Middle East - Mayhem

Have you ever given a thought as to why this conflict in middle east has been on going forever and why there never seems to be a common ground to work things out? Why does Israel attack Gaza and West Bank with ever increasing artillery might? Why do the people of Palestine never give up suicide bombs or firing rockets at Israel?

To understand this conflict one has to know the history of Middle East. In my earlier article named “Middle East a brief history” I have tried to give the brief info leading up to the conflict and how the geographic boundaries have changed over this period of time.

One the so called Jewish state was created out of Palestine ( though there was/is no Palestine to start with – I am addressing the ethnic population that lived there and where forced to move out of their home to accommodate for the new Jewish immigrants, this is the population I address as Palestinians).

Today both Israel and Palestine kill each other, one in the name of holy land and securing its people and the other in the name of Jihad and fighting a holy war. It is surprising how both the parties justify being HOLY!. May be it can be sublimely justified as both are Abrahamic religions!

Today Palestine is limited to Gaza and West Bank with majority of population being Arabs. These two territories are not connected and movement between Gaza and West bank is heavily scrutinized and tedious to get a permit.

With the attack on Gaza in full swing and running into the 18th day I was wondering why does Israel attack the civilian population – more importantly I was stunned by the disparity in death toll.

- Israel death toll – 13, of which 10 were soldiers
- Gaza death toll – 878 ( 42% women and children - 96 women and 273 children)

I was forced to think why? No matter how Israel justifies it, the numbers just do not add up.

This is when I gave it further consideration look at the following numbers:

- Population of Israel – 6 million
- Population of Palestine – 4 million

Land area in square mile

- Land area Israel -: 7,849 sq mi
- Land area Palestine : 2402 sq mi [West Bank: 2,263 sq mi (5,860 sq km); Gaza Strip: 139 sq mi (360 sq km)]

Birth Rate:

- Israel: 17.4/1000
- Palestine: West Bank: 31.0/1000 Gaza: 38.9/1000


Does anything strike as odd here? I do know numbers by themselves do no means anything but let me frame them into a sentence may be then you will get the bigger picture.

Israel – the total land area is approx 8000 sq mi on which approx 6 million people live with an average birth rate of 17.4/1000 – this has to be interpreted as for every 1000 people 17.4 births take place

Palestine – total square mile inclusive of Gaza and West bank appr 2400 sq mi with 4 million people living with an average birth rate of 35/1000 that is for every 1000 people 35 infants are born.

Do you see the disparity? If the current birth rate in Palestine continues then it will over take the population of Israel. Imagine a situation were half the population ( this is very hypothetical) of Palestine becomes Jihadist – even if one Palestine manages to kill one Israeli it will be a staggering blow to Israel. With the literacy rate at 97% Israel is facing adverse effects of literacy, and this is more so true when women are educated – they tend to have fewer kids and towards the later part of life. Hence Israel for its own existence cannot let this happen – look at the recent numbers as of yesterday 01/12/2008 by the invasion of Gaza – 42% killed were women and children. Does this justify my argument?

One other reason for the Jihadists in Palestine is the refugee camps they live in and with the atrocities they face it would be better for them to die – at least they get a descent funeral!.

I do not think this conflict will ever come to peaceful negotiations at least in my life time. Having said that Israel is at fault – I would also want to bring to light that Palestinians are no less culprits of their fate – the very Arab nations that supported them in war of ’67 and made them culminate/accumulate in territories - today merely talk big and preach Islam to the core without really relating it to the current world/society.

Why does Saudi Arabia the richest of the Arab world refuse to take any refugees? Would it be difficult to after all work out a deal? Saudi sits on the largest oil deposits in the world – if it had wanted to it could achieve a lot by just stopping the flow of oil. But again a country that follows strict Islamic law to an extent that women have to cover from head to toe and aren’t allowed to drive – makes every exception in the oil facilities of ARAMCO where no rules apply – WHY, Isn't this hypocrisy? Because, if you ask the westerners, the brain behind the facility, to follow Shari ya - what do you think will be the outcome? And without the western brain even the mighty sultan realizes that he will not be able to afford gold plated bathroom fixtures!

