Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
A just peace or no peace - A first class article.	ROLCAM	04/06/06
> A just peace or no peace. > > Israeli unilateralism is a recipe for conflict - as is the west's > racist refusal to treat Palestinians as equals > > Ismail Haniyeh > Friday March 31, 2006 > The Guardian > > Do policymakers in Washington and Europe ever feel ashamed of their > scandalous double standards? Before and since the Palestinian > elections in January, they have continually insisted that Hamas > comply with certain demands. They want us to recognise Israel, call > off our resistance, and commit ourselves to whatever deals Israel > and the Palestinian leadership reached in the past. > > > But we have not heard a single demand of the Israeli parties that > took part in this week's elections, though some advocate the > complete removal of the Palestinians from their lands. Even Ehud > Olmert's Kadima party, whose Likud forebears frustrated every effort > by the PLO to negotiate a peace settlement, campaigned on a > programme that defies UN security council resolutions. His > unilateralism is a violation of international law. Nevertheless no > one, not even the Quartet - whose proposals for a settlement he > continues to disregard, as his predecessor Ariel Sharon did - has > dared ask anything of him. > > > Olmert's unilateralism is a recipe for conflict. It is a plan to > impose a permanent situation in which the Palestinians end up with a > homeland cut into pieces made inaccessible because of massive Jewish > settlements built in contravention of international law on land > seized illegally from the Palestinians. No plan will ever work > without a guarantee, in exchange for an end to hostilities by both > sides, of a total Israeli withdrawal from all the land occupied in > 1967, including East Jerusalem; the release of all our prisoners; > the removal of all settlers from all settlements; and recognition of > the right of all refugees to return. > > > On this, all Palestinian factions and people agree, including the > PLO, whose revival is essential so that it can resume its role in > speaking for the Palestinians and presenting their case to the > world. > > > The problem is not with any particular Palestinian group but with > the denial of our basic rights by Israel. We in Hamas are for peace > and want to put an end to bloodshed. We have been observing a > unilateral truce for more than a year without reciprocity from the > Israeli side. The message from Hamas and the Palestinian Authority > to the world powers is this: talk to us no more about recognising > Israel's "right to exist" or ending resistance until you obtain a > commitment from the Israelis to withdraw from our land and recognise > our rights. > > > Little will change for the Palestinians under Olmert's plan. Our > land will still be occupied and our people enslaved and oppressed by > the occupying power. So we will remain committed to our struggle to > get back our lands and our freedom. Peaceful means will do if the > world is willing to engage in a constructive and fair process in > which we and the Israelis are treated as equals. We are sick and > tired of the west's racist approach to the conflict, in which the > Palestinians are regarded as inferior. Though we are the victims, we > offer our hands in peace, but only a peace that is based on justice. > However, if the Israelis continue to attack and kill our people and > destroy their homes, impose sanctions, collectively punish us, and > imprison men and women for exercising the right to self-defence, we > have every right to respond with all available means. > > > Hamas has been freely elected. Our people have given us their > confidence and we pledge to defend their rights and do our best to > run their affairs through good governance. If we are boycotted in > spite of this democratic choice - as we have been by the US and some > of its allies - we will persist, and our friends have pledged to > fill the gap. We have confidence in the peoples of the world, record > numbers of whom identify with our struggle. This is a good time for > peace-making - if the world wants peace. > > > · Ismail Haniyeh is the new Palestinian prime minister and a Hamas > leader. Email: ihaniyyeh@hotmail.com ##################################################### Please read it. Tell us what you think ? Is Ismail correct in what he is saying?
Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 04/06/06 6:19 pm: I got another good one from one of the Hamas heavy weights .... Abu Tir (captain red beard ) He said that United States churches are secretly run by Jews who converted to Christianity with the intention of controlling religious Americans including President Bush “Even the churches where the Americans pray are led by Jews who were converted to Christianity, but they were converted to keep controlling the Americans,” .....“I made a study and I know very well that all this radicalism in some parts of the Christianity, (including) the Anglicans who are being led by Bush, is because of the control of Zionists,” The only thing needed to make the picture complete would be a tin foil hat . Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 04/07/06 12:51 pm: I don't get it . the title to this post is "a Just Peace or No Peace " and then you rate drGade with this comment " "peace" is too important !! There must br a solution. So what is it ; Peace under any circumstances or a just peace ?
Answered By		Answered On
tomder55		04/06/06
thanks for the belly laughs. Funny way they attempt peace . The rockets fired from Gaza are becoming more frequent ,more powerful ,with a longer range. Israel has done alot of unilateral action . They have unilaterally withdrawn from Gaza without any return concession by the Palestinians . They have dismantled some of the West Bank settlements without reciprocal concessions . Israel attempted to comply with the agreed upon 'Road Map ' while the Palestinians did nothing to comply . The Israelis have for the past 15 years have tried to come to an accomodation with a people who's charters declare that Israel has no right to exist .If Israel agreed to retreat to the 1967 borders the Palestinians will still make a claim that their land is occupied . Hamas and the PLO ? What is the difference ?.....only that Hamas get's it's marching orders from Iran ? Yes they were 'democratically elected ' .That does not mean that we should be jumping for joy . That just means that the population of the Paletinians have confirmed that the murderous goals of Hamas are their goals also . Why should they be rewarded for that ?

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