Griffin Speaks

THE TRUTH ABOUT ISRAEL

Many people are perplexed by the conflict in the Middle East. They ask, “Why can’t those folks get along?” The problem began with the creation of Israel. America led the charge to support the Middle East partition plan, adopted by the United Nations on November 29, 1947. The plan awarded 56% of the country of Palestine to its 650,000 Jewish inhabitants. It awarded 44% to its 1,300,000 Muslims and Christian Arab inhabitants. You do the math! 

I have friends on both sides of the conflict. My days at Boston University School of Law and my many visits on the Harvard University campus exposed me to many different viewpoints concerning the conflict in the Middle East. Most believed that the partition was adopted after ruthless arm-twisting by the U.S. government and pro-Zionist U.S. senators. 

U.S. diplomats from the Middle East were opposed to the partition plan and tried desperately on November 10, 1945, to convince President Harry Truman to reject it. Instead of rejecting the plan, Truman told them: “I have to answer to hundreds of thousands who are anxious for the success of Zionism: I do not have hundreds of thousands of Arabs among my constituents.” 

As soon as the partition plan was adopted, all hell broke loose, just as the U.S. diplomats predicted. The Arab states were mad then and they continue to be mad today. On May 14, 1948, the British gave up control of Palestine. One minute later Israel’s’ first Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, would proclaim the new state. Eleven minutes after Israel’s creation President Truman recognized it as a country. Many U.S. delegation members were opposed. 

My Arab friends tell me that they are angry that 750,000 Palestinians were thrown out of their country during the war, and never allowed to return to their homes. There have been several Arab-Israeli wars. These are largely because of the United States recognition of Israel before it officially agreed to borders assigned by the United Nations in 1947. 

My Jewish friends tell me that Israel is their historic homeland. It is their Promised Land. It is there where they will meet the Messiah.

I don’t have the answer for resolving the conflict, but I do know that there are two sides to the story. I pray that both sides will one day get it together and get along and coexist!

 In the words of my dad, Dr. Melvin J. Griffin Sr., “If you don’t have money at least have class!” 

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com or write to him at P.O. Box 250194 Montgomery, Alabama 36125-0194.