Transfer the Arabs! Not the Jews!

Transfer the Arabs! Not the Jews!

By Arlene Peck
April 15, 2006

Raanan Gissen and Arlene Peck, April 2006

Several years ago, when I lived in Israel, I met Ra'anan Gissin, one of the brightest men I have ever interviewed. At that time, he was the spokesperson for the IDF. In 1993, Ra'anan took me into Lebanon as a journalist during Operation Accountability. Since then, he has assumed the role of spokesperson for the Prime Minister's office. Nowadays, whenever I turn on the television, I see Ra'anan explaining Israel's standpoint.

Many times, I agreed with his thoughts and quite often with the Prime Minister's actions. That, however, didn't last too long. The Prime Minister, whom he was representing, began to change before my very eyes into the lap dog for the American and EU governments just as everyone preceding him had. Eventually, I wrote a column about both Sharon and Peres requesting that they be tested for dementia. So, it was with great interest that I attended an appearance he made at a Los Angeles synagogue; Gissin had been brought in to explain what is happening in Israel now that Ehud Olmert has taken over.

I came, I listened, but left unconvinced with either the policies of the government or the man, Ehud Olmert, the new "Kadima" leader. Perhaps it is the images of black-helmeted soldiers on horseback assaulting Jewish residents of Amona that remain seared in my memory. However, as repugnant as the scenes of Israeli citizens being forcibly ejected from their homes were, under the dubious leadership of Olmert, I fear that the "powers that be" in Israel are aiming for a new low.

Today, the so-called Islamic world is an out of control monster, continually mutating into ever more violent forms of Jihad, through Al-Qaeda, a variety of Muslim Brotherhood groups and untold others whose names have yet to surface. Some, such as Hamas, have learned how to incorporate their terrorist philosophy and violence into electoral strategy with their newfound "democracy" and the power of voting. Israel's neighbors now feel mandated and justified in their quest to "drive the Jewish state into the sea."

I just don't understand why the rush to unilaterally withdraw from the West Bank. Why make this issue the focus of the new government's agenda? I am sure there is a reason, somewhere. However, I just cannot get excited over Olmert's plan of withdrawal to the so-called "final borders" or why that should precede the American presidential election of November 2008. Why? Maybe because President Bush has been such a wonderful friend of the Jewish nation that the Israeli government thinks there is no one on the American political horizon who will be such a good friend? With friends like Bush, Rice and, let's not forget, Powell, Carter, Clinton, Ross and Indyk, among others, Israel will never need enemies.

However, given the new climate he works in, I was encouraged to hear Gissin speak with the old attitude I remembered of him when it came to ferreting out terrorists. "We make house calls without being in Gaza and leave a message to the suicide bombers and they get the message that terrorism can be dangerous to your health." He continued, "We will continue to pursue terrorists wherever we find them. Jews have to run in order to stay in one place where we are."

Why in G-d's green acre do the leaders of Israel act like lap dogs for their American masters? Withdrawal from Gaza has strengthened the enemies of the US and makes Israel an even weaker partner in the war on terrorism. A close look at the mistakes of past leadership and the results of their stupidity ought to be reason enough to hold back from more Oslo’s and Roadmaps - to - Hell solutions.

I have just returned from Panama, where I visited the Panama Canal. No American can view the Canal without bitterly recalling that it was our very own President Jimmy Carter who gave it away, although it was built with American vision, ingenuity and can-do attitude ... and paid for with our tax dollars.

I remember from my childhood a once great state called Florida, a jewel in the American crown. Ah, but that was before the same Jimmy Carter arrived on the scene, compelled to turn it into an annex of Cuba, with a little bit of Haiti thrown in. And, this is the same bigot who is still making anti-Israeli, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic comments and suggestions affecting the fate of the Jews in Israel. With a track record of achievement like his, Israel needs to be very wary of its friends!

Yet now, Israel is governed by a mentality that, when one of the inept leaders of the U.S or the EU snaps his or her fingers and say "Jump.” Israel's self-serving leaders say "How high?" What really needs to be asked is "how and why did Israel turn into a Banana Republic?"

