Editorial for BP
An Israeli Scholar in Hyderabad
He gave a talk at the Center for International Programs of Osmania University on 17th March 2008 on the subject , “The Super Powers in the Middle East”.
The next day he addressed a select gathering of intellectuals convened by the Pragna Bharati on the subject, “Politico- Military Situation in West Asia”. He is a great scholar and has written several books and papers in prestigious International journals on Israeli –Arab and Israeli-Palestinian relations and problems. He said that notwithstanding the wars with irredentist Arab countries and terrorism of Palestinians, especially the Hamas and Hijbullah egged on by Iran and Syria and although Israel has been under pressure siege its birth in 1948, it has achieved tremendous economic and social development with per capita income (PCI) of over $19,000 while none of its Arab neighbours, despite their oil wealth has not even a fraction of that PCI. Israel intensely desires peace. It cannot allow its citizens to be suicide -bombed or otherwise killed by terrorists because, the safety and security of life and limb of citizens is the supreme responsibility of the state.
Answering questions, he said that the Security Wall that Israel built to separate the Palestinian administer areas from Israel has very largely contributed to the diminution of infiltrators and suicide bombers. Israel has developed extremely sensitive and efficient electronic devices to detect suicide bombers and it has even been arranging to trigger the bombs on the body of the terrorists themselves before they entered Israel.
To another question, he said that Israel is capable of destroying on the Iranian territory itself every nuclear missile that Iran may launch, to the extent of 85% certainly. With another 13% certainty it could destroy those which are heading towards Israel on the territory of Jordan and Saudi Arabia itself. If any Iranian missiles succeed to explode in Israel, Israel had got the second and third strike capability and it would guarantee that Iran would not exist if Iran uses any nuclear missile; if it is the first to hurl nuclear missiles on Israel .
He further said that the Arab -Muslim population in Israel has furiously proliferated from under 8% in 1948 to 22% in the last 60 years. (we see the same phenomenon in India. This is demographic aggression). The Israeli Arabs are full citizens; there are their members in Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, they enjoy all the freedoms and welfare that Israel gives to its citizens.
To another question whether the Arab Muslims within Israel are in anyway associated with the suicide bombers and saboteurs he said, that they are not directly involved but some have been giving clandestine facilitative support for the suicide bombers and other terrorists. ( in India the resident Indian Muslims are known to be hosting and facilitating the bombers and jihadi terrorists. In fact, contrary to the unfounded assertion of the Prime-minister that Indian Muslims are not involved in terrorism to his great discomfiture and in vindication of the universally held belief and truth, some Muslim citizens of India are now found out to be themselves jihadis and bombers. The recent arrest of nearly 20 SIMI activists proves this. Indian origin Muslims were involved in the bombings in UK and Australia).
Surprisingly Dr. Shalom was of the definite opinion that if the super powers (meaning the USA and Russia) were really interested in a permanent solution to the Arab- Israeli problem, they could have enforced peace as well as secure borders (it is our firm view that every power including the super -powers have their national interest upper most; not that of absolute morality and ethics and justice- Pragna Bharati ).