Hallie Thomas

Last Saturday, Yasser Arafat, PLO president and dilapidated father o’ terrorism, nominated Mahmoud Abbas to the newly formed Palestinian post of Prime Minister.

Hoping to quell the ongoing upheaval in the Middle East, the office’s creation was heavily endorsed by several nations.

The premise is simple. Give someone with moderate leanings power, make Arafat nothing but a figurehead, and voila! People will stop killing each other.

Never mind the fact that Arabs and Jews started fighting centuries prior to Arafat’s birth.

In America, you hear a lot of comments in the news from world leaders (i.e. our own Commander in Chief George W.) that sound something like this: “Israeli citizens will continue to be victimized by terrorists, and so Israel will continue to defend herself … . You have a right to a normal life; you have a right to security; and I deeply believe that you need a reformed, responsible Palestinian partner to achieve that security.” (The Guardian, June 25, 2002)

Why is it that the world seems to insist that all of the blame should rest on the PLO shoulders?

Granted, many of the methods endorsed by PLO leaders, such as Yasser Arafat, have been based on suicide bombings in public places.

This practice is abhorred (and rightly so) due to the innocent civilian life that is consequently lost. Most of the world community consider these methods acts of terrorism, which they very much are.

But lets suppose a different world. What if PLO could afford large tanks to mow down Jewish synagogues and settlement camps with the hopes of claiming land they feel they have a right to?

What if it was desperate Jewish refugees that were boarding buses with sticks of dynamite and Tupperware containers of nails strapped to their body?

In that case, who do you think the United States government would be funding: the dynamite and nails or the tanks?

There is a serious flaw in international policy concerning the Middle East. Equal blame needs to be given to equal sides, then equal reforms must be made.

If PLO to review and revamp their polices, then shouldn’t Israel have to as well?

In the past 29 months, over 2600 people have died in the name of religion and property rights.

That’s 1,920 Palestinians and 723 Israelis, more than a 2 1/2 to 1 ratio.

Israel has been the instrument of a lot more death and destruction than Palestine, and yet they are the ones considered the victims.

It is time to stop this cycle of violence and work to ensure Palestinian equality.

Reach Hallie Thomas at [email protected].