If the Palestinians are struggling to found a state of their
own, they have given no indication of this. Aside from
foreign language press interviews, none of their words and
deeds is consistent with such a goal.
For eight years they have had a significant amount of control
of their destiny in the Palestinian Authority that was set up
under the Oslo Agreements. Yet the only consistent policy
they followed was one of extensive preparations for death,
terror and destruction.
Every privilege they were granted was exploited for this end
and for this end only. VIP passes that allowed leaders to
travel through checkpoints freely were used to smuggle arms.
The helicopter given to Yasser Arafat for his dignity as the
head of state was used to smuggle explosives. Even medical
mercy vehicles were used to smuggle and transport weapons.
There was no legitimate need for this. Whatever was necessary
for them to perform normal police duties was given to them by
Israel. The extra weaponry -- which was specifically
forbidden to them by the agreements signed by the
Palestinians -- was only gathered, it is certainly clear in
retrospect, in order to attack and murder Jews in Israel.
No social, communal or even government institutions were set
up. Corruption was rampant in the upper echelons of the
Palestinian Authority, meaning that those in power pursued
only the goal of enriching themselves and not of founding a
state.
Foreign money was provided to set up Palestinian television
and radio stations, to foster an indigenous culture. But the
content of what was broadcast had no new Palestinian sense of
building a community. Rather it was a consistent message of
hate and intolerance for Jews and the honor and importance of
dying in order to advance the Palestinian cause.
For a few years they continued to use the Jordanian textbooks
that preached hatred of the Jews. Finally the new textbooks
they developed themselves with money from the European
community arrived. Though they do include a minimal statement
of tolerance for Christians, there is nothing positive about
Jews, and there remains plenty of talk to the elementary-
school-age children of martyrdom, which means suicide
attacks.
The official Palestinian press publishes front page notices
of "successful" suicide attacks (meaning that Jews, in this
case a mother and her ten year old daughter, were murdered):
"With great pride and esteem, and with faith in the destiny
determined by Allah, the Hamas movement Alkassam in the
district of Jenin is happy to notify the Arab, Islamic nation
and our jihad-fighting Palestinian people that the heroic
Martyr . . . carried out the brazen suicide attack in Hamra
in the [Jordan] Valley, . . . " (Al Ayyam, February
10, 2002, as quoted in Palestinian Media Watch Bulletin of
Feb 11)
This "pride and esteem" is also reflected in the behavior of
the family of the murdered, which celebrates the horrible
achievement.
Such an education and building such a community cannot lead
to the building of a peaceful society. The best and brightest
Palestinian youth dedicate themselves to murder -- of Jews
and of themselves. Aside from that there is nothing
Palestinian -- no songs, no literature, no communal
institutions -- that can show a positive side. Palestinian
society is headed towards self-destruction, quite the
opposite of building a humane society that deserves a place
in the family of nations.
Last week, U.S. President Bush said it clearly: "There is no
way to make peace with those whose only goal is death."
What is the solution? The Jews, all the Jews, should use our
"secret weapon": the power of prayer to the Ribono Shel
Olom.
