THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT - JUST FOR FUN

 

The troubles of the Middle East continue through the decades, through history. The suffering continues. The unrest continues.

 

We who live in the west might be torn, sympathizing with the Palestinians who are suffering. It is heartbreaking. We may see Israel as Goliath and the Palestinians as David. 

 

It is worth considering that Israel is completely surrounded by neighbours who have clearly declared they intend to "drive Israel into the sea."

 

If you Google on the subject, you will find many sites inciting violence against Israel in the name of Allah. This hurts Muslim people everywhere who are hard working, devout, well educated and raising loving families. It is tragic that these innocent people come under suspicion from their neighbours and co-workers because of those who have chosen the path of violence.

 

There is no way to understand the conflict over the Holy Land without living there or at least studying the history of the struggle from all points of view.

 

How can we in the west decide, objectively and fairly, how to solve this terrible dilemma?

 

It may help to simplify -

 

Who shares our human values ?

 

Picture of the "Baby Suicide Bomber"

 

The 'Baby Suicide Bomber' refers to a photo that received media attention in 2002.

During a search done on 29 June 2002, of a house belonging to a Hamas militant in the town of Hebron. The IDF found a photo showing a 18-month old Palestinian infant standing wide-eyed in a baby suit, Red wires strapped to his waist, with a pretend explosives belt, and across his head tied a red bandana of Hamas.

According to BBC News the baby's grandfather, Redwan Abu Turki, said that the dressing of the infant baby as a bomber was from a rally at the university and that "the picture was taken just for the fun of it".

Israeli newspapers published the photograph under headlines such as "Terror in Diapers" and "Born to Kill". Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's advisor Dore Gold said the picture "symbolizes the hatred and incitement which the Palestinian leadership has been feeding a whole generation of Palestinian youths." At the U.S. State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher stated that he considered the image as "a highly objectionable display."

While Palestinian officials dismissed it as a propaganda trick, Haaretz reported that a Palestinian journalist in the Hebron area said she did not believe the picture was a fake and expressed surprise at the furor it caused in Israel.

"I can find you many, many photos like this," she said. "Many kids imitate adults and wear toy masks and guns, especially during marches. It's not strange at all". She added that she had seen children as young as the one in the photograph wearing similar costumes: "In our society it happens a lot. It's a kind of phenomenon."

Other photos of children dressed up as terrorists have been published since then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_suicide_bombers_in_the_Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict

en.wikipedia.org/.../Child_suicide_bombers_in_the_Israeli–Palestinian_conflict -

 

In the course of an operation in Rafiah (October 23, 2002), IDF forces discovered a Fatah poster featuring a "martyr" infant in the midst of a chain of bullets. The poster was found in the house of a wanted terrorist; the house was subsequently demolished (communicated by the IDF Spokesperson's unit)

http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/html/final/eng/sib/4_04/y_apb.htm