A look at Islamic Jihad

[King Mongo]

Monday, April 17, 2006 · Last updated 8:54 a.m. PT

A look at Islamic Jihad

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Islamic Jihad, a virulently anti-Israel group backed by Iran and Syria, claimed responsibility for Monday's suicide attack in Tel Aviv, the deadliest Palestinian attack in 20 months.

The group has been behind most of the Palestinian attacks against Israel since the sides declared a truce in February 2005. It says the violence is a legitimate response to an Israeli crackdown on its members.

Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for eight of nine suicide attacks in Israel and the West Bank since the cease-fire declaration, and its militants in Gaza continue to fire homemade rockets at Israel on a daily basis.

The group is believed to have about 2,000 militants armed with M-16 and AK-47 automatic rifles, grenades and anti-tank weapons.

Last month, it claimed responsibility for firing a long-range Katyusha rocket into Israel. The attack, which caused no damage or injuries, marked a significant increase in its abilities.

Islamic Jihad is led by Ramadan Shallah, a Palestinian from Gaza who now lives in exile in Syria. It considers the 1979 Iranian Revolution to be the beginning of a new era for the Muslim world and wants to turn all of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza into an Islamic state. It rules out compromise with Israel.

Shallah, visiting Iran this week, said his group would step up its efforts to attack Israel with suicide bombers and rockets.


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Islamic_Jihad_Glance.html

[King Mongo]

1. The US and EU should...

...pressure Israel to recognize that Palestine exists by working with the Hamas and it should pressure Syria and Iran to squash the Islamic Jihad. One has to work with and against both sides to achieve results. Palestine needs to exist as an independent unoccupied nation next to Israel and those who cannot accept such must be discliplined.

[sellitman]

2. Sounds nice in theory but...

The Palestinians have made their choice by electing a government that condones and endorses terrorism and must now face the consequences. There was a slight possibility that Hamas, being now in power, would try to change their ways. But by calling this latest act of terrorism legitimate, it is obvious that they have chosen to remain what they have always been. Abbas is correct, this will greatly harm the Palestinian interests. The current situation will further alienate the international community which will have very grave consequences for the Palestinians. While being so close at one point, their dream of achieving statehood has never been so distant due to their current government.

My sincere condolences go to the families of all the victims.

[King Mongo]

6. Hamas was elected...

...because of the harsh consequences Palestinians faced in the past. Making things more harsh for Palestinians won't help anyone, as the past demonstrated. The best way to encourage Palestinians to recognize that Israel exists, is for us to recognize that Palestine exists as an independent non-occupied State. It doesn't make sense for us to cause people to suffer simply because of our inability to recognize that their nation exists in an unoccupied state.

[sellitman]

9. They are making things harsher for themselves

Even Sharon, tried before his coma to return land and make peace. The Palestinians or whatever they call themselves elected a TERRORIST government, who vows only to destroy....not make peace. With who should we bargain with? Stop painting the "Palestinians" as the only aggrieved party. why haven't you taken the surrounding Arab community to task? Jordan was the land mandated for the "Palestinians" if you would read your history books. The Jordanians wouldn't let them settle, along with just about every other Arab Nation. Where is your outrage at that?

Where is the world's outrage at that?

[King Mongo]

10. Sharon refused to negotiate and focused on annexing land...

Hamas has expressed the desire to make peace with Israel, yet Israel is still refusing to negotiate.

>>With who should we bargain with?

Well, Arafat wanted to bargain with Israel, but Sharon refused. Then, Abbas wanted to bargain with Israel, but Sharon refused. Now, the Hamas wants to bargain with Israel, but Israel refuses. It is only fair to blame Israel when Israel constantly refuses to negotiate! Under these conditions, it is simply impossible to blame Palestinians for Israel's doings.

>>Stop painting the "Palestinians" as the only aggrieved party

I agree with you that Israelis are also suffering by annexing Jerusalem and other occupied territory. The hostility caused by their desire to grab land without negotiating will certainly result in more dead people on both sides in the future. Many poor Israelis are suffering because their government is so greedy and desperate to grab land! If only the government would be more interested in negotiating!

>>Arab community to task

The Arab community has supported many peace efforts which Sharon rejected, such as the Road Map, Arab Peace Plan, Geneva Initiative... Unfortunately, Israel rejected all of these peace efforts simply because Sharon wanted to blame Palestinians for his greed to grab land.

>>"Palestinians"

I see that you don't recognize that Palestinians exist. This means that it will be extremely difficult for you to recognize that Palestine exists and that's why you blame them for Israel's faults.

>>The Jordanians wouldn't let them settle, along with just about every other Arab Nation. Where is your outrage at that?

It is unfair for you to blame Arabs for Israel's refugee problem. If Israel had allowed the native people of its land to return home, then there would have never been a refugee problem. Every nation in the world has an equal neeed and interested to allow refugees to become citizens of their nation. It is unfair for you to blame Arabs more than other nations. Israel has made it clear that it will not let the people from Israel be citizens of Israel and thus one can't blame others more than Israel if they hold they don't want the people from Israel to become citizens of their nations.

[sellitman]

11. Your argument is without FACTS.

Israel has sought peace with its neighbors ever since the existence of the state and has paid a heavy price for it, both in the lives and in the size of the country. In 1979 Israel made peace with the Egyptians, and returned for peace the Sinai, two thirds of the country. In 1993 Rabin shook the hand of Arafat in a hope to make peace, he signed the Oslo accords.

As part of the accords today 92% of all Palestinian citizens essentially live under their own control in the so-called areas of A and B. In 1994 Jordan made peace with Israel. In the recent Camp David accords Israel's Prime Minister hoped to achieve " a peace of the brave." He wanted to finish the conflict and come to an agreement based on security and justice for both sides. We know that he was willing to offer up to 92% of the West Bank and to discuss the problem of Jerusalem. Arafat rejected peace and wanted everything. The move towards peace failed because the Palestinians were unable to do the one thing need for peace..compromise.

As for Arafat, When there was a settlement freeze under the Rabin government why was there not peace? The Barak government was also willing to compromise on settlement building. Why did Arafat not agree? Maybe he wanted more?

Your Palestinian manipulation of history is very powerful.

There was never historically an independent land of Palestine owned by the Palestinians and destroyed by the Jews. Historically the only independent State here was Jewish. I am not saying that there was no Palestinians..but that an independent state did not exist. As of the War of Independence, which was forced on Israel when Israel's neighbors attacked. There are still Palestinian refugees. Israel has sought to solve the problem through a proposed reunification of families program and compensation. Arafat rejected this.


Occupied??? History, history history! Let us look at the facts. Jerusalem was the ancient capital of Israel. Jews have lived there for more than 3000 years and it continues today to play an important part in Jewish existence. The western wall in the Old City of Jerusalem is the last remaining wall of the ancient Jewish Temple. Former mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek stated:

"For three thousand years, Jerusalem has been the center of Jewish hope and longing. No other city has played such a dominant role, as has Jerusalem in the history, culture. religion and consciousness of a people as has Jerusalem...if you want one simple word to symbolize all of Jewish history, the word would be Jerusalem."

[King Mongo]

12. Try challenging my argument...

>>Your Palestinian manipulation of history is very powerful.

I was talking about 2001 until today. You are talking about the days prior to 2001 and thus your argument really has nothing to do with my argument. Try again by talking about what I was talking about from 2001 until today.

>>There was never historically an independent land of Palestine

This is irrelevent

>>Jerusalem was the ancient capital of Israel

This is irrelevent

>>Jews have lived there for more than 3000 years

This is irrelevent

>>Jerusalem has been the center of Jewish hope and longing

This is irrelevent


Since 2001, why has Israel refused to negotiate regardless of whom Palestinians elected? According to your comments, it seems that the reason for such is the desire of many Jews to racially cleanse Palestinians from their homeland. Racial cleansing is a crime against humanity. You may wish to reword your comments in such a way that they do not support crimes against humanity. Both Palestine and Israel have the same right to be recognized by the other for equal reasons.

[sabbat hunter]

3. syria and iran

give monetary and other aid to the Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. why would they crush them? both syria and iran want "the zionist entity" wiped off the map.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Not really

Syria and Iran (and the Saudis) do not want "the zionist entity" wiped off the map. They need the "Zionist entity" the same way Bushco needs Al-Qaida. They need the "Zionist entity" as a scape goat and a reason to keep their people under an autocratic thumb.

That is "Islamo-1984"

[King Mongo]

7. One can either be one-sided...

...or one can be fair and balanced. If we are one-sided, then it makes sense for others to be on the other side against us. But, if we are fair and equal to both, then many on both sides will support us. If we criticize both sides, then many on both sides will work with us. This is really the only way that anything can be accomplished in such complex conflicts. There are many people in Syria and Iran who seek fair peace and thus it doesn't make sense to force them against us.

[demosincebirth]

5. Sound like all we have to do is a little pressure here, and a

little pressure there and they'll all fall in line. Dream on.

[King Mongo]

8. Pressure is applied...

...so that people fall in line. If this was not the case, then pressure would never be used. Thus, my theory is in line and totally logical.