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| Palestinians at a Checkpoint on a Friday during Ramadan (TOI) |
That is at the core of their religious beliefs. They have challenged our right to the land evet since the advent of modern day Zionism when Jews started to populate the land in serious numbers.
The indigenous Arabs (now calling themselves Palestinian) were quite upset by that. Feeling themselves beginning to be pushed out of the own God given land. Animosity began to grow in earnest. Violence ensued and in 1929 a violent mob of Arabs massacred Jews living in the city of Chevron at the time. Things have not gotten much better since.
Meanwhile in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust (when there were millions of homeless Jewish refugees living in Displacement Camps with nowhere to go) the UN voted to partition Palestine into 2 states – granting legitimacy to fledgling the new state of Israel and the state of Palestine for the indigenous Arabs. The entire Arab world rejected the partition and, in 1948 went to war with Israel trying to wipe it off the map. They lost that war. As they did in 67 and 73 when they tried to do it again.
Arab (Palestinian) refugees of the first war were themselves displaced and kept as pawns by the Arab world for 19 years with promises that they would soon be repatriated and back in Palestine. Since 67, these refugees have been Israel’s problem. A problem that has spawned many anti Israel terrorist organization that have committed atrocities against Jews. Not only in Israel but all over the world. Last October Israel suffered the most successful terrorist attack in its 76 year history.
It should be obvious since then why Israel needs to take such bold and sometimes harsh security measures. And why the criticism they keep getting for that is undeserved. Israel faces a vicious mortal enemy that embeds itself among the innocent of their own people. Not only in Gaza. But in their West Bank towns and villages Israel no choice but to protect its people with security measures that will be effective. But to the casual observer will look like undignified and undeserved persecution by Israel of people they consider second class citizens
These security measures have generated accusations that Israel is an Apartheid state that ought to be boycotted (BDS).
One of the most frequent examples used to demonstrate Israel’s Apartheid behavior are the checkpoints at crossings between the West Bank and Israel proper. Israelis can drive right through without being stopped. Palestinians are stopped. Sometimes for hours until the security detail determines with reasonable certainty that they are not terrorists on some kind of mission to kill Jews.
It’s true that this is a double standard. It it discriminatory to treat Palestinians differently than Israelis. After all, most innocent Palestinians are just trying to get into Israel for legitimate reasons.
But the history of terrorist attacks in Israel when security was less stringent has caused may mass deaths at the hands of terrorists from their ranks. Israel cannot afford the luxury of being fair under those conditions. Too many Jews have died when they weren’t as vigilant. They are still trying to kill as many of us at a time as they can.
Critics would argue that this is collective punishment for the acts of a few. Maybe. But it isn’t that Israel wants to make life hard for Palestinians. It’s that they have no choice based on lessons learned, Before Israel started taking these harsh measures there seemed to be one terrorist attack after another masses of Jews were killed at a time.
That’s when those undignified walls went up along Israel’s border with the West Bank. And that’s when security checkpoints became more serious. There have not been too many mass casualty event against Jews since them coming form the West Bank. Excecpt for the occasional lone gunman or drive by shooting - Israel’s security apparatus was working pretty well until October 7th near Gaza.
Lest anyone think that Israel still goes to far and ought to lighten the load on Palestnian at checkpoints, that would be a mistake of gargantuan proportion. As one can see from a video on X (formerly Twitter). As noted there:
Two Israeli-Arab Medics are caught red-handed trying to smuggle EIGHT Palestinian terrorists into Israel from the West Bank using an AMBULANCE. The smugglers, who were both dressed as medical personnel, told police they were “on their way to a life-saving event” and asked not to be searched. According to Israeli media, some of the men being smuggled into Israel were former PRISONERS.
Israel does not wish to torment anyone. But when it comes to protecting its people they must do what’s necessary. Which means thoroughly checking every single West Bank Palestinian that wants to cross into Israel proper.
Those who call these necessary precautions - Apartheid behavior are ignorant fools easily swayed by a biased media that never reports the context of a story like this. Or are plain old fashioned antisemites. And now, after October 7th Israel may need even harsher security measures.
If only it weren’t so. If only Palestinians would lay down their arms and decide to live in peace with us.- what a different Middle East it would be. What a different world it would be.
Israel would finally enjoy the peace its people deserve and long for. Palestinians could then have their state and their dignity back. No more bloodshed. No more wars. Just peace and an equal shot at prosperity for all.
A pipe dream, I know. I wish it was an attainable reality. But as I started out saying, I see no change among Palestinians that could bring about a solution like that..