Monday, April 19, 2010

Cliff May: "No resolution possible"


No Peace While World War Rages -Clifford D. May

Israel’s American supporters spend a lot of energy trying to convince people that Israelis want peace. [T]hat’s true but it misses this point: Militant jihadis are waging a war against the “infidel” West. They see Israel as a frontline state. There is no way they will permit a separate peace for Israel.

I realize this stands on its head the long-held and widespread belief that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian question would help us prevail over Islamist extremists elsewhere in the world. But that’s like saying repealing the law of gravity would make it easier for us to fly. Yes, it would; but we can’t, so why delude ourselves?

The Tunis-born Muslim historian and philosopher Ibn Khaldun was candid:
In the Muslim community, jihad is a religious duty because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and the obligation to convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force. Islam is under obligation to gain power over other nations.” He did not come to this conclusion because of any “legitimate grievances” against America and Israel. How can I be so sure? Because Ibn Kahldun died in 1406.

So long as this world war is raging, there can be no resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. For any Palestinian leader to sincerely extend his hand in peace to Israel would be suicide.

Until the Islamist movement is seen as failing and in retreat, there can be no durable resolution of the conflict between Israel and its neighbors no matter how much Israelis want it, no matter how hard they work for it, no matter how much they are willing to sacrifice and no matter how strenuously Americans push.
[Moment Magazine]
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