Standard denial of responsibility. :skeleton:
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Standard denial of responsibility. :skeleton:
It is not 'exaggerated', it is a total fabrication, exposed as early as the 1920s. It was written (possibly with co-authors) by a Russian-French journalist and part-time Russian spook named Matvei Golovinski. Your use of the word 'exaggerated' suggests you have no idea what the book is. It was claimed to be an instruction manual for new members of the "elders" and is not some sort of commentary. It could not be 'exaggerated', only 'genuine' or 'fake'. It is fake.
The only use for the 'Protocols' is as anti-semetic propaganda (it was a Nazi favourite) to fool the gullible; a group which, sadly, seems to include you. The only 'fire' is rabid anti-semitism and all that pimping the 'smoke' does is support that cause.
The Palestinians couldn't do it as they are now, but if the Palestinian people are happy and are no longer in a state of war, it would automatically become easier to govern the Holy Land and make more rational decisions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cognescenti
Actually I wasn't referring to the money they received pre-67, which was a very, very significant sum at that time by the way, but to the money they're receiving now, which as you can see goes into the billions of dollars, most of which have been grants since 1974. Israel paid back their loans, huh? Kinda hard not to pay them when they're getting all this money for free.Quote:
Ummm, no. It's not a joke. You asked about the '67 war and how much US support Israel was getting and I cited exactly those figures in your first source.
It is indeed...Quote:
Apparently quite a profitable enterprise :)
And Americans should be afraid of Iranian nukes? How does that work? Secondly, America's been the world's superpower for the better part of the 20th century. If they didn't want someone to have nuclear capabilities, they could've stopped them. But in the case of Israel, they didn't. And just how plausible is it to say that "well they just didn't know they had them"?Quote:
USS Liberty aside, I don't think most Americans are too worried about Israeli nukes. Of course, if I were Assad, I might think about it from time to time should I have a wild idea to take back the Golan.
1) I beleive Israel was not a signatory to the NPT (or it didn't even exist at the time). There were no IAEA inspectors.
2) The French did not ask our permission..neither did the Israelis :)
3) Satellite recon was not as advanced as it is now.
With all due respect, to say that the US is not backing Israel is ludicrous. It's not just the US however, although they are the major player.
Automatically? :skeleton: You have to be walking in the sky to see logic here. :?Quote:
if the Palestinian people are happy and are no longer in a state of war, it would automatically become easier to govern the Holy Land and make more rational decisions.
Just a quick question have any of you guys seen "occupation 101"?
Good thing I am then :)
However, the logic stands nevertheless. Do you think it's easier to make rational decisions while at war and your people are starving or when your country is at peace and your people are happy? I think anyone would *automatically* choose the latter...
:sl:/Peace To All
Quote:
Accept Reality When It Comes To Hamas
By Stacie L. PettyJohn
Monday, July 02, 2007
DailyStar
In response to the formation of an emergency Palestinian government, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced that Washington would remove the embargo on international aid for the Palestinian Authority.
Rice's decision appeared to be the start of a "West Bank first" policy which aims to strengthen Fatah and weaken Hamas by demonstrating the stark contrast between living conditions in the West Bank and those in Gaza.
While Palestinians living in the former would see their quality of life improve, those in the latter would continue to languish in isolation until they reject Hamas and support Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
This Strategy Is Destined To Fail.
Despite recent events, Hamas' intentions are not entirely clear. At times, it has signaled it may be slowly coming to accept a two-state solution, but at others it displayed unabated radicalism. These mixed messages may reflect the fact that some of Hamas' leaders are moderating, and are engaged in a power struggle with hard-liners within the organization.Quote:
In order to find a lasting solution to intra-Palestinian violence, not to mention the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the United States and Israel must accept that Hamas is a significant force in Palestinian politics, one which cannot be left out of the political process.
Certainly, the conquest of Gaza may be a prominent signal that the hard-liners have triumphed; however, the international community has not given the moderates within Hamas any incentives to cooperate.
Those who advocate arming Fatah and isolating Hamas have intimated that they are empowering the former to destroy the latter.
History provides us with two valuable lessons about this situation.
Some might argue that a "West Bank first" policy can succeed where the village league initiative failed. In particular, the village leaders never had any popular support, owed their position to Israel, and were quickly accused of collaborating with the enemy. Today, Abbas has both legitimacy and a base of support as the president of the PA and chairman of the PLO.Quote:
First, terrorist organizations only gradually forgo violence and commit to a political process.
