Wrong to hang the albatross of blame on Israel
By John Kepley
Re: RobertF. Boyd’s commentary, “Israel: the ungrateful ally,” published in The Roanoke Times on Dec.2:
I’m a native of Roanoke and graduate of William and Mary and Union Presbyterian Seminary. I have traveled to Israel 18 times and have firsthand knowledge of Israel and the tremendous asset Israel is to the U.S. and the world. Space does not permit the long list of Israeli contributions, but I will address here a few cogent and factual points.
Kepley, an ordained minister and businessman who taught theology and Bible to many groups in the U.S. and abroad, lives in Roanoke with his wife, Mary Elizabeth.
December 17, 2012 - 6:16 AM
In all seriousness Al,...
Mr. Kepley holds it against the Arab population in the region that they rejected the 1947 plan to chop up Palestine and carve a Jewish state out of Palestinian territory.
Can you blame them?
Here an international organization voted to destroy a homeland for a people that had been there for thousands of years, for a people that were a minority (only 33 per cent Jewish)(democracy being a mere Good Idea in other words, and not an actual ideal to be followed)… and the Palestinians didn’t even get a vote.
It is precisely as if the UN were to come into Virginia, carve out portions of the state, and declare it a homeland for displaced Serbians.
Wouldn’t we resent it, and probably fight it into perpetuity?
#1 “an international organization voted to destroy a homeland for a people that had been there for thousands of years,”
Excuse me, but that place had been the Jews’ homeland for thousands of years before the Roman Empire forced them out. Go look it up.
If you really want to play the “we’ve lived here first, dammit!” card, then by that standard we Caucasians and blacks should all get out of America and leave it to the American Indians, no?
“and the Palestinians didn’t even get a vote.” Actually they did, and they voted no by gladly supporting the surrounding Arab nations’ attempts to destroy the newly formed Jewish State in its infancy. Guess that didn’t work out so well.
2 – the Arabs had been there, too, Steven. And no, the Palestinians had no vote in the UN vote in 1947. Go look it up.
My point is that it should come as no surprise that the Palestinians bear tremendous resentment about being kicked out of their home…not by force of conquest, but by a vote where they couldn’t participate.
I’m not advocating for one side or the other, in the Middle East; I’m saying it’s not our business. I’m saying if we don’t recognize the legitimacy of the grievances, and if we offer our undying support for one side or the other, then we have to accept and expect backlash.
Yes, it is similar to American Indians bearing a grudge about the continual lies, and shady deals, and tricks that forced them off THEIR native lands.
#3 “the Arabs had been there, too” Not until after the Jews who’d been living there were essentially forced out by the Ancient Romans.
“the Palestinians bear tremendous resentment about being kicked out of their home…” Actually, 89Hoo, the majority of “Palestinians” who left what was then the brand-new state of Israel did so voluntarily at the encouragement of the surrounding Arab governments who promised the “Palestinians” that their armies would overwhelm the Jewish State in no time flat….which they didn’t. Oops.
Steven, you seem to think I give a rat’s rear about Israel (or the Arab nations surrounding Israel). I don’t. I don’t think there is a single thing over there that is worth one US dollar (admittedly not a high standard) or one US life (a much much higher bar).
My point is that there are legitimate grievances from both sides of the equation over there. And it should come as no surprise that the enemy of our “friend” is also our enemy (using the broadest possible definition of “friend”, and still am unconvinced it’s true). So it should also come as no surprise when they strike out against us, and that they resent the hell out of our meddling. Just as we would.