A rchive Date
[ 10-02-2005 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Mass Media ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/Mike_Strobel/2005/02/10/925839.html
The never-ending tale must end
New day, old headline
By MIKE STROBEL -- For the Toronto Sun
Thu, February 10, 2005
PEACE BREAKTHROUGH, says our Page 8 yesterday.
Sands shift. Mirages come and go. Headlines stay the same.
Let's sift the file. Start two millennia ago.
JUDEA REBELS AGAINST GREEKS. Voila, an independent Jewish state. Looks good for long peace. It is 165 BC.
Wham, enter the Romans. You know what they did to Christ. And, in the year 138: JERUSALEM RAZED, PEOPLE SOLD AS SLAVES.
So much for long peace.
Leap forward. The 1920s. JEWS, ARABS LIVE SIDE BY SIDE IN PALESTINE. The Arabs aren't thrilled about their new neighbours, but peace looks possible.
August 1929: PALESTINIANS SLAY 133 JEWS, BRIT COPS KILL 110 PALESTINIANS. Not too peaceful.
Flash forward. Royal commissions. UN special committees. Talk, talk. Peace, peace. Hope, hope.
May 1948. Israel exists one whole day, and: WAR!
Again. WAR! (1967)
And peace. UN CALLS FOR ISRAELI RETREAT, BUT SECURE BORDERS.
And WAR! (1973)
And peace. Conference in Geneva. But Syria stays home.
The UN, bless its heart, urges "negotiations between the parties concerned under appropriate auspices aimed at establishing a just and durable peace in the Middle East."
TERRORISTS MURDER 11 ISRAELI OLYMPIANS.
But, wait.
ARAFAT AT UN: 'I CARRY OLIVE BRANCH.' In 1974. He also carries a sidearm. Tit, tat, Arafat.
PLO BOSS PRAISES ATTACK, says our headline about a bombing that bloodies 21 in Jerusalem.
SADAT ON HISTORIC TRIP TO ISRAEL. This is 1977. Now, we're talking.
There's more: CAMP DAVID ACCORD BRINGS HOPE. Even Saudi Prince Fahd offers a peace plan. Heady times.
SADAT ASSASSINATED. By anti-peace nutbars.
WAR! This time, Lebanon. Israeli troops oust PLO, capture Beirut. Their allies massacre refugees in Palestinian camps.
REAGAN OFFERS PEACE PLAN. How can this one fail? Even international communism is no match for this guy.
INTIFADA! Sticks and stones and broken dreams.
Hold the phone. PLO OPENS DOOR TO PEACE. Arafat renounces terrorism?!
WAR! Iraq, Round One, 1991. SCUD TERROR! Just when folks in the Mideast think they've seen every kind of terror.
But peace rears its ugly head.
MADRID SUMMIT! OSLO ACCORD! HANDSHAKE ON THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN! ARAFAT RETURNS TO GAZA!
How can peace miss?
JEWISH SETTLER KILLS 29 MUSLIMS IN MOSQUE.
HAMAS SLAUGHTERS DOZENS IN BUS BOMBINGS.
That's how.
OSLO II PLAN RAISES HOPES.
YITZHAK RABIN ASSASSINATED BY JEWISH EXTREMIST. S'long, Oslo.
NETANYAHU BARGAINS FOR 'PEACE WITH SECURITY.'
BARAK VOWS PEACE IN ONE YEAR. In 1999. WORLD HOPES HIGH. Sure.
INTIFADA II. KID KILLED ON TV. SUICIDE BOMBERS STRIKE IN WAVES. CURFEWS, RAIDS, GUNFIGHTS, ALL BLOODY HELL.
Then, whew, 'ROADMAP' TO PEACE.
Who knew there was a map?
We there yet?
LATEST BUS BOMB KILLS 21, ISRAEL HALTS TALKS.
Now?
SHARON, ABBAS MEET FOR FIRST TIME. NEW GENEVA ACCORD. ARAFAT DIES. ISRAEL TO PULL BACK TROOPS.
Uh, now?
Maybe. Sure looks good. Hopes high, and all that.
But there's only one headline that counts:
PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
Mike Strobel can be reached at 416-947-2265 or by e-mail at : mike.strobel@tor.sunpub.com Letters to the editor should be sent to: editor@tor.sunpub.com Home Page
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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