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To the Western mind, steeped in the Judeo-Christian belief in the sanctity of
life, it is incomprehensible that religious leaders would literally begin to
train their youth to commit murder in the name of G-d. However, that is
exactly what they do. Islam's highest honors go to its "martyrs" and they are
promised unlimited sex with 72 virgins in heaven.
The Koran, Islam's sacred book, describes these women as "beautiful like
rubies, with complexions like diamonds and pearls." It says that the
martyrs-who simultaneously commit two of the most condemned crimes, murder
and suicide-shall "delight themselves, lying on green cushions and beautiful
carpets." This mindset has been part of Islam from the days of Mohammed.
A recent article in USA Today noted that "In Hamas-run kindergartens, signs
on the walls read: 'The children of the kindergarten are the shaheeds (holy
martyrs) of tomorrow.'" Name me any civilized religion or ideology that
raises its children to commit both suicide and murder?
This is not, nor ever has been, an issue of fairness to Palestinians living
in the sovereign state of Israel. They have always been free to become that
nation's citizens and to live under its laws. This is about people who live
for the day when that nation and its Jewish citizens cease to exist and, to
achieve that, they send their children into the streets to be "martyred" and
to kill Israelis.
To put things in perspective, Israel is home to fewer than six million
people, compared to an estimated 300 million Arabs residing in and
surrounding that nation. It represents about 10,000 square miles as compared
to the almost five million square miles of Arab countries. Israel can never
make peace with the Islamic jihad that has stated it will never be satisfied
with anything less than its destruction. Israel can and must protect the lives of
her citizens.
Unfortunately, history teaches us that Jewish lives are always expendable. At
the midpoint of the last century, we learned that supposedly civilized,
Christian nations could turn their backs on Jews. Some would not even permit
them the opportunity to escape. Why did they die? Because the world gave
their killers permission to murder them.
Today's Israelis have shown extraordinary restraint, but it is not likely to
last. When this beleaguered nation does respond, let us not hear comparisons
to the fate visited so many times on Jews because they were Jews.
If the Palestinians are driven from their midst, it will not be the
"Judenfrei" policies of Nazi Germany. Unlike the Arabs, Jews were not engaged
in killing their fellow Germans, Austrians, Poles. They were too busy trying
to flee them.
Alan Caruba is founder of The National Anxiety Center, a clearinghouse for
information about scare campaigns to influence public opinion and policy. The Center maintains an Internet site at www.anxietycenter.com.
Copyright, Alan Caruba, 2001
Published by permission.
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