Published: March 09, 2008 12:22 am            

Israel should be able to fight back

Comment column

If I throw a rock at a neighbor and hit them, I should have every right to expect them to come back and try and hit me with a stick.

So I guess my question is, why do the Palestinians fire countless rockets at Israeli cities and then complain when Israel retaliates?

As many as 50 rockets a night are fired at the Israeli cities of Sderot and Ashkelon. So far there only have been a couple of deaths on Israel’s side of the border lately, but that speaks more to the aim of the terrorists than their zeal for inflicting harm on the Jewish state.

After weeks of these types of bombardment, Israel said, “enough,” and sent in air strikes followed by ground incursions over the weekend, including a sweep through the town of Jebalya in Gaza.

Launching hundreds of rockets at any country should merit reprisal, but remember, this is the Arab world and things don’t always go as they should.

While Israel defended itself, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the peace process is on hold — which is ridiculous in and of itself as Israel should never give up one inch of ground of their God given land.

Also, as is expected in situations dealing with Israel, the EU, Turkey and U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon have accused Israel of using excessive force.

What is acceptable to the U.N. and other nations, to allow the Palestinians and the combined forces of Islamic states and terror organizations to drive the Israelis into the sea? Apparently if that happened, it would be OK.

The problem is, Hamas has been given plenty of warnings that actions of this nature, such as launching weapons at Israeli cities, would happen if the bombardments continued.

On Friday Israel’s deputy defense minister Matan Vilnai said it plainly in a story from Newsmax.com

“As the rocket fire grows, and the range increases...they are bringing upon themselves a greater ‘shoah’ because we will use all of our strength in every way we deem appropriate, whether in airstrikes or on the ground,” Vilnai said.

The “shoa” is a Hebrew word used to describe types of disasters.

This current disaster being wrought on the Palestinian people is definitely one they brought upon themselves, yet they continue to rail against Israel because dare to defend their homeland.

Protests over Israel’s action are reaching a fever pitch in the West Bank, controlled by the so-called moderate faction of the Palestinian government and the moderate Abbas.

Here, for example, is an example of Abbas being moderate.

“At present, I am against an armed struggle against Israel because we can’t do it, but in the coming stages, things may change. I do not rule out a return to the way of armed struggle against Israel,” Abbas said in the Jordanian newspaper A-Doustour.

This is Israel’s peace partner. He wants a truce until he can get up enough weapons and power to fight Israel — that’s a far cry from peace.

It is thick headed of politicians to think peace can be achieved between Israel and its neighbors. Israel’s Islamic foes want only one thing — the destruction of Israel. They will forego even the basest of necessities to achieve that goal.

Billions of dollars have been funneled into the Palestinian people from the U.S. and other countries. Has the money gone to feed the residents of Gaza and the West Bank, no, only to buy more weapons with which to fight Israel — yet we keep sending more — it borders on insanity.

Violence rings Israel, yet nations continually ask her to give up land and make strategic concessions that greatly imperil the tiny nation.

The terrorists cannot be reasoned with, and that leaves only one solution, allow Israel to do what it needs to do to defend itself against an enemy sworn to its destruction.

        

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