Nadene Goldfoot
In 1967, Israel was attacked by massed Arab armies on its borders in what is known as the Six-Day War. The outcome was that Israel won and gained four territories that had been under the British Mandate of Palestine.
1. Judaea and Samaria, called "The West Bank" by outsiders had been under British mandate until 1948. From 1948 to 1967 it was ruled by Jordan, who annexed it in 1950. So Israel gained a part of the original land of King David and Solomon by the Arab's wanting to drive Israel into oblivion, only the tables were turned. Now Abbas has his Palestinians living there along with Israeli towns and villages. This is where they want to create their state of Palestine. By 1972 640,600 Arabs lived in this area of 2,270 sq. mi.
2. The Gaza Strip had also been under the British mandate until 1948. Between 1948 and 1967 it was administered by the Egyptian Military Government. It was not annexed to Egypt. This is where the Hamas terrorists have taken over. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel and is still intent on driving her into the sea. They had shelled Israel for eight years (8), driving Israel into finally a defensive action called Operation Cast Lead. They still continue to shell missiles into the area. By 1972 388,600 Arabs lived in this area of 140 sq. miles.
The Basic policy of Israel was that of hoping for a peace settlement. Until it did, they had these objectives:
1. Maintain conditions of security for Israelis and Arabs alike.
2. Enable people to live normal lives without losing contact with Arabs in other countries.
3. Make possible rapid economic development.
4. Encourage co-existence and cooperation between Arabs and Israelis, as an example for relations to come between the two people.
By 1972 things were tranquil and thriving. Local affairs were administered by the local population. Open bridges on the Jordan River allowed movement in either direction between the areas and the Arab States. Arabs and Israelis up to 1967 had lived separately and were starting to live in co-existence.
According to international law, the Israel Defence forces appointed military governors for each area. The commander is the top person, responsible for military and civilian branches. Local affairs were administered by the Arab population through existing bodies as municipalities and police. Israel officials working totaled 500 compared with 12,500 local personnel in these two areas.
There were 23 municipalities and 31 rural councils in Judea and Samaria and 3 municipalities and 7 rural councils in Gaza and N. Sinai. Municipal elections were held in Judaea and Samaria in 1972 in accordance with Jordanian law. 75 % of the people voted and as a result, half the mayors were replaced by new ones.
Up to 1967 the economy of these areas had been stagnating and unemployment was rampant. In September 1967 about 11% of the labor force in Judaea and Samaria were unemployed. By September 1972 less than 2% of the force of 134,000 were jobless.
In Gaza and N. Sinai 19% of men were jobless after the war; in 1972 98% of the labor force of 64,000 were working.
Then Hamas won in their elections. They probably coerced many to vote for them. Terrorism then ruled. From 1990 on, they shot missiles into Israel, and Israel held off from large attacks in return. By 2009 they had to stop these attacks. I wonder if these Arabs in Gaza are so terribly happy now that Hamas is in power. Is life so much better?
With every defensive step Israel takes, there are those who attack them for doing so. What do people think is going to happen if the Arabs attack Israel? Israel has done so much to bring peace into the area, but are rebuked for it. Rational thinking isn't a part of its deterrent's minds. I feel it's all anti-Semitism.
As Israel was trying to bring Arabs and Jews together in work and living conditions, Arabs were teaching in their own schools a hatred for Jews. Leaders of Muslim countries cannot tolerate a Jewish presence in their midst. Only Egypt and Jordan have been beginning to see benefits in having Israel as a neighbor. We've had Jews visit Egypt, which is good tourism. Both countries have lived without fear of war.
Yet I see in my own city, Americans that are not even Muslim, sympathize so much with the Palestinians that they condemn Israel's very existence. Even some Jews have bent so far over with self hatred that they have added their condemnations, joining the mob rule of intelligence. The newspaper prints letters and editorials condemning Israel's every move, but never says a thing about what is happening to Israel. Those of us wanting to defend the outrageous comments never get published.
I lived in Israel from 1980-1985, and experienced the Lebanon War of 1982. At least then we didn't worry about walking bombs. Bombs were found in things, like cartons and loaves of bread and such. I know what it was like to carry ID and have your bags searched at every entrance. I know what it's like to have bars on your living room windows and being in bomb shelters with your students.
What would have happened if Hamas had not been voted into power? There would be peaceful co-existence. Right now Gazans continue to live in hatred with the goal of wiping out Israel. Iran is the biggest spokesman of hatred in threatening through their terrorists to wipe out Israel. Israel has had to arm every citizen with gas masks at this latest threat that is coming from Lebanon.
In the meantime, Egypt was wilting with losing face from 1967's war, and Anwar Sadat in 1972 publicly stated that Egypt was committed to going to war with Israel, and that they were prepared to "sacrifice one million Egyptian soldiers." It happened and was called the Yom Kippur War happening during our most sacred period of fasting and asking for repentance in October of 73. And so it goes. Egypt lost land in that attack, also.
Resource: Facts About Israel 1973 division of information, ministry for foreign affairs, Jerusalem.
Writer Victor Sharpe is concerned about this subject and more and wrote the following:
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