Why Donate to FLAME?
By supporting FLAME, you help fund our ads in national media, like U.S.
News and World Report, The New York Times, The Nation, The National Review, The American Spectator, The Washington Times National Weekly, and others.
You help publish our messages in Jewish publications, both in the U.S.
and in Israel, among them The International Edition of the Jerusalem Post.
Finally, your donation helps us publish our messages monthly in over fifty
small-town newspapers, all across the United States and Canada.
Facts and Logic About
the Middle East
P.O. Box 590359
San Francisco, CA 94159
(415) 356-7801 |
|
|
April 27, 2005
Dear
Friend of FLAME:
While the Americans and the Europeans continue to pressure Israel to
make concessions to the Palestinians under the guise of the Bush "road
map," it seems unlikely that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will
be able to meet his side of the bargain anytime soon. Indeed, the first
requirement of the road map is for the Palestinians to stop terrorism
and dismantle terrorist groups. First, Abbas makes no secret of his
unwillingness to disarm murderous terror groups like Hamas and Islamic
Jihad. Second, as the article below confirms, those very groups not
only refuse to disarm, but they also refuse to discuss the idea of peace
with Israel. Remember: When Hamas says that they will fight until the
occupation ends, they are talking about Jewish presence in the land
between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea---all of Israel.
Abbas continues to make liberal-sounding noises about the power of democracy---he
believes that when Hamas becomes politically enfranchised they will
magically of their own volition lay down their arms. But Hamas will
have none of it, and neither should we. We see the same phenomenon in
Lebanon, where the terrorist group Hizbollah actually has elected political
power, but they still maintain the largest independent armed militia
in the country. What's that about? Well, just ask them: It's about jihad---Islamist
domination of the entire Middle East and beyond.
This article, from Israel's HaAretz news service helps us understand,
in relatively few words, what Israel and the West are up against in
trying to bring peace to the Middle East . . . and to the world.
Best regards,
Jim Sinkinson
Director, FLAME
P.S. |
As you know, many Arabs, including Al Qaeda, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and some Western leftists dispute Israel's right to have a state in the Middle East at all. For clarification on the question of who "owns" or has legal rights to historical Palestine, I recommend one of FLAME's hasbarah (public relations) messages, "The Big Lie (I): Are the "occupied territories" really occupied territories?" This piece, which appeared in publications nationwide, gives a brief and lucid history of the region and explains Israel's claim to the land and to its own state. To read and/or redistribute this piece, please go to http://www.factsandlogic.org/ad_72.html. Of course, as always, if you would like to support the distribution of perspectives like this, we welcome your tax-deductible donation. Simply go to http://www.factsandlogic.org/make_a_donation.html to make your contribution online. |
|
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Service and News Agencies, April 26, 2005
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Monday
said he expects Hamas to hand in its weapons after joining the Palestinian
parliament this summer, but gave no indication he would forcefully disarm
the militant group. In response, however, Hamas said later Monday it
has no intention of disarming in July.
"When a militia turns into a political party I believe the issue
of a need for arms becomes irrelevant," Abbas said.
"Our fingers will remain on the rifle triggers until the removal
of the occupation," Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri said.
Masri said Hamas' participation in elections "does not mean it
is on the way to becoming a political party."
Abbas, who has been under heavy pressure by the United States and Israel
to rein in armed groups, was set Monday to meet with the Palestinian
groups shortly, Israel Radio reported. While repeatedly calling on militants
to halt their attacks on Israel, he has so far refused to take action
against them, preferring instead to co-opt them.
Hamas, the largest Palestinian opposition group, has said it
will participate in legislative elections set to take place in July.
It would be the first time the group has sought a place in the Palestinian
parliament.
Abbas welcomed the group's desire to join the political process, but
said the group, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings against
Israelis, would be expected to give up its militant tactics after the
vote.
"When a movement or militia is transformed into a political party,
I would say that there will then be no need for them to possess weapons,"
Abbas told reporters. "There will be only one authority, one law,
and one legal gun. The issue is very clear, and this has been common
practice throughout history."
But the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Mahmoud a-Zahar, said Monday
he would not agree to give up arms, the radio said.
A-Zahar called on Hamas leaders of Hamas who live abroad to return to
Palestinian territory after Israel withdraws from Gaza, Israel Radio
reported.
Hamas leaders living abroad, mostly in Syria, include Khaled Meshal,
head of Hamas' political department and one of the group's most influential
leaders abroad.
Under its plan for the disengagement from the Gaza Strip, however, Israel
intends to retain control over the land, air and sea entrances and exits
to the Gaza Strip.
Islamic Jihad questions value of calm
The Islamic Jihad network in northern Samaria has emerged as one of
the most tangible threats to the implementation of the disengagement
plan, as the Jihad leadership questions the value of sticking to the
policy of calm (tahadiyah).
The Jihad network, encompassing Jenin and Tul Karm and the villages
in between, is responsible for the last major attack within Israelthe
suicide bombing at the Stage club in Tel Aviv, in which five Israelis
were killed.
After the attack, the leadership in Damascus engaged in evasive tactics,
designed to escape the flames of the Israeli response, as well as the
unexpected fury the attack aroused among Palestinians, who mostly want
the calm to continue. But in the past fortnight, various signs have
been accumulating that indicate Jihad is back in action.
Last Thursday, in an unusual move for this period, the organization
claimed responsibility for detonating an explosive device on the Gaza
Strip border, moderately wounding an Israel Defense Forces tracker.
Israeli intelligence sources also see evidence of the military wing
in the northern West Bank having resumed planning major attacks.
If you'd like a printer-friendly, text version of this newsletter click the button below.
How many times have you heard someone lament that Israel doesnt
have good public relations? By supporting FLAME, you help one of the
worlds most powerful information efforts to spread the truth about
Israel and the Middle East conflict. Please note that because FLAME
is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, your donation is tax-deductible.
You are receiving this email because you have requested news, facts and analysis about Israel and the Mideast conflict. If you DO NOT want to continue receiving free messages like the one below, go here.
|