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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 10:03 10/11/2006 Resolved to defeat Islamic extremism By Abraham H. Foxman Recent events in the Middle East - the war in Lebanon, the emergence of Hamas among the Palestinians, the threat of a nuclear Iran - are often cited as evidence that Israel's policies and behavior play into the hands of Islamic extremists. I would argue, however, that two other conclusions are far more appropriate. First, it should be clearer than ever that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rather than being a catalyst for Islamic extremism, is a reflection of the pervasiveness of attitudes on the Islamic side that characterize a religious fanaticism that threatens everyone. The unwillingness to compromise, the belief that the future is theirs and theirs alone, the denial of the legitimacy of the other's narrative, and the determination to pursue one's ideology even at the expense of one's own people, are characteristics that have made resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict impossible. And these characteristics are at the heart of the Islamic extremist assault on the West. This is not to say that Israel doesn't always have to consider what more it can do to further peace. It must. But the concomitance of Israeli initiatives - Ehud Barak's offer at Camp David, Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, and the election of Ehud Olmert on the basis of a commitment to a withdrawal from the West Bank - with the deepening extremism among the Palestinians manifest in the election of Hamas - highlights the gap between Israel's intentions and the reality of extremism on the other side. It cannot be said often enough: It is not Israel that is the obstacle to peace or the cause of continued Palestinian suffering. Advertisement The point is that the unending Israeli-Palestinian conflict is far less a cause of Islamic extremism's rise, and far more a product of its ideology and its power. Reduce the impact of this ideology, and not only will relations between the Islamic world and the West improve, but the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians can be resolved. Second, the war in Lebanon and the growing threat from Iran not only present challenges, but opportunities as well. They can be the occasion for the possible renewal of an unofficial strategic sharing of interests of moderate parties in the region. We should recall that in the Cold War era, Henry Kissinger articulated the strategic basis for U.S. support for Israel. He argued that when Israel faced combat with the Soviet-backed radical states, Iraq and Syria, it was vital that America make sure Israel would emerge victorious, because the moderate Arab states would be watching closely to see in which direction the wind was blowing. An Israeli victory would bring the moderates to the U.S. side; with a radical win, they would move to the Soviet sphere. Now there is an updated version of that equation. The Saudis, Egyptians, Jordanians and Gulf states are terrified of radical Islam, particularly what is emanating from Shi'ite Iran. Nothing illustrated this better than the remarkably candid comments by the Saudi foreign minister on the third day of the Lebanon war, when he strongly condemned Hezbollah, not Israel, for the bloodshed. Stopping Hezbollah from regaining an autonomous mini-state in southern Lebanon, finding a way to move the Palestinians away from support of Hamas, and, most of all, halting Iran's nuclear development are goals shared by the moderate Arabs, Israel, and the U.S. We need to keep our eye on the ball: resisting Islamic extremism as we resisted its totalitarian predecessors, Nazism and Communism. We must not allow ourselves to be diverted by efforts to blame Israel or Jews or America for the problem. Of course, we need to examine our own policies to see if they are wise and effective. And we should always seek to reduce resentment of Israel by emphasizing Israel's desire for peace and the concrete steps it has taken to that end. But never should we lose sight of the cause of the problem - extremism itself. Defeating Islamic extremism and bringing the Islamic world to peace with Israel are parts of the same problem. They require strength and resolve, and action, not merely words - most notably with regard to Iran and the nuclear threat. They require convincing moderate Arabs that they need to be more explicit