Hi readers. Thanks for coming by for a read.
All this new slaughter in Gaza isn’t really new, is it? Neither new, nor unexpected. In fact it qualifies as habitual, maybe to the point of addiction. And possibly another land-grab for which the two sovereign nations involved are famous from so long ago the years ran backward.
I posted this a year ago because a lot of people tend to forget what’s behind the post-1947 troubles in the area. Forget that people lived there since anyone could remember and viewed it as ‘their’ land. When European Zionists began pouring into the country pre-WWII after being absent the place for 2000 years, it wasn’t empty. The houses had people living in them. The farms had families working them who had been working them hundreds of years. Palestinians.
And it’s legitimate to ask whether the current slaughter is part of another Israeli land grab. Once they conquer a place they tend to send in settlers, and think in long terms. Heck, they invaded Lebonon and occupied it almost 20 years before they decided they just couldn’t stand the price of annexing it. And when they retreated they left chaos behind them.
So buy yourself a bag of popcorn and cheer for the Israeli Army out there snagging some more real estate. Luckily it’s just Palestinians they’re taking it away from. They’re used to it.
A year is so short everything in it looks the same:
Israel and Ireland Boundaries – A cause for Non-Zionist Confusion
Reference the preceding post: I was probably negligent by not pointing out part of the reason for sustained peace in Ireland is the respect for established borders. Borders between Ireland and Northern Ireland haven’t changed significantly since they were agreed to by both sides. No understanding would be gained by posting a map of Ireland.
Israel is a comparatively young, new nation. Zionists evidently tend to harken back to Biblical times when they consider boundaries. They probably don’t understand that the older, more mature nations take borders seriously.
And the borders of Israel haven’t changed since 1966. The Palestinians own East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Syria owns the Golan Heights. However, 300,000 Israeli settlers occupy the West Bank. 200,000 Israeli setters live in East jerusalem.
On the other hand, here’s a map of Israel when it was established by the UN in 1947, and recognized by the US in 1948.
Here’s a more detailed map of the pre-1967 borders of Israel with later claims by Israel shown in red.
Here’s Israel and the occupied areas today.
In 2005 Israel withdrew from Gaza. But it maintains a strong security force in both places.
Every country probably wishes more land was contained within its borders. However, most modern countries recognize if they attempt to occupy territories belonging to other countries they’ll draw criticism from some quarters. Often the people living in the areas being occupied.
Israel could make a far stronger case for being a peace-loving country, a more believable case in the eyes on non-Zionists, by withdrawing to areas the world recognizes are contained within its established borders.
Otherwise it will forever having to fall back on the argument that everyone just hates Jews is the only reason for all the problems with neighbors. An outward sign of a desire for peace sometime during the past 50 years might have gone a long way toward achieving it.
Some strategy along the lines Ireland’s used, maybe.
Old Jules
So Far From Heaven 
Pingback: Curtain Raiser | CollTales