(Guest columnist Haim Radin lives in Bnei Brak and studies in collel}
The U.S. and European demands on Israel to create a Palestinian State in the West Bank contradicts their own history.
The Creek Indians in 1813 suffering from White-American expansion requested only the creation of a Creek Indian State in the Tennessee region. The Creek Indians had no claims on land outside of the American Southeast, thus presented no danger to the established White-American North-East. Then why not create a Creek Indian State in Tennessee? President James Madison, a founding father and co-author of the Federalist Papers, the greatest analysis of democracy (in particular Federalist Paper 10 (http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm) warning of the tyranny–of–the-majority that doesn’t respect the rights of the minority), sent 3000 soldiers under General Andrew Jackson to quell the rebellion (http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/creek-indian-wars.htm).
In 1830 during the presidency of Andrew Jackson, congress passed the Indian Removal Act which preamble states:
“An Act to provide for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for their removal west of the river Mississippi.”
Indians had a choice of accepting local (e.g., Alabama) State Law or selling their land and resettling west of the Mississippi River. All 46,000 Indians (e.g., Creek and Cherokee) living in the American Southeast were uprooted and resettled west of the Mississippi River (http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-indianremovalact.html). 4000 Cherokee Indians died in this transplant. 22 million acres of Indian land was “purchased” or confiscated, and absorbed into Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. What happened to the rights of the Creek and Cherokee Indian minority; who wanted only to live independently, on their ancient land, under their historical laws and customs?
If the Creek and Cherokee Indians were Muslim and Barack Obama was the President in 1813 or 1830, would America the Beautiful (http://www.metrolyrics.com/america-the-beautiful-lyrics-lea-michele.html) today be crowned “from sea to shining sea”?
Instead of “The Conquest of the West” in the 19th century, create an Indian State in Montana for the Sioux, Apache and Cheyenne, in Oklahoma for the relocated Cherokee; and save the lives of Indian braves and 265 soldiers in Custer’s last stand in 1876 (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/custer.htm). If the Sioux, Apache, Cheyenne and Cherokee were Muslim and Barack Obama was the President in the 1870’s would the U.S. stretch today uninterrupted “from sea to shining sea”?
England has been fighting the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for the control of the Northern Irish province of Ulster for 100 years (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/northireland1.html). England could withdraw from Ulster, unifying Ireland (whom have no claims on the English mainland) and end 100 years of bloodshed.
Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 concluded with the Prussian annexation of the provinces Alsace and Lorraine (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/216971/Franco-German-War). French determination to recapture these provinces was a prime cause of World War I (http://www.getalsaced.com/alsace-france-in-world-war-one.html), which concluded with the return of Alsace and Lorraine to France. Similarly, German desire to recapture these provinces was a major cause of World War II. Let France turn over these provinces to Germany, or vice versa, in the name of peace and save tens of millions of lives, in two world wars.
Obviously, no nation gives up land, which is eternal, for peace, which is ephemeral.
The West Bank of Israel (Judea and Samaria) was produced by two factors:
- Upon the cessation of the British Mandate in 1948, England transferred the strategic approaches to Jerusalem to the Arabs: The Tomb of the Prophet Samuel on the highest hilltop controlling the northern approach. The Homa hilltop controlling the western approach. The Latrine Fortress controlling the main east-west highway approach.
- During the British Mandate (1922-1948) England prohibited the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to possess planes, tanks, or artillery (including mortars). The IDF armament, in the 1948 war of independence, comprised 2000 rifles and a number of light-armored personnel carriers. Lacking heavy arms, the IDF attacked but was unable to conquer these strategic hilltops and fortress; leaving the West Bank, a land-locked convoluted cease-fire border, of no historic precedence, in the hands of the Arabs.
In 1967 Egypt, Jordan and Syria, simultaneously attacked a modern-armed Israel, which in six days repulsed the attack and conquered the strategic Jerusalem approaches, and all of the West Bank; restoring the simple, historic Israel boundaries from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River (the area of New Jersey).
Considering that:
(1) Obama, in a White House press release in December, 2011(https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/20/statement-president-hanukkah), publicly lauds the Jewish historical rule over Jerusalem with the defeat and expulsion of the Greeks (ending the Greek occupation) and the purification of the Holy Temple Mount, 2200 years ago (800 years before Muhammad).
“Michelle and I send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Hanukkah around the world.
This Hanukkah season we remember the powerful story of a band of believers who rose up and freed their people, only to discover that the oil left in their desecrated temple – which should have been enough for only one night – ended up lasting for eight.
It’s a timeless story of right over might and faith over doubt – one that has given hope to Jewish people everywhere for over 2,000 years.”
(2) The Arab Muslim Nations compose and rule all of North Africa and all of the Middle East excluding Israel. The British Mandate of 1922, stretched from the Mediterranean Sea in the West, to Iraq and Saudi Arabia in the East. In 1923 England split the British Mandate into two. West of the Jordan River remained in British control. East of the Jordan River was handed over to the Hashemite (a nomadic Arab tribe located there during WW I) creating the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under King Abdullah I, with official independence on May 25, 1946. Present day Jordan is 30% Hashemite and 70% local Arab (Palestinian) (http://www.meforum.org/3121/jordan-is-palestinian). One-half of the 150 member Parliament is appointed by the king. The army is 100% Hashemite or Bedouin affiliate. He who desires a Palestinian State has Jordan. Why dissect Israel which is 20% Palestinian?
In conclusion:
The U.S refused to create an Indian State, but Obama demands that Israel create a Palestinian State.
England refuses to transfer Ulster County to Ireland, but demands that Israel transfer the West Bank to the Arabs.
France and Germany refused to relinquish Alsace and Lorraine, but demand that Israel relinquish the West Bank.
U.S and European demands for the creation of a Palestinian State in the West Bank is world hypocrisy.