After Lebanon, saving Palestine
Posted on 8/31/2006
By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
The designs of fundamentalist movements and parties, which are keen to reach
leadership positions, have been exposed. These movements begin with offering
their whole-hearted cooperation to the government. However, once they gain the
trust of the leaders, they take over their roles and start criticizing them, who
by this time will have become weak and unable to fight back.
We saw this classic maneuver in Lebanon, where Hezbollah offered its assistance
and partnership to the Lebanese government before establishing its own state and
hijacking the government’s role by leading that country and its people to a war
against Israel. The only outcome of Hezbollah’s maneuver has been the
destruction of Lebanon.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad are doing the same in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
After winning a majority in the Parliament, Hamas has been doing its best to
weaken the Palestinian Authority. Instead of forming a national government to
work under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas has formed a
government consisting of only its own members. Now it is demanding members that
the Palestinian Authority leave the Legislative Council, indicating a new era of
fundamentalism is about to replace the old one.
In Lebanon the dust has settled after the end of the war. For the first time in
Lebanon’s history, the legitimate government has been able to exercise its
authority and deploy its army all over the country. After a long time the
Lebanese government has secured its northern and southern borders from the
Syrian and Iranian wolves, which are still trying to infiltrate and implement
their nefarious designs on Lebanese soil.
In a recent speech the Prime Minister of Lebanon Fouad Siniora calmed his people
saying “the government will protect and compensate victims who have lost their
homes and farms and have been rendered jobless.” Not long ago, no Lebanese
official would have dared to say any such a thing fearing threats and
accusations of acting against ethical and religious principles.
We wonder why the international community cannot adopt the same method in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip to rescue the Palestinian Authority. Why the UN
Security Council is hesitating to pass a resolution allowing the formation of a
multinational force to eliminate outlaws and release the Palestinian Authority
from the grip of agents of Iran and Syria in Palestine. These tools in the hands
of Tehran and Damascus wouldn’t care less of all the Palestinians are killed and
their homes destroyed.
The international community must follow the example set in Lebanon and come up
with firm decisions and resolutions to provide poor Palestinians with protection
and peace. The outlaws in Palestine won’t mind wasting the lives of thousands of
Palestinians prisoners in Israeli jails for the sake of keeping one Israeli
hostage. Head of Hamas Khalid Mishaal acts according to the instructions of
Syrian President Dr Bashar Al-Assad and won’t waste any energy thinking about
the endless massacres being committed by Israel in Palestine on the excuse of
defending itself.
By exploiting the Palestinian cause, Khalid Mishaal, who is more loyal to
Damascus, is giving Israel a good excuse to continue its massacre of
Palestinians. At this stage the Palestinian Authority needs the support of the
international community to implement peace treaties and accords.
If the international community takes a firm stand and implements the Lebanese
example in Palestine, we can save the lives of innocent Palestinians by beating
the heads of snakes in Syria and Iran. The bonus will be the elimination of
Palestinian outlaws, who will face death at the hands of Israeli forces.
e-mail: ahmedjarallah@hotmail.com