So, we sat there listening while Gissin said, "It's not enough to be right. You have to be smart in your dealings with the Arab world. Everything that can't be dealt with in their culture in the Arab mind has to be an Israeli conspiracy.” However, I think that while Israel was being 'smart' and giving in to their demands and coddling Arafat, Arab schoolchildren were being taught to hate Israel and learning the glories of suicide bombings so they could go to meet their 72 virgins. Israel's children ought to have been learning the need for keeping their country safe because the rest of the world sure hasn't seemed to care much about protecting Jews or Israel during the past 20 years. That will continue to be true into the distant future, with the likes of Mr. Carter perpetuating the world's negative thinking about Jews while disregarding any criticism of their darling PLO and Hamas.

I listened with great interest while Gissin spoke of the disproportionate numbers of Arabs who would be taking over the population in ten years time if they were part of Israel. The philosophy of the new government is that it would be dangerous for the people who were living in the settlements. Ooooohkay! I'll go along with that. Therefore, the present government is all for paring down the settlements to make secure borders. Their attitude is "Take the best... and leave the rest.” Except, they mean cutting out the JEWISH settlements. My belief is that transfer is not the dirty word it once was. Particularly since Jews are now applying that principle to other Jews. Dozens of countries have done it to millions of people quite openly without United Nations emergency meetings or resolutions. One way or another in many places, but never in Israel. Virtually every Arab country did so to their Jewish populations, many of whom could trace their families back in those lands for thousands of years. They left, with nothing except one suitcase without payment for their homes, businesses or possessions and few raised their voices in protest That same UN was silent! so, the precedent is clearly established in modern times (lest we forget that it was done in most Western European countries long before the National Socialists came to power and created new ways of solving "the Jewish problem".)

The new Israeli government has said, "The fence is only one solution. Most of the successful action is based on intelligence that prevents homicide bombers from getting to the wall. ”House calls... not threats. The first thing we must do is create the separation of ourselves from the Palestinians. We cannot leave the Trojan horse inside the fence.” Good point but way too late. My thinking is that the fence ought to include the entire state of Israel, moving the Arabs into any of their 22+ nations where I am sure they will be much happier (except that they have this "thing" about killing Jews and taking over their land . And, let's not forget that there are already 55 nations with predominately-Muslim populations and more to come as they are predicted to take over all of Western Europe sometime this century.

So, here is what I believe: Jordan is the real homeland of the so-called Palestinians. Many of them are in Israel because King Hussein expelled them from Jordan in 1971 or because they returned from Tunis when Israel allowed them to come back (another huge mistake!). Jordan is a poor country and an empty country. Why can't consideration be given to making the so-called Palestinians pledge allegiance to the King of Jordan for the next 50 years? Oh, I forgot, the new king wants nothing to do with "them" and refuses outright to extend an open door to the PLO, I mean the Palestinians. He knows they may be fellow Arabs but trained to be killing machines, not trusted by any Arab state since they tend to attempt a takeover everywhere they go. Don't forget that they now constitute the majority of the Jordanians, too.

Many years ago, I visited Brazil. Their president was building a new city called Brasilia, literally in the jungle. It was created because Rio had become impossibly overcrowded. El Presidente thought that creating a new capital and forcing the politicians to live and work there would create something beautiful and bring relief to Rio's population challenges. In a sense, he concluded, "If we build it, they will come.” It took years and overcoming incredible challenges but today it is a thriving place. The city of Brasilia, which despite initial problems is now a success and this sets a precedent and teaches lessons from which we may all learn.

So, I propose a similar Brasilia, this time, except in Jordan. It can be called "Palestinia" (or Intifada" for all I care) with funding from the EU, perhaps? Oh, and for sure, the Arab world, which I am certain, would love to chip in, to help their brothers as they have done so charitably in the past. Let it be built with American products and Israeli know-how ; look at all that cheap labor within the Nation of Islam, where they could finally find some meaningful employment building their very own homeland! It might give them something to do other than sitting around smoking that laughing pipe, burning tires and devising new ways to kill innocent people and get their 72 virgins. Yeah, right.

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