Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 17

EDITOR: ROY COOK, 429-5220; FAX 498-5677 EDMONTON JOURNAL FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2006 A17 THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS Canadian technology helps Israel inflict death, destruction in Lebanon lesser-known companies involved in the precision bombing capabilities of these weapons systems is remarkably high. Once the Canadian weapons components are exported to the U.S., control over their shipment to areas of conflict is lost. This explains how Canada is playing such a critical role in the current Israeli air strikes over Lebanon. Canada, through its war industries, is directly complicit in the infliction of death and destruction in Lebanon and, even worse, our tax dollars subsidize these merchants of death. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's support for Israel have severely damaged what credibility we might have had in the Middle East.

Our direct involvement in the weapons of death and destruction is the proverbial nail in the coffin. The full report (Canadian Military Components Used in Israel's War Against Lebanon) by Richard Sanders of the coalition, can be found at: http:coat.ncf.calebanon2006.html Patricia Hartnagel, Edmonton ft The AH 64 Apache attack helicopter has parts and components supplied by 12 Canadian arms industries; I The 15 Eagle fighter-bomber has 21 Canadian industries contributing parts andor services; And the 16 Fighting Falcon amul-tirole fighter-bomber has 18 Canadian industries contributing to its killing capability. The Canadian subsidiaries of Boeing and Lockheed Martin are the predominant players, however the number of As the death and destruction mount in the Middle East, the weapons capabilities ofboth sides in the conflict are on display accumulated missiles," The Journal, Aug. 3) We know that most of the weapons used by Hezbollah crude yet effective have been supplied by Iran and Syria. The Israelis buy much of their high-tech weaponry from the United States.

The Israeli weapons are far more sophisticated and accurate. While these American-made weapons systems are front and centre in the Israeli airstrikes, there is one player in this showcase of weapons that is unnamed and invisible Canada. Somehow we manage to maintain a very low profile when it comes to the large number of crucial, high-tech components that give the AmericanIsraeli weapons their "bang for the buck." A recent report by the Ottawa-based Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade identifies several examples of our contribution to the ongoing Israeli airstrikes Israel ongoing war of independence KARIM SAHIBAFPGETTY IMAGES A shoe lies on a soccer pitch in a predominantly Shiite neighbourhood of Baghdad Thursday. A total of 16 people died late Wednesday in a twin bomb attack on the pitch where children were playing. During the horrible drama of Israel's war against the Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel's war against Hamas both considered terrorist groups by Canada andmostdemocraticnations various pundits and commentators, journalists and others have presented a plethora of analyses of the complex Middle East conflict and how it can be resolved.

But the one thing that remains unchanged is the failure by many to recognize the fact that Israel is still fighting its nearly 60-year-old war of independence to survive the proclaimed intent of ArabIslamist terrorist groups and some nations, particularly Syria and Iran, to destroy it. That is the root cause of the ArabIslamist and Israeli conflict and everything else is commentary. GUEST COLUMN UriRosenzweig The early history of the Arab-Israeli conflict may have been forgotten in the sands of time. Starting with the United Nations General Assembly's approval of a partition plan on Nov. 29, creation oftwo states in Palestine one Arab and one Jewish Israel's difficult and glorious birth took place on May 14,1948.

Throughout the UN debate, the Palestine Arab Higher Committee threatened war while spokesmen for the Jewish Agency appealed for peace. Arab diplomats proclaimed no partition, no further immigration and no Jewish state. Jamal Husseini, the Arab committee spokesman, told the UN on Nov. 24, 1947, "The partition line proposed shall be nothing but a line of fire and blood." Soon after the vote for partition, Arabs began their war to prevent implementation of the UN resolution. Roads were mined, settlements isolated, convoys ambushed and by the end of the first week, 105 Jews had been killed.

Later, apartments in Jerusalem wereblown up and more than 50 men, women and children were killed. Thir ty-five Hebrew University students were massacred on a road near Jerusalem, the Jewish Agency was bombed with heavy casualties and a convoy was set on fire on theroadtoHadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus. Seventy-seven Jewish doctors, nurses and scientists died. 6 Hezbollah want more and Lebanese Israel so embed among to magnify life and will be spoken of like the Mongolian massacres and the crusades." On May 15, 1948, armies of Egypt, Syria, trans-Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and contingents from Saudi Arabia invaded Israel. Talk about disproportionate response.

But Israel prevailed in its first war of survival. Between the UN resolution and before the start of this war, there were no security fences, no Palestinian refugees except those encouraged to leave by their leaders and assured they would return when Israel was wiped off the map, and no Israeli-occupied territories. Israel's existence was the only reason for ArabIslamic intransigence. What followed since then were acts of terrorism against Israel, ArabIslamic boycotts, five other wars, two Palestinian intefadas and the current hostilities of Hamas and Hezbollah, both committed to Israel's destruction, acting as proxies for Syria and Iran. While the physical battles for Israel's survival continue, the publicrelations battle goes on with intensive international media coverage of the war in Lebanon.

