if it was not for Arab agression against lands given to the Jews that the Jews had lived in thousands of years before Islam.
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
When u do somethin to get someone mad, then u better expect a response. Your bound to get angry people like that. Im not even saying they're right for harmin ppl, cuz they rnt. But dont expect some1 to jus sit around and watch it. Go open a book, if ur smart enuff, and learn wat Islam is about. Christians did a lot horrible things in the name of their faith, but u dont see us saying Christianity teaches it! Get a life and grow up kid!
Now im done goin off topic.
Last edited by Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн; 09-04-2006 at 01:14 AM.
*Without Allah, without Islam, life would be meaningless. If I've ever learned patience, it's because of this. Alhamdulillah...*
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
Not as much as u im sure!! You feel the need to say somethin about Muslims but get quickly offended when done in return. If u dont like it then dont say anything. If ur gunna say it, then expect a response.
*Without Allah, without Islam, life would be meaningless. If I've ever learned patience, it's because of this. Alhamdulillah...*
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
format_quote Originally Posted by ManchesterFolk
Thats right. If it wasn't for Israel, Chechnya, Kashmir, and other conflicts never would have arisen... How ignorant are you?
Yes, and its always Muslims who are terrorists....
Although I disagree with QuranStudy's thesis that Israel started terrorism, I disagree that guerilla warfare is terrorism, as they have many names, even "freedom fighters," depending on where funding is coming from and attacks are aimed.
However,
"Terrorists," better referred to by intellectuals as guerillas, aren't just found in Muslim countries, there's the IRA and ETA from Spain and Ireland, and FARC/AUC from Colombia, MS-13 that's active in El Salvador and USA, and Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.
By the way, the US referred to chechen rebels as freedom fighters before 9/11, and still funds them, everyone knows that, and for that same reason Vladimir Putin has rough relations with George Bush.
...just a heads up.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
format_quote Originally Posted by arabiyyah
The IRA were considered terrorists werent they?
When I think the IRA, I think the following:
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
The IRA were considered terrorists in the UK, but considered heroes in Ireland and the United States, yes that's right, the IRA were chiefly funded by American citizens - the US has 30 million Irish, that's more than 10x the number of Irish in Ireland!! They fealt sympathy for their people in Ireland so they caughed up money.
And the US government never said a word about it - the US gov't didn't even condemn it!!
.............true!
Last edited by Dahir; 09-04-2006 at 06:00 AM.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
format_quote Originally Posted by north_malaysian
A point to ponder!!!
Exactly. Take that saying with every single viewpoint in the world. One man's trash is another man's treasure. One man's faith is another man's question. One man's nation is another man's playground of destruction. One man's analogy is another man's teaching.
I gotta sleep.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
format_quote Originally Posted by Dahir
Exactly. Take that saying with every single viewpoint in the world. One man's trash is another man's treasure. One man's faith is another man's question. One man's nation is another man's playground of destruction. One man's analogy is another man's teaching.
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
format_quote Originally Posted by Dahir
When I think the IRA, I think the following:
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
Let's "ponder" that, then. It's an old quote but there is no truth in it; its just a refuge for those who find it convenient to deny the truth.
A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist, not a "freedom fighter". The only difference in perception is whether acts of terrorism are justified by the 'cause' in question. Terrorists are only ever considered "freedom fighters" by those ignorant of the cause, ignorant of the methods being used to further it, or both... or those who choose to ignore that knowledge if they have it.
Re: Galloway: Israel poisoning West-Islam relations
format_quote Originally Posted by Trumble
Let's "ponder" that, then. It's an old quote but there is no truth in it; its just a refuge for those who find it convenient to deny the truth.
A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist, not a "freedom fighter". The only difference in perception is whether acts of terrorism are justified by the 'cause' in question. Terrorists are only ever considered "freedom fighters" by those ignorant of the cause, ignorant of the methods being used to further it, or both... or those who choose to ignore that knowledge if they have it.
You wrote all of that. All you could've said was that <insert group> are terrorists. And guess what? That would be correct, for YOUR viewpoint.
Many will disagree with what you say because to them, those men are freedom fighters. And don't ponder that, its the truth.
I think you are insanely arrogant to try to deny others' viewpoints.
Last edited by Dahir; 09-04-2006 at 07:13 AM.
"This world is a blank price tag, and whatever value you put on it, is what its worth to you. I have made this world priceless and worthless, so therefore I have placed my value in the afterlife."
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.............true!
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