Six Days of Seperation

I'm tired of the occupation.It is upsetting the British academics union, the journalists union and even the architects are upset. Lets not forget what it has done for others with a dubious past. The Germans can point and say "See, look at what they are doing." Don't forget South Africa who now claims they had a kinder and gentler apartheid. The UN Human Rights Commision is so involved in the conflict they have no time to deal with the slaughter in the Congo and Darfur. Those people have to wait. The occupation must be dealt with.

I am also confused. The Palestinians talk about the occupation all the time. What I can't figure out is when did the occupation start. When was there ever a sovereign Palestinian government in any part of this land. I know about the Ottoman and British empires that ruled here. I know when the State of Israel was founded. Way back in the day there was a plan to partition Israel. Divide it between Arabs and Jews. A good idea that was rejected by the Arabs. It appears they have no tolerance of others. They would rather have destroyed the Jews and their state then agree to a compromise. Unfortunately for them we survived. So now things get murky. The West Bank which we lost during the war became part of Jordan. They governed it. Gaza in turn became part of Egypt and was governed by them. The Palestinians became refugees in their own land. They were kept in camps. However the occupation they speak of did not start yet. Go figure.

According to the twisted Palestinian narrative that has become part of popular culture the occupation occurred in June 1967. That's when Egypt wanted another go at Israel. This time they would destroy Israel. Israel knew what was coming and asked Jordan to stay out of it. Ever hungry for the destruction of the Jews and their state they said no. Just like they said no to partition. It was all or nothing. Six days later they got nothing.

The Palestinians would have you believe that all was good until 1967. They would have you believe it was the land hungry, uncompromising aggressive Israeli's who caused the situation. People are buying into the myth. My favorites are the British academics who by virtue of being academics should know history. When it comes to antisemitism why should a little history get in the way. The idea of a strong Jew defending himself in his own land is appalling enough for them. God forbid the Jews should be right. Of course the other part of the occupation myth is that they only want to go back to the pre 1967 borders. They want to live side by side with Israel in peace. Well maybe not Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PRC, the PFLP and the Al Aqsa Martyrs brigade to name a few. But all the others are okay with it.

This coming week I will be celebrating our victory forty years ago. The occupation myth was meant to turn our victory into a loss. They would like to forget that we won and they would like the world to forget why there was a war in the first place. I have not forgotten. I will honor the men and women who fought and won.

When the celebrating is done we will be here waiting for a Palestinian leadership who is ready to forgo terrorism in all its forms and who is willing to recognize our place here so that we truly can find a way to live side by side. But make no mistake, we will be here.

Submitted by Carol