Therefore, it is important to discover whether there are moderates within Hamas, and if this happens to be the case, to strengthen them.
To do so, the international community needs to end its policy of blanket isolationism, which only weakens the pragmatists, and adopt a policy of conditional engagement in order to promote cooperation.
Second, history also suggests that simply rejecting elected leaders in an effort to bolster more acceptable alternatives will only exacerbate the situation.
In 1981 Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin's government tried to limit the Palestine Liberation Organization's influence in the Occupied Territories by dismissing municipal officials and mayors sympathetic to the PLO, and by creating an alternative network of village leagues with a compliant leadership.
In an attempt to generate support for the village leaders, Israel then worked to improve living conditions throughout the territories.
This strategy backfired, however, increasing disorder in the Palestinian areas and enhancing the PLO's popularity.
However, despite all this, Abbas remains weak and does not even have full control over his own party.
Moreover, the members of the new emergency government have even less of a domestic following, which stands in contrast to the continuing support for Hamas.
Hamas has already accused Fatah of working for Israel.Quote:
Another difference between these two plans actually suggests that the "West Bank first" policy is even more likely to fail than the village league initiative.
Although the earlier Israeli effort aimed to improve conditions for all Palestinians, the current policy only rewards the West Bank and excludes Gaza.
If Fatah accepts preferential treatment for the West Bank, it will be vilified for abandoning its brethren in Gaza and further dividing the Palestinian territories.
If an effective separation plan is implemented, aspersions like these will proliferate, destroying what credibility Abbas still has.
If excluded from official Palestinian decision-making, Hamas will almost certainly launch attacks against Israel in an effort to subvert negotiations, or to precipitate an Israeli crackdown in the West Bank.Quote:
A more viable strategy begins with Israel and the international community removing the pressure on Hamas and encouraging the creation of a new power-sharing agreement.
Palestinian unity is necessary to restore security in the territories, and to resurrect the peace process with Israel.
Although the resumption of international aid to the PA is a positive move, the US should not use this incentive to further poison relations between Fatah and Hamas.
Given the present circumstances, Hamas' intentions must be tested by removing the sanctions and giving it a chance to act responsibly.
Hamas' behavior should then be judged by whether or not it imposes order in Gaza, ends the Qassam attacks against Israel, secures the release of hostages, institutes a comprehensive ceasefire, and eventually authorizes Abbas to negotiate with Israel.
If Hamas fails to reach these benchmarks, the international community will be justified in reinstituting a policy of isolation and pursuing negotiations with Abbas.
The failure of this policy would provide the international community with a clearer picture of Hamas' intentions.Quote:
Ideological and physical divisions within Palestinian society make the current situation potentially explosive.
The PA has already lost control over Gaza, but there may be even more disastrous and far-reaching repercussions if a "West Bank first" policy is implemented.
In all likelihood, Abbas and Fatah will be permanently tainted by participating in a plan that intentionally excludes Gaza.
Additionally, Gazans may further radicalize, turning the strip into a haven for groups like Al-Qaeda, which make Hamas appear moderate by comparison.
If the international community wishes to stabilize the Palestinian territories and restart the peace process, it must help mend the split between Hamas and Fatah.
A policy of conditional engagement could induce moderates within Hamas to cooperate without first requiring the movement to undergo an unrealistic and sudden transformation.
For the US and Israel, even indirectly dealing with Hamas is an unpalatable option.
Stacie L. PettyJohn is a research fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies Program at the Brookings Institution in Washington.Quote:
Nevertheless, a policy of isolation and coercion has only led to increased violence and disorder.
Viewing the current situation as simply an opportunity to weaken Hamas will only compound earlier mistakes.
To avert more devastation, the international community needs to deal with reality.
She wrote this commentary for THE DAILY STAR.
Source:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article....ticle_id=83455
:sl:/Peace To All
Quote:
Intel: Hamas Toned Down Terror Activity
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Jul. 3, 2007 16:29
Updated Jul. 4, 2007 0:07
Jerusalem Post
Hamas has toned down its terrorist activities in Gaza but has allowed Islamic Jihad to continue firing rockets against civilian targets in the western Negev and to plan suicide bombings, a senior IDF officer told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday.
Col. Ronen Cohen, deputy head of Military Intelligence's Research Division, said Hamas has focused its anti-Israel activity on firing mortars, mostly at military targets along the Gaza border.
But he warned that Hamas had strengthened its military forces in Gaza and that its ability to transfer information, documents and money in and out of the Strip via Egypt would grow, even though the border with Sinai was currently closed.
Source:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull