Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: He does heavy lifting

PATIENCE, MR. PRESIDENT, PATIENCE. We know you are serious about the road map to peace that you drew with the help of the Europe Union, United Nations and Russia. Of course, none of your partners are willing to take the heat as they sit on their hands watching it unravel. All of the partners knew that it wasn't going to be an easy chore so they put you in the exposed position of doing the heavy lifting.

I know you don't read my columns and won't read this one. Nevertheless, the complexity of the problems in the Middle East demands both patience and the hindsight that your staff should be giving you. The peace you are seeking would be a blessing for Israelis, Palestinians and the world. As I have written before, there won't be peace in the Middle East until schoolteachers and parents spend more time on subject matter and none on teaching hate and how to blow up a bus or throw hand grenades. Until schools funded and taught by extreme Islamists cease their current teachings, there will never be peace in the Middle East or the world. Yasser Arafat hanging around doesn't do anything positive to promote peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.

When the bloody terrorism reached a higher pitch in 1987, I was in Israel. The United Nations condemned Israel for what took place. Upon returning to the United States I asked the following questions:

"Did anybody see a picture of the Jewish merchant who was stabbed to death or of the bus passenger set aflame by a Molotov cocktail thrown by a rioter? How about pictures of rocks bouncing off the bloody faces of youthful Israeli soldiers not trained for riot duty or the bleeding young lady cut by flying glass when a bus window shattered? Did anybody take note of the young rioters being directed by older men from behind?"

What took place in 1987 was mild compared to the terrorism Arafat triggered almost three years ago and continues today. That started after he turned down the generous offer of Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak during meetings with President Bill Clinton in Maryland. It's been all downhill since then with Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups leading the way with Arafat's back-door approval. So it's not something you can change in just a few days, weeks, months or years.

Shortly after you recently returned home from your meeting in Jordan, the Hamas leaders broke off all peace talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Then they joined with the Islamic Jihad and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in ambushing and killing four Israeli soldiers on guard duty near Gaza and another one near Hebron. So much for wanting peace.

This killing resulted in the Israel Defense Forces targeting a Hamas leader in Gaza. They only wounded him but others were killed. A helicopter firing rockets was the weapon used and this upset you. Your angry response can be understood, but our American forces have found it necessary to target Al Qaeda leaders all over the world. The ones killed in a car from the air in Yemen were worthy of the fate delivered from a Predator.

The next blow to be struck was the suicide bombing of a bus in Jerusalem. Some senior Hamas leader had a high school youngster do the dirty work that killed 16 innocent people and wounded 70. Again the IDF struck back in Gaza and killed two more Hamas leaders and some innocent Palestinians who are used for cover when the terrorists travel among them unhindered by their own law enforcement people.

During the past year Hamas leaders have held press conferences and planned attacks from Gaza. This had to come to an end. Yesterday an IDF helicopter targeted and killed Yasser Taha, a senior Hamas leader who has been boldly attacking any thoughts of peace. The real shame is the deaths of his wife and 2-year-old daughter who were also in the car.

Mr. President, this cycle of killing won't stop as long as "respected" Palestinian leaders insist that the Jews be driven into the sea. Evidently they have forgotten that Israel was formed by more than 600,000 Jews driven from Muslim countries.

Mr. President, don't give up your efforts to bring peace to where some leaders would rather kill than go to work every day. You probably won't taste success but most Israelis and Palestinians certainly hope that some progress will be made. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

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