ISRAEL IS 70 YEARS OLD

(part 7)

The civil unrest and war in Syria is facilitating the settled view of the disputed territory in the eyes of Israel. Not so long ago, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared: " The Golan will always remain in Israel’s hands. Israel will never withdraw from the Golan Heights.”

This ongoing internal war has allowed Israel to solidify its claim to the area.

With most of its neighbours having problems of their own, the most energetic and violent tangible external opposition to the existence of Israel comes from Iran. Although both countries are not at an open war with each other, Iran has been in the forefront of the many Muslim countries to contribute troops and resources to Israel's enemies. Latest developments have the rest of the world watching anxiously in anticipation of evil; they are suspicious and fearful as Iran's rhetoric intensifies while its nuclear and missile programs steadily develop.

Meantime, Israel, with a sheer determination to survive and in total alliance with the United States of America have also been advancing and developing its technological resources. Another strong bearing fact in the development of Israel as a nation, has been the threat of terrorism within its own borders. This has been more reinforced by the capture of the two territories from Jordan and Egypt in the above mentioned Six Day War - West Bank and Gaza. These areas have since became entrenched strongholds of Palestinian nationalism.

Israeli settlement of these areas has been met with heavy resistance from the majority-Arab population and resulted in international condemnation. These millions of Arabs are commonly referred to as Palestinians living inside Israel territory. Obviously, this has led to an internal tension which can be "felt" in the air. This tension is "palpable" even if it is under control and stable, however, it can become "explosive" and deadly rapidly. The Arabic word intifada, which means “uprising,” accurately describes these people’s protest demonstrations that broke out across Israel from 1987 to 1993. Sparked by frustration with Israeli settlement construction and continued military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, this period came to be known as the First Intifada.

As a result, more than 1,600 Palestinians and nearly 300 Israelis have been killed during this six year period and as a result of the Israeli Police and Army's responses. This time frame of the First Intifada is characterised by the protest movement mainly at grass roots level that often escalated into violence.

For a period of five years from 2000 to 2005, the Second Intifada was marked by deliberate attacks against Israeli civilians to take lives and inspire fear.

The Second Intifada resulted in the loss of more than 3,000 Palestinians and more than 1,000 Israelis and was started by what the Palestinian movement reckoned and used with the visit to the Temple Mount by the former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to be a provocative gesture and was done in order for Israel to take control of the Al-Aqsa compound. This initiated violence that included a deadly wave of suicidal bombings.

Bombings of cafes, public buses and even dance clubs became commonplace, and it left an indelible mark on the country’s internal security protocols — resulting in restricted movement within Israel of those designated Palestinians, vehicle search checkpoints, the erection of high walls separating Israeli and Palestinian neighborhoods, and the near constant presence of police and military personnel in public areas. Whereas Israelis see these measures as necessary and justified—and they did end the deadly wave of suicide bombings—the Arabs see them as demeaning, oppressive and racist.

(to be continued…)