Compatibility of Zionism and Peace in the Middle East

The United States was the first country to recognize Israel and has been supporting it since the very first day of its independence in 1948 [1]. The US backed the United Nations mandate for a Jewish homeland in Palestine [2] and has sold weapons to Israel during wars with its Arab neighbors. But the US support of Israel has never helped bring peace in the Middle East.

The creation of the Jewish State has started the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Israelis, or the Jews who migrated to the new State of Israel, were not very welcome in the Muslim World. The fact that the land has been taken from the Palestinians [3] sparked the first Arab-Israeli War in 1948. After numerous wars, including the first Arab-Israeli War and the Six-Day War, the Israeli land has grown; Israel has “annexed” the lands occupied after wars, refusing to return them [4] and stating that “the war will give us the land. The concepts of ‘ours’ and ‘not ours’ are only concepts for peacetime, and during war they lose all their meaning.” [5] The Zionists completely refuse to exchange the occupied land for peace. It is also believed that many Arabs, especially the Palestinians, who believe the Jews took their land, have sworn to drive Israel into the sea. If that case is true, however, exchanging “land for peace” does not seem to be a good option.

The Arab-Israeli conflict continues even today, after almost 60 years. The US support of Israel continues, while the UN, whose resolutions solve nothing, seems to be useless. The most recent war in 2006 has again shown the power of Israel’s military y. Although more Lebanese civilians have suffered [6], the war was officially fought between Israel and Hezbollah, or the Shia Islamic political and parliamentary organization, officially labeled as a “terrorist organization” in six countries, including the United Kingdom, United States and Israel [7]. By the end of the 2006 Lebanon War, after the UN resolution called for cease-fire, Israel has attacked a group that was transporting weapons from Syria[8], breaking the UN peace resolution. George Galloway, a Scottish politician, at that time said:

“America has given Israel missiles that can target not only every city in Lebanon, but every city in the Arab and Muslim World, including Iran. Why should America be allowed to give long-range missiles to Israel, including hundreds of nuclear missiles…?” [9]

Israel receives more aid from the US than any other country in the world. According to BBC News, “Israel receives billions of dollars from the US no matter what it does.” [10] Thus, it perhaps has the most advanced military in the Middle East. Israel also has its own Weapons of Mass Destruction. [11]

Changing The Tide – Islam in America

Another great speech by Sheykh Hamza Yusuf.

Achieving Balance in a Troubled World

This keynote speech was delivered by Sheykh Hamza Yusuf during the 43rd ISNA Convention 2006. Sheykh Hamza Yusuf is my “hero”… he is a genius. You should listen to what he says (no matter who you are, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu or whatever). The world needs more people like Hamza Yusuf. He represents the REAL Islam, the peaceful Islam, not what Fox News shows Islam as!
To download this podcast (in mp3 format) please click HERE. To listen to it, either mouse over this or play the embedded video. To listen to more podcasts, please visit www.alhambraproductions.com/podcast

“Does God Love War?”: Video

Does God Love War?

Let me start with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf. I do not know him personally, but according to wikipedia, Hamza Yusuf is a traditionalist Islamic scholar that teaches at the Zaytuna Institute in California.I was at some party where I found this book called “What Every Person Should Know About War” by Chris Hedges, another brilliant author with enormous experience in war whose books are concentrated on American and Middle Eastern politics and society. As I opened that book and started reading it, I could not stop. I finished it. I read some articles online and somehow found an mp3 called “Does God Love War” which I have uploaded to “rapidshare” – so anyone can download it and listen to it. I recommend you listen to the two files I have attached to this entry and read the following books:

-What Every Person Should Know About Wat

-War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning

Back to Hamza Yusuf. As I could not stop reading Mr. Hedges’ book, neither could I stop listening to the mp3’s I have downloaded. That’s how I became familiar with Hamza Yusuf. He just impressed me, making me read more stuff about him.