President Musharaf proposes that Pakistan should think of establishing diplomatic relation with Israel and asks his countrymen to discuss this issue in the context of Pakistani interest.
This is a very positive step on the part of the president. He appears to have the gumption to take a bold move to achieve a breakthrough out of the emotional web that has been engulfing the muslim nation.
For too long, Muslims all over the world have been blindly siding with the Arabs in a dispute which is essentially that between an Arab nation and Israel. Hence many injustices done on the Jews were overlooked by them, such as the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians. With the courageous disposition displayed by General Musharaf, Pakistan will be able to see new light after such a long night of darkness
got a feeling the Pakistanis want Israeli arms...
but then, hope they do.. and show the way for other Muslim countries that follow blindly and just rant and rage at Israel, right or wrong...
At the risk of creating controversies with my statement, regretably the truth is that the Islamic fraternity seems to be bound by religious lines, nore then by political reality and expediencies.
Even Jordan and Egypt - both sharing common borders with Israel - have recognised the existence of Israel; and both have closer commercial and political ties with Israel that Islam as a religion have not objected.
Yet Islamic countries that have no common border or political disputes with Israel, and located continents away, are more vehemently antagonistic and belligerent towards the state of Israel.
Sadly, the Faith does not seem to help its faithful practitioners to see things any clearer.
Put a jew and muslim in the same room for a week and they will work out patting each other's back probably.
i still say put Sharon and Arafat in a steel cage and let them settle their differences that way...
but sadly, looking at the situation, seems that Israel is now trying to find some kind of peace, while the rabid bastards in Hamas and the Islamic Jihad are trying their damnest to scuttle it...
Aaron Sharon (Israeli PM) and Abu Abbas (Palestinian PM) are getting along quite amicably.
The HAMAS and the Islamic Jihad seems to enjoy wide spread support from the Palestinians at the very basic ground level, from individuals, families, whole neighborhood, entire communes, and the Palestinian Peoples.
This widespread support at the grassroot level is a result of the personal ineffectiveness of Arafat in representing the Palestinian interests with the Israeli Government.
With the passing of each month, the Palestinians are being forced out from their land and homes, which are forcibly taken over by the Jewish IMMIGRANTS (NON-Israelis) and INTERNAL Israeli MIGRANTS.
This is almost liken to a (hypothetical) situation where the Malaysian Malays evict Chinese from their homes, and forcibly taking over their properties; or for that matter, Singaporean Chinese evicting Malays from their homes and forcibly taking over the vacated properties and building New Settlements.
The constantly expanding Jewish Communities in the form of NEW Settlements by force is the cause of the current Middle East problems between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
The HAMAS and the Islamic Jihad is the only militant group that can face the might of the Israeli Military in combat within the Urban Community.
The Palestinian has only HAMAS and the Islamic Jihad to defend the Palestinian Community, with their memory of the helpless massacre that the community faced, when Sharon (then a Defence Minister) unleashed the Israeli Army and the Lebanon Christian Militant Group onto their refugee camp in Lebanon.
Regretably some Israelis and their supporters claim that the Palestinians do not even exist as a Community or as a Nation, let alone existing as a Country; and therefore they are a NON-entity.
The reality is that these people are from the same blood as Abraham, the Father of all Jews, from the Biblical Days.
This "Palestinians" People are also from the same territories claimed by the Jews, and have been living alongside the Jews sharing the common religious history and myths and legends.
The "rights" and "wrongs" of both sides can cause long debates, the fact of the matter remains that the Palestinians should not be evicted from their homes and properties simply to allow New Settlements to be built for New Jewish Migrants - be they new IMMIGRANT JEWS (from overseas) or INTERNAL MIGRANTS from within Israel.
Modern day politics, greed and weapons have made the situation volatile for everyone on this earth.
"For too Long, Muslims all over the world have been blindly siding with the Arabs?? "Many injustices done on the Jews were overlooked? How abt the palestinian children that became an orphaned overnite, became homeless, that threw stones & was returned by bombs & bullets?? Stones vs Weapons by the 4th most powerful state?? Dn't fall for those filthy degenerate lies! Have u any idea what u are talking abt? Do u know the History of the arabs & the jews? I dn't believe in killing the innocent but u need to see where this is going. But blindly siding?? U have no idea what u are talking abt... Just watch abit of CNA & analyist wanabes are born!
President Musharraf deserves to be praised in his suggestion that Pakistan breaks from past mistakes and establishes ties with Israel.
Israelis have done nothing to irk Pakistanis and why should they be hostile to the Jews?
Past Pakistani leaders were just playing politics, to the detriment of national interest, to stay in power for their selfish interest. The Arabs are using Islam for their own interests. The non-Arabs ought to see this clearly and charts their own course and not to be hoodwinked by the religion. President Musharraf has really the vision to bring Pakistan out the predicament it is in. Pakistanis should follow the direction of this general, rather than being trapped in religious fervour in whatever they do.