The Trio
Another world crisis, another unnecessary killing, and unwarranted conflict have occurred in the world’s most unstable site, the Middle East. On October 7, 2023, the Islamist militant group Hamas attacked Israel, killed hundreds of Israelites, and took scores of hostages, an event hitting a major part of the world by surprise. Why did Hamas commit such a heinous crime? They may provide many reasons, however, none can satisfy me. Killing and massacring innocents never sits well with me, irrespective of the cause of action.
Israeli hardliners believe that Palestinians are simply criminals and should be eliminated. Pro-Palestinians follow the logic that their mistreatment by Israelis made their lives unbearable and as an Iranian proverb says, “the knife has reached their bones and can’t be tolerated anymore,” justifying violence against Israeli civilians. Neither of these positions is humane or correct.
Before getting into the discussion, let us explain what “Hamas” is. The word is derived from an abbreviation of the Arabic phrase “Harakat al-Moghavamal Islamieh”, meaning Islamic Resistance Movement.
The Israeli government stated on several occasions that the attack came to them as a total surprise. I am not sure that anyone will accept or believe such statement. The United States government issued a communique indicating that the attack surprised the American government and its intelligence service. I found it most challenging to believe that such a plan of action took place next to Israel’s border, unnoticed by Israel’s security forces, which experience shows to be one of the best in the world, if not the best.
What transpired in recent days opens the door to the old-age question: was the Israeli government unaware of the incoming Hamas attack, or did they want it to happen? This opinion may be considered far-fetched by some; however, it is a viable one. In achieving a political goal, for people who have no desire to settle a dispute peacefully, engineering a disastrous action of their own and accusing their opponents of the crimes is a well-known tactic, and there are ample examples of such actions. To these people, the end justifies any means. In the present situation, the future is, to put it bluntly, total elimination of the Palestinians in Gaza. Gaza must be a part of Israel, and that is the goal of Israeli hardliners under Mr. Netanyahu. One can read all his thoughts in between the lines during his welcoming speech to the secretary Clinton during her visit to Israel.
Most colonial powers are guilty of using such techniques to achieve their goals without raising the public’s suspicions while directing mishaps to their opponents. There are ample examples of this, I will recite the one that occurred on August 19, 1978, in Abadan, Iran. The Fire at the Cinema Rex, where, according to statistics, somewhere between 400-700 individuals were burned to death. The Mullahs accused SAVAK (the Shah’s secret police). This action was broadcast worldwide by major broadcasting organizations such as BBC, the American broadcasting systems, and French news agencies. Khomeini spoke to the people of Iran, from his residence in Neauphel-le-Chateau, France, and blamed the Shah’s regime for that heinous crime. As we came to find out much later, it was Khomeini’s disciples who were the actual perpetrators.
Yes, to Khomeini and his foreign patrons, the end justified any means. Removing the Shah was the objective, not protecting the people’s lives. Why should the French, the Germans, the British, and the Americans care what would happen to the people of Iran or, in this case, possibly to the Palestinians?
Whatever the actual cause, Hamas’ action was the most despicable act and counterproductive. Killing innocents will never appeal to people around the world. Israel’s government reacted swiftly to what had transpired. The Gaza strip, home of Hamas, with over two million Palestinian inhabitants became the battleground. Israel’s attacks are the most destructive, not so much to Hamas but to the civilians of Gaza. The continuous bombardment destroyed buildings, hospitals, schools, transformed many parts of the city into rubble, and has so far killed thousands of civilians.
The leaders of the so-called free world countries, Mr. Macron, Mr. Rishi Sunak, and Mr. Biden visited Jerusalem and paid their homage to the Master, Mr. Netanyahu. They rightfully condemned the crime committed by the Palestinians. Those leaders unanimously used words signifying their approval of Israel’s action vis-à-vis Hamas and killing thousands of Palestinians who not only had no hand in that act of savagery, but most probably didn’t even agree with the existence Hamas. Witness to this statement is from a recent poll taken in Gaza by the U.N., which indicates that only 17% of their population is partial to Hamas.
According to BBC, the U.S. Government has asked Congress to approve a $14.3-billion military aid package for Israel to compensate the present situation! This aid will be in addition to over three billion dollars yearly aids. Does it require that much money to fight with a group who, by today’s standard, seems to be fighting with antiquated weapons outclassed by those of the Israeli military? What a great business, get a few of your citizens killed and receive billions of dollars compensation from my simple-minded fellow Americans!
My statement is not an approval of what Hamas has done, and to the contrary, I am an ardent believer that they should receive the hardest possible punishment. But the innocent civilians who had no hand in that barbaric action should not be subject to total extermination. But Netanyahu and the Israeli hardliners are not interested in finding a way to fix the conflicts. Their objective is complete annihilation of Palestinians, that their lands should be incorporated into that of Israel. They have done so for many of the preceding decades, ignoring time and again directives issued by the United Nations.
We should not forget that Israel was a party in the creation of Hamas. They supported the ultra-religious group, helping them fight against the Palestine Liberation Organization, the PLO. Israeli politicians, such as Yitzhak Rabin, had regular meetings with Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar on a routine basis. Brigadier General Yitzhak Segev financially helped the organization against the PLO. Now, Mr. Netanyahu, beating a different war drum, must face a monster that his predecessors created, even that it becomes handy for his purpose.
Modern Israel is a new country created in 1948. We should not, at least for the present discussion, concern ourselves with the conditions yielding its creation and consider it a “fait accompli.”
The Israel hardliners, from the early days, took the upper hand to shut out any critics that may come their way. They have created words used, so far, with great success and exceptional for such purposes. They made terms like antisemitism, anti-Jews, Jew-haters, and similar expressions. Utilizing these words came in handy in shutting up any critics of Israel. When I wrote in my articles that Israel should be considered a country and dealt with accordingly, irrespective of their religion, a Jewish doctor colleague whom I never had the honor of meeting criticized me. He indicated that I should never state such a fact and that Judaism is an inseparable part of Israel as a country! How did he reach that conclusion is not known. “I APOLOGISE THAT I CAN NOT ACCEPT HIS REASONING.”
The Israeli hardliners are directing the affairs of the nation as Hitler was doing with Germany, except in a different scale. Mr. Netanyahu is not much different from other fascists. His effort in Gaza reminds me of the Nazi’s retribution against the undergrounds of the nations under siege by Germans. To avenge a German soldier killed, the German forces would execute scores of the city’s prominent residents. Isn’t that what he is doing in Gaza?
His arrogance is unbearable and shows absolutely no recognition of the sacrifices that the American people have been and are making for their country. I will place a link where he welcomed Mr. Clinton, then the Secretary of State, in President Obama’s cabinet. It is mindboggling how ugly he was. I was disappointed and highly disenchanted with Mrs. Clinton’s lack of appropriate response. Here is the link. If it does not open, copy past it into your browser and then click to open it:
Here is a portion of his own words in addressing Secretary Clinton about the continuation of war and destruction of Gaza: ” …I AM SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND …. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON’T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO PRESIDENT OBAMA AND YOU….”
Yes, he does not have to get the permission of anyone to continue a war. The United States has only to foot the bill! No Mr. Netanyahu, if the government in my country were seeking freedom and justice for all, they had long thrown you away and the Boltons, the Nikki Haley’s and Giuliani’s would not have been able to help you. The Speaker of the House, Mr. John Andrew Boehner would not be able to invite you to address the US Congress, bad mouthing the elected president of our country.
Look around and observe how our administrations, with their unawareness and mismanagement of foreign affairs are digging the graves of American integrity around the world. If the leaders of the world in the 1930s had managed Hitler properly, instead of appeasing him, WWII either would not have a place in the history, or might have had a different outcome, and millions of people would not have been killed and six million Jews would not have been annihilated.
President Biden asked Congress to approve a fourteen billion dollar boost to improve Israel’s defense power! Can anyone imagine the magnitude of this number? Does any American support such act of extravagance? Why should we be furnishing funds to some country to add territories to its border while our social structures are badly in need of repair? What does it take for the brains in Washington to realize that we may need a fresh and bold approach for today’s needs? Why do many of those Jews with superb intelligence and impeccable integrity remain silent? Netanyahu stands unique among the world’s leaders to act as a criminal. He joins the ranks of Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Khomeini, and Khamenei of the twenty-first century, and is no different from Hamas and other criminals.
The repercussion of Netanyahu’s action has been reverberating around the world and resulted in a unanimous disapproval among most countries and nations. Several of the American governments have severed their relations with Israel. Antisemitism has increased in European countries, including France. The present behavior of Israel’s government does not benefit the existence of nation as a progressive country. The Israelis must realize that the time of using the phrases of antisemitism, Jew killers, and Jew haters has passed, and they have lost their value.
I am astounded to see the blind acceptance of the few, so-called Iranian elites, of the Israeli hardliners stands. I have no doubts that I will be judged harshly by many of these people for the position that I am taking in the Arab Israeli conflict. However, this will not change my opinion, and I do not care what my opponents think or do. I, without any reservation, support the most severe punishment for the criminal actions of Hamas and believe in the harshest possible treatment for them. I bear the same sentiments toward the movement of the Israel hardliners. I hope my Iranian compatriots will evaluate and investigate all issues, before expressing an opinion or acting upon one. Unfortunately, thinking before opening their mouth, and expressing a thought, is not one of their virtues.
How could Iranians approve of Netanyahu’s action while they are witness to a similar criminal activity by the Mullahs governing their country? Did Iranian people commit a crime in asking for a better life? Aren’t they being massacred by their government? If the Mullah’s action does not meet your approval, then why Netanyahu’s is your favorite one? Is that because Netanyahu is killing Arabs, your perceived enemy and that you don’t like them? I am ashamed of you all, constantly calling yourselves the children of Kourosh the Great and acting as his enemies. SHAME ON YOU FOREVER. SHAME ON YOU JUDGING PEOPLE FOR RACE, CREED, RELIGION, COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, AND OR THEIR PERSONAL BEHAVIOR.
Guils of Guilan 