Lindani Gumede, News24 User
Although I'm no expert on the Middle East conflict, I have done a great deal of reading on Palestine, Israel, Terrorism and Zionism.
I've also listened to Prof Steve Friedman, former Minister of Intelligence Ronnie Casrils, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and many others.
I fully agree with the latter that every country or nation has the right to defend its "territory" and its "citizens", and I disagree with Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah and others who insist that Israel has no right to exist.
I will then base my argument on these two fundamental points. When the apartheid government of South Africa illegally occupied Namibia, the people of Namibia formed SWAPO and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia to fight the enemy off their country and defend their "territory" and "citizens".
The people of Palestine today are left with Gaza and the West Bank, which combined are only about 30% of the original Palestinian land. The rest has been taken by Israel.
'An evil state'
Despite this fact, the West Bank is still littered with more than 100 Israeli settlements as a direct result of Zionism. The entire borderline with Jordan is occupied by Israel.
Israel has built a wall separating them from the Palestinian territory but also took the whole of Jerusalem, which is supposed to be shared by both Israel and Palestine. The wall also goes way beyond the boarders set by the UN.
The Gaza Strip was also occupied by Israel until 2005. The Jewish state has illegally occupied southern Lebanon and parts of Syria and Jordan. The former resulted in the formation of Hezbollah.
The people of Palestine have no other option but to fight to defend their territory which continues to be eaten up by the Zionist state.
In my view, Israel is an evil state - probably worse than apartheid SA. Ronnie Casrils said so himself even though he's Jewish. Israel is not only an enemy of the Arab world, but also an active and powerful enemy of peace!
The only solution for lasting peace in the region is that Israel withdraws from all occupied territories and cede southern Israel to the Palestinian Authority to give back their land and connect Gaza to the West Bank.
The ongoing massacre of the people of Palestine by Israel will not yield any lasting peace. It will only harden the hearts of Palestinians and promote terrorism. The people of Palestine have suffered up to the point where nothing matters to them anymore.
If one person can give up their life to contribute, however insignificant, towards a better future for future generations then suicide bombing seem a worthy option.
The aggressor
Israel is the aggressor and not acting in self-defence. The Palestinians are launching rockets only to fight an enemy from their land.
According to the Israeli Defence Minister's argument, Palestinians have the right to do so - to defend their territory.
Let us support the people of Palestine as the world supported us when we were oppressed by the apartheid regime. Let us condemn the evil state of Israel.
Israel has been fighting other nations and taking up their land from the times of Moses. Someone must stop them!
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