Holocaust Names - Radio Editorial

Radio Editorial

The World From a Jewish Perspective I
by Barry Cohen

As every part of the Media, we can not forgo - not to refer to the problem of today - the election of the President. But while print, picture and sound are bursting from superabundance of short-lived sensations, we decided to convey to you the wisest words which can be said at this very moment to this pressing issue:-------(5seconds)------- Hm, and having said all this, we many turn to other matters of importance to us.

And we are speaking again about the Middle East. It is today the Middle East as a whole, which became a source for greatest concern not only for Israel but for the world. When small amounts of gasoline are spread constantly over a wide area, it takes just a spark to ignite the whole thing. This is what happens, this - what people choose not to see. But it is time for a reality check.

History reports about many quarrels, fights and wars. But eventually all of them found some solution. The Israel-Arab conflict goes on already for almost a century and instead of improving, the dangers for Israel and for mankind are greater than ever before. Why?

The main reason is, that the conflict is not only between Arabs and Jews, but also between East and West. For the Eastern people - the Westerners are still seen as Colonial oppressors, snobbish in their cultural superiority and despised as a religion. The Westerners feel against the Arabs a bad conscience because of past Colonialism. They patronize the Arabs because of the perceived cultural primitivity and at the same time feel envy, as well as concern because of their power of oil.

With all this, the Western mind hopes, that by applying the same standard as they feel and act, the Arabs will respond in kind. And this is not the fact. While most Westerners believe in give and take - in live and let live, the Easterner will stick to his perceived right as long as it may take. The Crusaders experienced it too. But the Western mind is prone to find solutions good for both ways. His brain deals with concepts such as: understanding the other, make compromises, give a little, take a little, find the right balance.

And this is the crux of he problem. Tiny Israel, as strong as it is perceived by many, needs assistance of the West. And the West - including the United States, want's Israel to act, as a Western would. By steady giving in and compromising! But in the Eastern- world-reality, this creates a balancing act, like giving someone a pill of poison and then an antidote. In other words - the West gives Israel arms and request for more and more concessions.. It has to be clearly understood, that the demands of the Arabs for Jerusalem, the return of four million refugees and then the rest of all of Israel, are murderous, and no further concessions of any kind will make a dent. They only strengthen the Arab opinion to be on the right way to victory.

As long as the Western world and all honest people will not understand this, there is not the slightest chance of peace. The reports on another outbreak of violence in Israel have to state the truth: The Arabs attacked again. The sanctimonious call on both sides to stop fighting has to stop. The Arabs should stop attacking and violence will have stopped.

But they will never stop. There may be tactical pauses or U-turns, as we experienced during the un-peace process. But as long as they see eakness, - their war will go on.

Time has come for the world to recognize the reality. Compromises will not help - determination will. Israel has shown willingness for compromise and reaped the award of Intifada. This should be known and remembered, before the world is turned into chaos.

I am Barry Cohen.

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