[Toronto Sun] Michael Coren - Gaza is an icon of the failure of peace. Gaza says it all. Israel occupied it when it dared to win a war with Arab neighbors dedicated to wiping the Jewish state off the map. It wanted to hand it back to Egypt, but Cairo wanted no part of it. They still don't. Even so, Israel withdrew. They did it because they hoped it might lead to peace. However, instead of viewing this as a gesture of goodwill, Hamas saw it as weakness and stepped up its military campaign. Israel left an entire economic infrastructure. It was smashed apart by the Palestinians within hours. Within days the shower of rockets began to descend on Jewish civilians living close to the border, in towns that had never been Arab and had been built from nothing by Jewish labor. This, the Israelis are being told, is what happens if you return land. Gaza has been given billions of dollars in foreign aid and the money is still being pumped in. Tragically, it goes to buy guns, rockets and explosives rather than food, oil and books. As a consequence, Israel has tightened the border to protect its citizens. It is then accused by the media and its enemies abroad - often dictators and torturers - of being cruel. Little is said about Egypt being far stricter on its side of Gaza with its Palestinian cousins or how Hamas has prevented a million liters of fuel being distributed to its people. Double standard and unfair criticism. Nothing new. Israel knows that whatever it does, some people and groups will always hate it. Yet it still celebrates its birthday. As it should. Sixty glorious years.
2008-05-16 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive