May 14, 2004

Not from MEMRI

By Steven Zak

Even before the savage display by Arab terrorists of body parts of six Israeli soldiers —— including a severed head —— Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made clear that he may have plans to consign terror leader Yasser Arafat to the fate of other barbarians like Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Rantisi. More recently, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom added that "After four years of fighting this war of terrorism, I think that the time has come to make a strategic decision to destroy terror otherwise we will continue in the same situation for a long time to come."

As frequently noted by such unbiased organizations as A.P., Reuters, al Jazeera and the Los Angeles Times, such unreasonable insistence on self defense by Israel is directly responsible for the ceaseless aggression of its enemies.

Any solution to the Arab—Israeli conflict, though, must be based on an understanding beyond Israel's well—noted role. Accordingly, herein are subtextual analyses of some of the recently expressed sentiments of other participants and interested parties. Translations are not courtesy of The Middle East Media Research Institute.
 
"God is happy that we have murdered and injured."
— Abu Alos, suspected shooter of an Israeli Arab mistaken for a Jew
SUBTEXT: Islam isn't the religion of peace after all, actually. 
 
"I'm telling you frankly, the attitude of Islam is not to accept a foreign state in this area."
— Mahmoud Zahar, now the leader of Hamas
SUBTEXT: It's like the guy above just said.
 
That Jews are gathered in Palestine "serves Islam by bringing Muslims back to their faith. It makes it easier for us to besiege the Israelis and to follow their steps in preparation for the destruction of their evil."
— Columnist Kamel Abd Al—Rauf in the government—controlled Egyptian weekly Akhbar Al—Youm
SUBTEXT: I'm down with the previous two guys.
 
"Oh enemies of life, don't play with the fire."
— Palestinian school boy warning Israel against harming Arafat
SUBTEXT: We who sacrifice our children to murder Jews are friends of life.
 
Israeli threats to kill terrorist leaders are "stupid."
— Syrian Information Minister Ahmad Al—Hassan
SUBTEXT: Four hundred million Arabs are oppressed by 5 million stupid Jews.
 
Harming Arafat would be "a declaration of war on all Palestinians."
— P.A. "national security advisor" Jibril Rajoub
SUBTEXT: If you fight back, O sons of apes and pigs, there will be war.
 
An attack on Arafat may open a "new chapter" of "blind violence."
— PA "prime minister" Ahmed Qurie
SUBTEXT: This new chapter will somehow be different from the old chapter.
 
"The blood of Arafat will chase the Jews forever, the same as Christ's blood."
— Islamists—for—Christ spokesman Jibril Rajoub
SUBTEXT: Arafat's death will redeem mankind.
 
"Israel is a poison in the region."
— U.N. Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi 
SUBTEXT: As a U.N. flack, believe me, I know poison.
 
"We would oppose any action against Arafat. We consider a pledge a pledge."
— Bush administration official
SUBTEXT: We consider the president's campaign vow to move the US embassy to Jerusalem merely a promise, not a pledge.
 
"I am not afraid to become a martyr!"  
—Yasser Arafat
SUBTEXT: But I've expelled 20 terrorists and fortified my compound because, in the immortal words of Susan Hayward, "I want to live!"
 
"The wind will not move the mountain!"
—Yasser Arafat
SUBTEXT: Wind can't move mountains.
 
The murders of a pregnant Israeli mother and her four daughters were "an act of heroic martyrdom."
—Voice of Palestine radio
SUBTEXT: We're not afraid of girls.
 
"The Palestinian nation will remain until judgment day!"
—Yasser Arafat
SUBTEXT: Judgment day may be very very soon.

Steven Zak is an attorney and writer in California