# 467 – Free Palestine

Free Palestine

[Update – This agony of hostage release could take weeks. We don’t know how many hostages are alive. It is possible Hamas also does not know. And when we reach ‘almost the end’ how will we know it will be the end?

They know that we will continue the war after the hostages are released. By then we shall have lost some of the friends we have gained during this traumatic period.

And whether or not this was planned by Hamas, a few weeks truce will make the next aggression by Israel all the uglier.

There’s no winner here. ]

I’m not an historian nor a politician, not a judge nor an experienced arbitrator  … I’m just a salesman and a retired one at that. But as Al Pacino said, in ‘Scent of a Woman’, ‘I’ve been around, y’know!’.

An article in today’s J-Post has helped me word this Letter for all those blind Lefties out there.

‘Free Palestine’. Most know what is implied…. No Jews – at all.

Some imply 1 country called Palestinian, where Jews will be permitted to live – which would be a first: no other Arab/Muslim country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has welcomed Jews since 1948.

I’m not sure ANY of the protesters imply a 2-state solution, otherwise they would separate themselves from the signs ‘From the river to the sea’.

Let’s see how well I can précis the J-Post article. It starts by attacking Rashida Tlaib, one of the now infamous ‘Quartet’ of Dem. Reps. But she’s a waste of time.

MENA is an area of 39 million sq. km. Jews and Muslims co-existed in nearly all of those lands – until 1948. More than 25% of Baghdad was Jewish! Morocco had over 1/4 million Jews. Syria, Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, (No, not Jordan – that’s an exception. No Jews, but also no history), Ethiopia etc.

Then came the establishment of the State of Israel, and the subsequent War of Independence.  The World loves to identify the refugees from that war as Palestinians, but there were actually MORE Jews displaced by the war than Arabs. (A repeated reminder that the ridiculous UNRWA was initially set up for ALL refugees from the war, which included the Jews. By 1951, all 750,000 Jews had been re-settled. No, not back in their homes – those doors were permanently closed – but in Israel, Europe, USA and Australasia).

And then the ‘demand’ for a free Palestine, something which had, as far as we can see, never happened before.

There was originally the Syrian Palestine, then the Byzantine Palestine, followed by Ummayad Palestine, Abbasid Palestine, Fatimid Palestine, Saladin’s Palestine (Egypt), Mamluk Palestine, Ottoman Palestine, British Palestine and, not to forget the most recent occupier, the Hashemites of Jordan.

In Jordan, the Palestinians are a majority, and STILL they are suppressed, (Black September). Those currently dispersed in other MENA countries are not even granted citizenship. If ever they are oppressed and treated like 3rd class citizens, it is in those neighbouring  countries. Nobody wants them. In the current crisis, the Gazans have been totally denied entry into Egypt, Jordan or just about everywhere in the region.

Wait a minute! Wait….a….minute! There is an exception. There is 1 tiny country within MENA that not only accepted the Palestinians as full citizens, they welcomed them. Where the original population of 1/2 million is now over 2 million. Where they are legally full and free members of society.

What? You still can’t guess?? Do I need to spell it out for you??

The ONLY country within MENA that has granted freedom to the Palestinians is…..drumroll….ISRAEL.

One more point, just in case you think the Palestinians deserve their own independent country, well….check the original UN resolution. That’s what the Jews voted for!

OK?

Stephen