RICHARD BENNETT MEDIA
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AFI Research Intelligence Briefing for the 19th June 2002

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Editors note:
After a large number of requests, all Briefings will now use Plain Text.

Middle East debate - time for plain speaking

It has not been quite normal service for the pro-Israeli media machine this
week, The British Prime Ministers wife, Cherie Blair was honest enough to
make a perfectly fair remark that it is a pity that so many young
Palestinians feel they have little alternative to wrapping explosives around
their body and killing yet more Israelis. Surely every bereaved Israeli
family would echo that view? Ted Turner owner of CNN went further accusing
both Israel and the Palestinians of using terrorist tactics, bringing a
storm of abuse from the Jewish lobby upon his head.

Why this highly charged sensitivity by Israel and its supporters?
Israel is a state founded largely on a very successful terrorist campaign
by the Stern Gang and the Irgun against British Servicemen and civilians.
Israel must be one of the few modern, supposedly democratic nations that
has elected two wanted terrorists Begin and Shamir and a third accused of
something akin to war crimes by his own Government Sharon, to the
office of Prime Minister.

Israel has used assassination and terror-like tactics throughout the Middle
East and Europe for much of the last forty years, without too much complaint
or interference from its Western supporters. Israel has stolen nuclear
materials, attacked a US Navy vessel killing many Americans on board, shot
down civilian aircraft, launched an air attack on Iraqi nuclear facilities
at a time when the Baghdad regime was still seen as a valuable Western ally,
spied on the United States, ignored countless UN resolutions and many
other actions which if carried out by a Muslim nation would have brought a
violent and angry response from Washington and London.

Even-handed approach is the only way forward

However, admitting the truth about Israel should not be seen as excusing or
encouraging Islamic terrorism. None of the Arab nations are exactly peons of
virtue, dedicated to democracy, the protection of civil rights or the
emancipation of women. Many in the Arab world are racist demagogues,
their nations dictatorships with an appalling record of human abuse and
a record of stupidity and intransigence when it comes to diplomatic efforts
to solve the problems of Palestine and over the acceptance of Israel as part
of the Middle East community of nations.

Both the Palestinians and the Israelis are at heart sophisticated and
reasonable people. They both have much to offer each other and the region as
a whole. However, the similarities don't just end there. Both are bloody
minded, vengeful and willing to use extreme violence against each other. The
most constructive change in attitude amongst Western Governments and the
news Media would be to take a more even handed approach to the problems of
the Middle East, in other words stop taking sides. Washington has a vital
role to play as a honest broker in future peace negotiations, but to achieve
the maximum benefit, trust between America and the Palestinians and the
wider Arab world must be quickly restored.

To be frank that is unlikely to happen while the Bush administration is so
obviously being 'bossed' by right-wing Zionists and in truth the US
Government has now lost virtually all credibility outside Israel and a few
Arab client states.Whether Colin Powell and the few remaining level-headed
members of the current administration can still finally produce a viable and
balanced approach to the immense and threatening problems of the region will
determine the chances of a lasting peace for a generation or more.

Time for peace running out

The signs are not good from the USA nor in Israel's response to the latest
Islamic terrorist outrage. Israel has been in illegal occupation of large
areas of Arab land for 35 years and it has not brought the Jews peace or
security. The building of a new Berlin-wall style security zone and the
Israeli threat to virtually annexe an additional area of Palestinian land
every time a suicide bomber strikes is madness. Will it be 10 or perhaps
30 more suicide bombings before Israel has seized the entire West Bank?
Israel will be left with a permanent security problem as the occupying
power with no remaining options for a negotiated settlement and the
growing enmity of the entire Muslim world.

Time is running out quickly for Washington's efforts to find a way out of
this impasse, and Iraq, Iran, Syria and the War on Terrorism are still
waiting their turn.

Richard M. Bennett


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ESPIONAGE- An encyclopedia of Spies and Secrets, ISBN 1 85227 942 7, by
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