Have you noticed the new meme in the media? There is a “growing international momentum for peace.”
It emerged quite suddenly. Its source? The so-called “unity government” of Fatah and Hamas. What has, in actuality, changed?
Nothing.
No, not nothing. Hamas spokesmen are being quiet at the moment. After previous agreements, Hamas could always be counted on to say “We will never recognize Israel.” They have finally understood that if they will only shut their mouths for a few weeks, pressure could be brought to bear on Israel so that blame could be put on Israeli intransigence, rather than the world having to recognize Israel’s refusal to deal with genocidal terrorists. If the Hamas leadership would only stop saying they’re going to continue to murder Jews, world opinion could once again focus on Israel’s refusal to resettle the five or six million officially-designated palestinian “refugees” (which include third-generation American citizens, their American-born spouses, and any children of that marriage as UN-recognized “refugees” that have the “right” to return to their homes in what is now Israel).
Well, now that Hamas terrorist leaders have finally shut their collective mouths, and the Arab world is getting on with its full-court press at getting public opinion to turn against Israel for refusing to negotiate a peace agreement. Already, the governments of Egypt and Saudi Arabia have declared that Israel must accept the Saudi agreement as is, with no changes whatsoever. After hinting for a period of a few hours that they may allow the Saudi initiative to be changed, the Arab League has once again insisted there will be no changes to the 2002 Saudi initiative. They have agreed to the initiative, and Israel must comply with their terms.
In other words, peace negotiations mean that Israel must say yes to everything the Arab side demands.
When Israel understandably refuses to agree to this, it will be spun in the world media as Israel’s refusal to negotiate. It will not be acknowledged as the Arab refusal to negotiate. “Accept these lists of demands” is not a negotiation. It is a diktat. Except in this case, it is a diktat by the defeated to the victor. Only Israel, in all of history, is expected to accept the terms of the nations they defeated. Only Israel, in all of history, is not given the right to negotiate settlements—her mission is to accept the orders of the world, based on what the Arab side insists is their “right.”
In this century of rights, from human rights to women’s rights to children’s rights to animal rights, only Israel has no rights on the world stage. Only Israel.
Even though the unity government is a sham, and everyone knows it, the “growing momentum for peace” steamroller is about to mow down Israeli objections. Abbas is urging the U.S. to pressure the Israelis into giving broad concessions. Jordan’s King Abdullah is urging the Israelis to “respond positively” to the plan. Some would say that they have already done so, with Ehud Olmert saying that the plan shows promise and is a basis with which to proceed further. But Olmert has rightly said the “right of return” clause is a nonstarter. But it will be Olmert, and not the Arabs, who will be blamed for refusing to negotiate.
The UN Secretary General is urging Israel to give the “unity government” time to perform. I have already given them time, and found the unity government wanting. In the last 48 hours alone, there have been bombings, firebombings, stabbings, weapons smuggling, and kassam rockets launched at Israel.
Where, pray tell, is the difference from last week, when pretty much the exact same things happened, but in different places? The difference is that the world has accepted the sham of the “unity government.” The difference is the world is using this sham to advance the cause of peace at all costs, because of course, if Israel were at peace with her neighbors, all would be right with the world.
Watch the meme gain momentum. Watch the results come in over the next few days. Watch, as Israel will be vilified for refusing “peace.”
It isn’t peace that Israel refuses. It is the terms of surrender, which once again the defeated Arab armies are trying to impose on the victors. In this topsy-turvy world, the world gets angry with Israel every time she insists on refusing the terms of defeat. One would think that it would finally sink in that Israel will not be a partner to her own destruction. But then, one would have to be ignorant of the history of the past sixty years.
Once more, what time is it? That’s right. It’s Israeli Double Standard Time.
Watch the meme momentum grow.