1. The recent Israeli Military Actions
Middle East Analysis
The recent Israeli Military Actions

2. Recently, Israel has launched a major offensive in several Palestinian towns.
Source:
More than 10 cities occupied
Around prisoners taken
Thousands of weapons confiscated

3. Some groups have claimed that the Israeli action is unjustified and illegal.
Main Statements
1) Israel is committing a genocide against the Palestinian people
2) Palestinians have no alternative to defend their cause besides terror
3) Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is not responsible for the terror acts

4. Let’s take a look at each of these statements

5. Statement 1: Israel is committing a genocide against the Palestinian people.
What is a genocide?
“Deliberate extermination, total or partial, of a community, ethnic, racial or religious group” (source: Houaiss)

6. Let’s check if Israel is indeed committing a genocide.
Question: if Israel really intended to exterminate the Palestinian people, would the number of daily deaths caused by a whole army be 2?
a) Israel has one of the world’s best armies, with tanks, 440 combat planes and troops
Source:
b) During these 18 months of Intifada (uprising), about Palestinians and 300 Israelis died. It’s about 2 Palestinians per day (up to April/07/2002 source:
How many would have died so far if the Israeli government had really decided to order the army to kill?

7. Let’s compare some historical events with the current Intifada.
Holocaust
Number of dead
Intifada
1.200
Note: the areas of the above squares are proportional to the number of dead in each event.
(up to April/07/2002 source:

8. What are the proportions?
1.200
Sources: MEMRI Institute,

9. It is possible that abuses occur within the Israeli army.
These must be investigated and punished.
Nevertheless, to compare the recent military actions with a genocide is as absurd as stating that every Arab is a terrorist.

10. Statement 2: Palestinians have no alternative to defend their cause except terror.
I’m doing this
to protest the occupation

11. Are concessions from Israel only granted through terror?
Peace with Egypt (1979)
Peace with Jordan (1994)
Land voluntarily granted to Egypt in exchange for peace.

12. Let’s recall what took place in Camp David and Taba.
In the Camp David (2000) and Taba (2001) negotiations, the Barak government offered Palestinians the broadest concessions in the region’s history
Israeli Offer
Palestinian Demand
Questions
Was the Israeli offer perfect?
97% of the West Bank and Gaza + 3% of lands within Israel
100% of the West Bank and Gaza
Territories
Possibly not, but it was very similar to the Palestinian demands and it was a genuine attempt to solve the conflict.
Palestinian East Jerusalem
Jerusalem
The Palestinians could have continued in the negotiations and achieved by dialogue what they are not achieving now by terror.
4 options of citizenship to refugees. Limited number will move to Israel
All 3 million refugees will be able to become Israeli citizens
Refugees
Sources: MEMRI Institute, Palestinian Media Watch

13. What was the Palestinian reply to Camp David?
Instead of remaining in the negotiations, the Palestinian Authority has lauched a bloody uprising and a wave of terror attacks against Israel.

14. Is terror a legitimate answer to political stagnation?
Sources: Peace Watch, News Report
One of the deadliest waves of attacks occurred during the period of biggest advances in the political stage
Oslo Accords and Rabin Government

15. Terror is unjustifiable
Terror is not an alternative to negotiation
Just like Egypt and Jordan negotiated with Israel and are today in peace, the Palestinians could have chosen the diplomatic road.

16. Statement 3: Arafat is not responsible for the terror attacks.
Can’t reach it

17. Sources: www.imra.org , www.nyt.com
What does Arafat say?
In English:
“I condemn the suicide attacks against Israeli civilians"
(New York Times, 03/02/2002)
In Arabic, 3 days earlier:
“ The Fatah movement proudly glorifies it’s heroin martyr, from the Alamari Camp, the martyr Wafa Idris”
(About the woman suicide bomber, Ramalah, 31/01/2002)
Sources: ,
“I’m ready to sacrifice 70 martyrs to kill each israeli”
(On the official Palestinian Radio, 18 december 2001)

18. Sources: www.imra.org , www.cnn.com
What does Arafat do?
"5) (…) We require a weekly average of 5 to 9 explosive charges to squads in various areas“
Letter from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade to the Palestinian Authority:
Sources: ,
The Palestinian Finance Minister signed this document, directly financing a terrorist group.
Results….

19. The obstacles to peace.
The suicide bombings will continue until Israel ends the occupation…
Of the West Bank and Gaza?
… of Israel.
Hamas

20. In the last years, the Palestinian population literally went through a brainwash of anti-Israel hatred.
Page 64 of the Palestinian Authority’s official 5th grade book: “there’s no Israel”
Education of the young
“The fight will continue untill all of Palestine is liberated"
(Yasser Arafat, Palestinian Voice Radio, 11/11/1995)

21. In many cases, it’s not about creating Palestine
In many cases, it’s not about creating Palestine. It’s about destroying Israel.
Palestinians celebrate the suicide bombing of the Sbarro pizza house
Children are taught to hate: what kind of future is being built?
Palestinian painting glorifying the suicide bombings

22. Until education for peace prevails, the blood bath will continue in the Middle East.

23. Only dialogue and respect for the rights of both peoples, Jewish and Palestinian, can bring peace.

24. Final thoughts.
Just like any other democracy, Israel also makes mistakes. It is entirely valid to criticize the Israeli government and question it’s actions.
Nevertheless, the recent military operations are legitimate defense against a wave of terror that has left hundreds of dead.
Every government in the world has the right to defend it’s citizens.
Now it’s up to the Palestinians to definitively renouce terror and Israel to support any initiative that may lead to the end of this terrible war.
We would be thrilled if you could share your opinions with us at
Presentation prepared by a group of young Brazilian volunteers who believe in peace.
Nani