If this is peace, what is war?

by Dr. Haim Shine

The stabbing murder of an Israeli soldier by a Palestinian terrorist on a bus in Afula on Wednesday was not the result of an "atmosphere." To the best of my knowledge, an atmosphere has never killed anyone. Inhumane, savage murderers kill people. Placing the blame for the attack on an atmosphere shows disrespect for human life and a lack of understanding of the role that murder plays in the Palestinian ethos.

This ethos is based on spilling the blood of innocent people as a means of achieving nationalistic and territorial goals. The Palestinians are no different than their brethren in Syria, Egypt, Yemen and Sudan, countries that massacre their own people without mercy.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry openly said that if Israel does not reach a peace deal with the Palestinians, a third intifada will break out. Kerry did not come up with this threat in the heat of the moment. It was based on long talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his friends, as well as assessments given to Kerry by U.S. intelligence officials who listen to all conversations between top Palestinian officials.

A Palestinian teen who knows what his leaders want does not need an operational order from Abbas. The message is clear and sharp as a knife: The only way to get Israelis to make concessions in Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem is by increasing acts of violence. With his criminal act, the murderer in Afula wanted to help his leaders in the peace negotiations. If this is peace, what is war?

I heard Science and Technology Minister Yaakov Peri say that even if a peace agreement was reached with the Palestinians, individual acts of terrorism would likely continue. If this is the future for us, why should we make an agreement in which we give up national and strategic assets? The Gush Katif example teaches us that there are such things as fatal concessions.

The Israel Defense Forces' ability to, following a terror attack, enter the village or city from which the terrorist came will not exist if a Palestinian state is established in Judea and Samaria. Israel already has difficulties gathering intelligence in areas that were handed over to the Palestinian Authority. Jews cannot allow themselves to rely on others to do the hard work of protecting their lives and independence. 

Throughout history, Jews have not received second chances. The Israeli government must determinedly insist on safeguarding the country's national security interests and on fighting a bitter war against terrorists, particularly against inciters who promote bloodshed.

Dr. Haim Shine

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=6341

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