The Real Politics of the Middle East

A personal interview conducted with a graduate of Palestinian Authority schools, Morav Mamoud, exposes the indoctrinated hate of this educational system. Although standard school subjects are studied, each is twisted to present its own anti-Israel view. Mr. Mamoud had on hand a history book of his cousins,' which reads as follows, "Asthma, Abu Bakr's daughter, was my age when she played a role in supplying provisions and water and passing information about Kuraish [Tribe] to the Prophet and his companion during their secret Hegira [emigration] from Mecca to Medina. What role can I play in order to support the national resistance movement against the occupier and colonialist?" (History of Arabs and Muslims, 34) Although Mr. Mamoud has received his higher education in the United States and since been de-programmed of all hateful propaganda, he realizes that his peers back home are still continuously brainwashed to believe that the only way to realize their self-determination is by the elimination of another people, despite a similar genealogical line shared with the Jews.

Each year, millions of dollars are given to the Palestinian Authority to be used for schools, infrastructure, healthcare, and summer camps that are supposed to be filled with friends and fun. Nearly all of this money is misused, but indeed some is set aside for the camps. However, they are not your typical youth retreat. The main activities include obstacle courses featuring a hoop of fire the children must jump through and many other para-military training courses. Bardia Mohammed, a former attendee of one of these camps, remembers seeing, “the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, covered with human body parts and blood,” (Interview with Bardia Mohammed) alongside these courses. The children, both boys and girls, are conditioned to think that the only way to attain the stated goal of an independent Palestinian state is via violence, not communication and negotiation. These kids are given toy guns as infants, but real receive real fire weapons at the young age of ten.

A key concern in nearly every Near Eastern country is that of human rights, especially the rights of gay and lesbian citizens. Those who are gay are usually either jailed, prosecuted, or even murdered for their sexual preference. Homosexuality may be legal in the Palestinian Authority controlled government, but gays and lesbians do not have any protection from discrimination, hate crimes, or honor killings. It is condemned within the Koran, hence the policy is unforgiving to these people who are trying to live their lives in content of a manner as possible. As honor killings are not outlawed, there even come instances where a person will be publicly hung for the sexually immoral behavior, though rare. Palestinian Authority officials are typically found condemning Israel's stance on homosexuality, as it does not follow the basic ways shared by their faiths. Hence, many gays will, instead of facing personal danger, flee the Palestinian Authority controlled area for Israel to obtain the freedom to be who they truly are, while others spit on Israel for going against religion.

A primary concern amongst the world Jewry during the elections for the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority was that one of the strongest candidates for the office had written his dissertation denying the Holocaust had ever occurred. This candidate was Mahmoud Abbas, who did indeed continue on to win the race for the office which he now holds. He makes erroneous claims in his doctoral thesis, all of which are blatantly anti-Semitic and purely hateful. An excerpt from his writing exhibits this well, "A partnership was established between Hitler's Nazis and the leadership of the Zionist movement...[The Zionists gave] permission to every racist in the world, led by Hitler and the Nazis, to treat Jews as they wish, so long as it guarantees immigration to Palestine." (Palestinian Media Watch) A leader such as this, although claiming to the international media that he wants peace with Israel, cannot be acceptable in the political arena, for his entire educational outlook is founded upon the belief that the Jews are inherently evil and not to be reasoned with in any manner. This viewpoint has a highly detrimental effect to the people Abbas is treasured by as not only a political leader, but a national leader, for they will, too, involve themselves in the acceptance of fallacy versus reality.

Israel has made multiple attempts towards establishing a treaty with the various terrorist organizations that reside within its borders, including those controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas, the religious Muslim terror organization operating out of the Gaza strip, is set to run in the upcoming Palestinian Authority elections as a valid political party. The purpose of its existence is not only to eliminate the internationally recognized State of Israel, but the world's Jewish population as well, an idea that is frightfully becoming more common place in modern times. Especially in Gaza, Hamas has tremendous influence over the people. Since Arafat's government did not provide the basic necessities for which he was funded to do, Hamas has taken over the humanitarian position for many Gaza residents. This allows them the opportunity to spew their hatred for their neighbors and insist that the Jews gave up their right to the land, as they deviated from the original laws G-D gave them to follow.

Islamic fundamentalism, a return to fundamental principles of Islam by rigid adherence to those principles, and intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism, is on a steady rise in the Middle East, especially in the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. It is this government that influences its people to engage in detesting of the Jews and their attempt at a secure state in the land of Israel. Homicide/Suicide bombings have steadily risen in number since the establishment of a government in the Shomron (Northern West Bank), Yehuda (Southern West Bank), and the Gaza Strip. Kassam missiles have been shot into family homes throughout Israeli towns and settlements, in addition to being regularly stoned not only by Palestinian Arab citizens, but by members of organizations such as “Peace Now” and the “International Solidarity Movement,” who fall victim to the misrepresentation of reality in Israel and the Palestinian Authority controlled areas by the Palestinian government, who bases much of their portrayal of the Jews on purely religious ideals.