Arabs Must Stand Firm Against Pressure

by Khaled Al-Maeena

Like vultures with their sharpened talons streaking toward their unsuspecting prey, the two freely supplied American helicopters with their deadly cargo of Israeli crack commandos and weapons and bombs streaked toward unsuspecting innocent Lebanese villagers engaged in supplications before the Almighty on the Night of Power (Lailatul Qadr). The villagers had no idea that they were minutes away from death itself. However, theirs was not to be the grim fate that was planned by Netanyahu and his “terror planners.”

The two war machines collided and the would-be perpetrators suffered the same fate planned for the Lebanese women and children in occupied southern Lebanon.

Israel went into a deep state of “shock” as did CNN, whose broadcasters donned somber faces, and Clinton and others who hastily expressed their condolences. Israel had lost three soldiers last week in the occupied territory. However, to lose 73 trained killers put the whole Zionist entity into a state of frenzy. This “human error” or “act of God” could not be blamed on the Lebanese or the Palestinians. Thus there was no immediate call for “revenge killings.”

Both official and non-official Lebanese quarters expressed their feelings in the right manner. The American ambassador in Lebanon, however, felt “hurt” and “slighted.” He believed that there was “gloating” in Lebanon over the accident. Perhaps he felt that Lebanon should mourn these purveyors of death and destruction.

Any unnecessary loss of life is a tragedy. The soldiers had families and they rightly grieved for them. They were young and in the prime of life. However, they were not sitting at computers or tilling the land—they were on a mission, and it was not to shower bouquets of flowers but to spread lead and explosives.

And this is what right-minded Israelis should ask themselves: Why are we occupying south Lebanon? The people don’t want us. We are sitting ducks for the freedom fighters. Our families worry about these young boys and wonder whether they will come back in one piece or in body bags.

The Israelis should level these questions at the hard-liners in their government. They should support those quarters who are calling for an Israeli withdrawal.

The United States has to realize that the people of the area have had enough.

There are others whose rabid qualities make them call for death and destruction. However, these people are blind to history’s twists and turns. They should take a leaf from the South African notebook. You cannot suppress people for long even if you are supported by the strongest power on earth—there is a Divine power which will obliterate all oppressors.

And the present superpower, the United States, which simply cannot help but tag along with Israeli considerations in the Middle East, has to realize that the people in the area have had enough.

Yes, they want peace. They want to be a part of the industrialized world. They know that if they utilize the opportunities, they can march ahead. What they don’t want is hegemony by the U.S.-Israeli combine. They know that what is being planned for them by the hate-filled Madeleine Albright and her cohorts should be checkmated. Exhortations, criticisms and leveling false accusations are a part of her policies. Divide-and-rule principles are once again in the offing. The Arabs should be aware. She is adamant that all must talk to Israel, and all those who defy her “orders” should suffer the same fate as Boutros Boutros-Ghali did.

However, revenge is no longer a premise on which to base national interests. The U.S. hostility toward Arab interests will probably be heightened during the tenure of Albright, who had this sudden revelation of her Jewish ancestry, and which in turn brought “happiness” to the Clinton administration.

The peace process will take a tougher road now that Netanyahu has planned more settlements and refuses to budge an inch over Jerusalem.

There is no Warren Christopher to beg and cajole the Israelis. Albright has shown her true colors.

The Arabs should also try to stand on their own feet and resist U.S.-Israeli pressure to give in without a fight. Future generations will never forgive them for political and diplomatic capitulation.

“How oft, by God’s will, hath a small force vanquished a big one? God is with those who steadfastly persevere…Our Lord! Pour out constancy on us and make our steps firm.”