Israel is not winning this battle, for who cannot empathize with the depiction of innocent victims ofwar-on all sides? What if there are fewer Israelis killed or wounded? Is their agony and dis placement less deserving of being shown? It seems the media continue to measure Israel's right to exist and defend its citizens by the numbers of Israelis killed or wounded. U.S. Gen. William Sherman once said, "War is atbest barbarism Historical context vital "Journal readers looking for the basic historical facts behind Middle East conflicts" could be the title of the Letters page. To help fill that need, on July 28, some readers wrote excellent letters on the history behind the violence in the Middle East, especially Shaun Nar-ine is decades As I read The Journals Letters page, it is interesting to note that many who do not know the history of the Middle East make hasty, black-and-white judgments based only on recent news reports.

The reason there has been so much turmoil for so long in the Middle East is because it is so complicated, complex and rooted in history that goes back to the First World War. How many of us studied and learned all about that in school? How many were interested or even cared? Unless we were fortunate enough to have a brilliant social studies teacher, ortook Middle East political science courses at university, most of us are foggy about the history of the Middle East Then, when a particularly terrible event occurs in this hotbed, we have only our feelings to guide us. This can be dangerous. I would love to see a daily "Middle East Corner" in The Journal to help us understand the background; the history that has brought us all to the brink of a third world war. G.A.Teske, Sherwood Park Both sides of the story Ed Germaine have rights, too," Letters, July 28) says Israel is in violation of UN resolution 242 by retaining territories occupied requirements of the Arab states in that same resolution that also have not been met.

The Journal does a disservice by forcing readers to argue technicalities with each other. AH Sniderman, Edmonton LETTERS WELCOME We inviteyou to write letters to the editor. A maximum of 275 words is preferred. Letters must carry a first name or two initials with surname, and in-dudemoMressaMdaytimetekphone number.Mkttenaresubjecttoeditirig. We don't publish letters addressed to others or sent to other publications.

Send to: Letters editor, Box2421, Edmonton, or e-mail (no attachments) to kttersmejournalcanwest.com Copyright inktters and other materials submitted to the publisher and ac-ceptedforpublkation remains with the author, but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. EDMONTON JOURNAL Publisher LINDA HUGHES Editor-in-Chief ALLAN MAYER Deputy Editor Hews ROY WOOD Deputy Editor Readership and Features BARB WILKINSON Vice-President Finance DAVID BECKER Vice-President Production JOECELINO Vice-President Advertising JOHN CONNOLLY Vice-President Marketing PAT HUTCHISON Vice-President Reader Services DOUCWASS Vice-President Human Resources KEN WICKENBERG PUBLISHED DAILY BY THE PROPRIETOR, THE EDMONTON JOURNAL A DIVISION OF CANWEST MEDIAWORKS PUBLICATIONS INC. AT THE JOURNAL BUILDING. PO BOX 2421, EDMONTON T5 2S6 77ie Edmonton Joumalpubttshesavartetyofopmionsas acmtributbntoikbattmrrmmcfpublkconcern. Unsigned editorials express a consensus view of the editorial board, which Includes Opinion page editor David Bvaru, and editorial writers Sheila Pratt and James Baxter.

Signed pieces and cartoons express tfte view 0 the writers and cartoonists only. Hamas and terrorists Palestinians killed by they callously themselves non-combatants the loss of wounded. 99 establish its influence in the ArabIs-lamicworid, plays both sides of the fence as witnessed by its role in defending Iran's ominous nuclear ambitions. There are Muslims who want peace with Israel and support a two-state solution. But since its birth from the ashes of Holocaust, Israel has sought peace with all its Arab neighbours; longing to be master of its own fate in its own small about the size of New Jersey part of this earth.

But nearly six decades later, this jewel of the Middle East, with all its accomplishments and the only democracy in the area, is still engaged in a war to survive in an uncaring world. Through decades of talks, diplomacy, road maps, various agreements and ceasefires used by the Arabs to stockpile arms fornew rounds to eliminate Israel only Egypt and Jordan have signed peace agreements with Israel and the only land terrorist groups and their mentor nations will settle for is not only the "occupied territories" but all of the pre-partitioned Palestine. Abba Eban, the late Israeli statesman, once said, "History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives." How many wars will ArabIslamic states and their terrorist proxies wage against Israel until they seek another alternative? Does Iran and its nuclear capability have the answer for Israel's demise? Speaking before the National Press Club in Washington in 1957, Meir suggested another alternative: "Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us." Uri Rosenzweig is a columnist for the Edmonton Jewish News and founding president of the Jewish Archives and Historical Society of Edmonton. His late parents came from Palesttne to Canada in the 1920s. Minister Peter MacKay have taken the time to educate themselves about the reality of the Middle East situation.

