Wednesday, May 07, 2008

SIXTY YEARS ON ...


Efraim Karsh is head of Mediterranean Studies at King’s College, University of London, and the author most recently of Islamic Imperialism: A History (Yale). The article 1948, ISRAEL, AND THE PALESTINIANS—THE TRUE STORY appears in this month's COMMENTARY and co-incides with Israel's 60th Anniversary which is celebrated today.

"Sixty years after its establishment by an internationally recognized act of self-determination, Israel remains the only state in the world that is subjected to a constant outpouring of the most outlandish conspiracy theories and blood libels; whose policies and actions are obsessively condemned by the international community; and whose right to exist is constantly debated and challenged not only by its Arab enemies but by segments of advanced opinion in the West."

Karsh takes apart the anti-Zionist case piece by piece exposing the many untruths prevalent among those who not only criticise Israel but call for the dismantlement of the Jewish state. He maintains that there is a need for a change in the dispositions of the Palestinian Arabs before they can realistically look forward to putting their self-inflicted "catastrophe" behind them.

For today however, it's a happy birthday to the State of Israel ...

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