by Dr. Michael Brown, New American Prophet, ©2023
(Oct. 16, 2023) — There is a widespread belief that if Israel would only give back the territories it seized during the Six Day War in 1967, then peace would come to the Middle East. This is demonstrably false, especially in light of a popular chant heard around the world in recent days.
To start, Israel gave back the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in 1982 as a result of Egypt recognizing Israel as a legitimate sovereign state. This is the land that borders Israel on the south, including the southern border of Gaza, and is certainly of strategic importance. Still, Israel returned that to Egypt.
The other territories that Israel occupied after 1967 were the Gaza Strip and the West Bank of the Jordan, the latter known as Judea and Samaria in biblical days. What has happened since then?
As is well-known now, in 2005, Israel gave Gaza back to the Palestinians. (On a side note, before the Six Day War, the Palestinians were known simply as Arabs, since there was not a Palestinian national identity, even though some of the local Arab inhabitants had lived there for centuries.)
And, as is also well-known today, in 2006, the Palestinians in Gaza elected Hamas as their leadership. Yet Hamas was explicitly formed in 1987 with the purpose of obliterating Israel.
So much for the concept of “land for peace.” Not quite!
How would you like to live next door to a family who believed you did not have a right to be in your house and who expressly stated, “We will drive you out or murder you”?
That’s what Israel has faced since 2006.
As far as Gaza is concerned, Israel has returned to its pre-1967 borders.
You say, “But it still exercises control over Gaza, not allowing the Palestinians to travel at will in and out of Israel and restricting their access to the outside world.”
That is correct, but for one reason only: Hamas has vowed to slaughter as many Israelis as possible, and Hamas rules Gaza. Do you really think Israel will say, “Yes, by all means, we will take down all defensive measures and open our borders fully to barbaric terrorists who want to wipe us out”?
Remember that Hamas has training camps for children where they learn the value of being anti-Israel terrorists and aspire to become martyrs for the cause. Remember that from their earliest days they are indoctrinated with hatred of Israel and the Jews. That’s why whole families sing and dance in the streets when Hamas slaughters innocent Israelis – because in their eyes, there are no innocent Israelis.
To put this in perspective (and this view is not just held by the Gazan Palestinians; it is widely held in other Palestinian circles), consider these words from a Jordanian-Palestinian businessman and politician named Talal Abu Ghazaleh. He was being interviewed on Lebanese television on October 12 about the war in Gaza.
Read the rest here.