Both have recognized several facts: I Hezbollah is the world's largest terrorist organization and is committed to the destruction of Israel and Jews. I Israel has no choice but to destroy Hezbollah, or it will be destroyed. i Hezbollah intentionally targets Israeli citizens and locates its missile launchers among Lebanese civilians, so when Israel responds to an attack, innocent civilians are killed. I Hezbollah's weapons are supplied and its members trained by Iran no friend of western civilization. I'm also troubled by what appears to be the overwhelming ignorance of the opposition MPs who call for an immediate ceasefire, ignoring the fact that any sustainable ceasefire requires that both sides seek an end to hostilities.

Hezbollah will never cease hostilities until Israel is destroyed. If a ceasefire is not sustainable, it is simply an opportunity for Hezbollah to re-arm. Francie Robins Nobleman, Edmonton its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have not fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, and more desolation. War is hell." Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists want more Palestinians and Lebanese killed by Israel so they callously embed themselves among non-combatants to magnify the loss of life and wounded.

Terrorists and suicide bombers seek to become martyrs and dance with heavenly virgins. Israel will never eradicate ArabIslamic terrorists because new generations of children are being taught in schools to hate Israel and Jews; children who dress in toy suicide belts and play with AK-47s. So the carnage continues, played out in deadly colour on television, and many countries and decent citizens in the West condemn Israel for defending itself, not understanding that Israel can't afford to lose one war. Jews in Israel and elsewhere revere life, all life. As Golda Meir said at a 1969 press conference in London, "When peace comes, we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but itwill be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons." The anti-Israel actions of the European Union and the UN are equally despicable.

The EU, influenced by the need for Arab oil, increasing Muslim populations in their countries, and increasing acts of anti-Semitism, treats Israel and its ArabIslamic enemies as equally responsible for the Middle East conflict. The UN is held hostage by the ArabIslamic countries and their apologists who dominate the General Assembly and other UN bodies, such as the discredited Commission on Human Rights and its successor, the newly created Human Rights Council. Russia, attempting to re ment has chosen to pass on this opportunity as it continues to erase from its memory Canada's storied history as a force of moral good and peacemaker within the international community. Bill Fulton, Edmonton Negotiations the key Canada can't really do much even if it calls for a ceasefire. It's just a voice in the wilderness.

I think Canada should try to get the U.S., Israel and the Arab League to sit down and get to the roots of the conflict. Give the Palestinians a country of their own, as the UN did for Israel. Compel Israel, Palestine and the rest of the Arab world to honour the treaty. They must live in harmony and peace. The UN is helpless; the U.S., Israel and the Arab League are the key.

Rey Lau-a, Edmonton Telling it like it is Re: "MacKay calls Hezbollah 'coldblooded The Journal, Aug. 2. I'm delighted that Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Affairs Harpers staunch defence of Israeli bombing ignores Canada's tradition as peacekeeper day before the British mandate ended, the Jews of Palestine declared the independence of the State of Israel. On May 15, Azzam Pasha, secretary-general of the Arab League, said in Cairo, "This will be a war of extermination and a monumental massacre which Why are clerics silent on the war? Why are rabbis and Muslim clerics around the world silent on the killing of innocent men, women and children in Israel and Lebanon? Why aren't they organizing rallies around the globe to protest the violence? Why is the Middle East always a hotspot for trouble? Other nations have learned to live in relative peace. What is it with Jews and Arabs that they cannot or will not do so? There is a simple solution to this constant conflict.

Let there be a ceasefire until all innocent civilians have been evacuated and then let the warring parties fight to the finish. Or let the world's rabbis and Muslim clerics congregate on the borders of Israel and Lebanon and talk some sense into these warring nations. Surely the religious leaders would be safe from harm, though one could never tell. Barton Whytt, Sherwood Park By taking a hardline stance against Lebanese militants and a sympathetic attitude towards Israeli bombing campaigns, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has rejected the long tradition of internationalism, diplomacy, multilateralism and peacekeeping that has defined Canada's role in the international community since the end of the Second World War. Instead, he has chosen to ride the coat-tails of American policy, which has done very little to end the fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

The dealings and attitudes of Western governments have only exacerbated tension in the region and increased hostility on all sides. Meanwhile, hundreds of innocent civilian lives are being lost in a crisis that could be resolved through diplomatic and peacekeeping efforts. Canada could play a major role in the UN as an arbiter or third-party negotiator to help promote an end to the bloodshed. The Israeli-Lebanese crisis presents Canada with a golden opportunity to reassert itself as a credible player and internationalist on the world stage as it once did. However, the Harper govern.