It will take ages for Middle East to catch up to the western world until then they would live with the heads high up with false sense of ego in heart. They wouldn’t mind a western women driving around in ARAMCO, in Saudi Arabia as long as it translates to CURRENCY!!! As for Palestinians they are securing a place in heaven by being martyr in holy war.

- Common Joe

References: BBC Archives at www.news.bbc.com; www.wikipedia.com; www.infoplease.com ;

Middle East a brief history

The map of Israel / Palestine as we know today

Map courtesy : BBC News www.news.bbc.co.uk

The Palestine-Israel conflict has been on going and doesn’t seem remotely close to closure. Closure may not be the right word, and may be far from horizon but in my understanding the middle east conflict will always be looking /seeking /fighting to gather a mirage called PEACE that is becoming all the more elusive with every passing year. Every procession of a martyr and Ehud laid to rest in the name of holly war and fight for chosen land respectively the dream of stability becomes far fetched.

I intend to take an independent approach and outlook to the middle-east conflict and this is merely my understanding and tangential thinking to the whole conflict. I for one am not a follower of any of the so called Abrahamic religions. Hence I have no favoritism to play either towards followers of Islam nor towards followers of Ehud.

Let me make my stance clear on my approach and understanding. There was nothing called “ISRAEL” to start with – Jews lived all across the globe. They could be found from Germany to remote Russian territory of bone chilling Siberia. But for two men, Israel as we know it today would not have come to existence. Mr. Theodor Herzl single handedly forming so called political Zionism and Mr Arthur Balfour for dividing the land between Jews and Arabs.

It started with the egression (Aliyah) of Jews from around the world to the Promised Land. There were five Aliyah’s so to speak

- First Aliyah 1881 – This wave of immigrants left Europe to avoid the atrocities committed against Jews, this also the period when Zionism movement was gaining strength and Theodor Herzl channeled as movement that called for Jewish State

- Second Aliyah 1904-1914 – This was the second wave of immigration to Palestine and mostly orthodox Jews formed the major chunk of this influx. It included a minority of socilist Jews who transformed thinking and had pioneered in Kibbutz movement. This was also the period when Palestine saw it downfall – when British forces favored the establishment of Jew Land with in Palestine which later was known as the Balfour declaration.

- The third(1919-1923) , fourth(1924-1929) and fifth(1936-1939) Aliyah’s continued as the oppression of Jews continued.

The ethnic population was mostly followers of Islam. In 1920 by the first Aliyah the Jewish population had grown to 11% and by the fifth Aliyah it was at a staggering 33%.

The influx of Jew and creation of Jewish land with no regards to the ethnic population created its own complication. One of the major outcomes being - the creation of the state of Jordan out of no where. If this wasn’t enough the new state had a King, non until then had ever had of “King of Jordon” this was purely a creation of British Empire.

Right from day one of creation and further declaration of the Jewish State – this part of world never saw peace. Initially the might of state of newly formed Israel was under estimated by its Arab neighbors and was attacked from all sides. By the end of the war in mere six days Israel had captured major parts of so called Palestinian State.

You will get a better picture if you have a look at the pictures below – I have tried to gather maps showing the map of the region from 1920 till date and how the control over it had shifted from Palestine to Israel over the course of the century


Middle East Map from 1920:

Map courtesy: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/oren/INR4204Middleeast.html

The separation of Transjordan from the British Mandate of Palestine, 1921
Map Courtesy: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/oren/INR4204Middleeast.html

Saudi Arabia: created in 1932

Map Courtesy: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/oren/INR4204Middleeast.html

Palestine/Israel: the 1947 UN Partition Plan

Map courtesy: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/oren/INR4204Middleeast.html

October 1973 (Yom Kippur) war Ceasefire Lines
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/oren/INR4204Middleeast.html

References: BBC Archives at www.news.bbc.com; www.wikipedia.com; www.infoplease.com ;