Dangerously optimistic

Submitted by Susan Ireland (United States), Jan 7, 2003 at 15:22

I think it is extremely dangerous to project from the comments which you quote any true change of attitude on the part of the Arabs. It flies in the face of the historical record.

Every single time Israel's Jews have thought they could consider their neighboring Arabs trustworthy and sharing of a common interest in peaceful co-existence, they have paid the price with their blood flowing into the ground. I need only mention Hebron in 1929 as a prime example which has been repeated untold times in the last two years.

Rather, the observations you quote more likely reflect Arab reaction to being retaliated against. Stop the retaliation, and I doubt very much you will hear Arabs commenting on how nice it is to live peacefully with the Jews. Rather, once again (and again and again), any let-up in Israel's self-defense will result in the Arabs seizing the opportunity to commit more atrocities. To think otherwise is to be terminally naive.

G-d forbid that we should encourage such a false and deadly sense of security.

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