in stating their interests and not limit their comments to private conversations. They require neither condescension nor weakness in addressing Muslims about their role in the world. In the 1930s the West failed to act in time to protect its own interests. It paid a terrible price, but the Jews paid even more. This time around, we must do better. If not, a price will again be paid, but now the Jews are not powerless. Abraham H. Foxman is national director of the Anti-Defamation League and author of "Never Again? The Threat of the New Anti-Semitism." Bookmark to del.icio.us Remembering Rabin 150,000 gather in Tel Aviv to mark the 12th anniversary of Rabin's assassination. Bring on the big guns A U.S. judge okays defense request to subpoena Rice, Hadley in AIPAC trial.   1.   the difficulty is not the extremism 10:28  |  thucydides 10/11/06   2.   Islam is a Totalitarian Political Ideology 10:40  |  Terry Brodsky 10/11/06   3.   YOUR "FAKE" MODERATE FRIENDS 10:42  |  Indrajaya 10/11/06   4.   defeating extremism 10:50  |  Akiva Patysh 10/11/06   5.   Olmerts ignoring Syrias peace offer is not defeating Islam Extrem 10:59  |  Yossi Cronenberg 10/11/06   6.   Foxman is a gentleman 11:22  |  S. Cimitar 10/11/06   7.   "until Muslims have a Reformation" 11:28  |  Rowan Berkeley 10/11/06   8.   Islam Extremely 11:34  |  Fan Male 10/11/06   9.   Dear Yossi, 11:40  |  Akiva Patysh 10/11/06   10.   Uh - - Foxman 11:52  |  Peter Dale 10/11/06   11.   # 2 Terry Brodsky is right on the dot 11:58  |  Haham me Bat Yam 10/11/06   12.   Rowan from Londonstan 12:01  |  Terry 10/11/06   13.   Rowan from Londonstan 12:01  |  Terry 10/11/06   14.   resolved 12:14  |  jj burke 10/11/06   15.   what does this have to do with jewish-american civil rights? 12:17  |  freddy 10/11/06   16.   Can Israel really not find a worse PR-manager ?? 12:39  |  Swiss 10/11/06   17.   EASY TO SHIFT THE BLAME FOR HORRIBLE WAR CRIMES IN BEIT HANUN 13:05  |  Messaoud 10/11/06   18.   # 8- Fan Male- Right You Are 13:30  |  Klaudia 10/11/06   19.   extremism 13:39  |  Fiona 10/11/06   20.   Foxman is right 14:35  |  Paul Henzen 10/11/06   21.   Indrajaya`s despots 15:14  |  Dave Kennaird 10/11/06   22.   To Messaoud 15:45  |  Steven 10/11/06   23.   Foxman has one objective 15:59  |  Ibrahim 10/11/06   24.   True but... 16:20  |  Danite 10/11/06   25.   True but#2 16:24  |  Danite 10/11/06   26.   True but #3 16:28  |  Danite 10/11/06   27.   FOR A CHANGE, A BETTER PERSPECTIVE ARTICULATED BY ABE FOXMAN 16:39  |  Smadar 10/11/06   28.   Islam has always been an Imperialist movement 17:08  |  Bimmer 10/11/06   29.   Roots of Islamic extremism... 17:27  |  Walter 10/11/06   30.   Here are my suggestions 18:14  |  Wes 10/11/06   31.   A question for the `Hijacked Religion` crowd 18:21  |  Bimmer 10/11/06   32.   West vs East 18:35  |  Wes 10/11/06   33.   Haaretz allows Foxman to speak 18:39  |  Harris 10/11/06   34.   Islamic extremism is mainly found in *moderate arab states*.. 18:40  |  BouSameer 10/11/06   35.   Abe Foxman!! The tradegy!!! 18:49  |  omolll@hotmail.com 10/11/06   36.   Israel Can Do No Wrong 18:54  |  dan 10/11/06   37.   Steven#22... IN ACTUAL FACT I DO! 18:59  |  Messaoud 10/11/06   38.   enough 19:05  |  i have had it!!! 10/11/06   39.   Yossi - Assad`s offer isn`t for peace 19:07  |  sheri 10/11/06   40.   to BouSameer #34 Saudi Arabia the 9/11 nation is a moderate??? 19:11  |  Bimmer 10/11/06   41.   #2 Terry - I`ve tried understanding Islam & saw that in US 19:24  |  sheri 10/11/06   42.   Understanding Islam & what I saw in the US (cont) 19:32  |  sheri 10/11/06   43.   #34 - Bousameer - moderate states 19:46  |  sheri 10/11/06   44.   #38 you`ve had enough 19:53  |  sheri 10/11/06   45.   Bimmer #40, you are correct on this 19:55  |  BouSameer 10/11/06   46.   steve 19:57  |  kaz 10/11/06   47.   HIstory is repeating itself, act accordingly! 20:03  |  Bernard Ross 10/11/06   48.   Support 20:12  |  Stanger 10/11/06   49.   Losing a war does not mean appeasement is the way 20:14  |  Bernard Ross 10/11/06   50.   Islam has been religion of hate and murders since the beginning 20:20  |  e.m 10/11/06   51.   Sheri # 42 - Understanding Islam 20:41  |  BouSameer 10/11/06   52.   #17 Massaoud, Re: SHIFTING THE BLAME 21:09  |  Dutch 10/11/06   53.   A question 21:53  |  Colin Wright 10/11/06   54.   defeating extremism 22:36  |  emad matahin 10/11/06   55.   Messaoud 23:01  |  Jane 10/11/06   56.   Dutch 23:09  |  Jane 10/11/06   57.   islamic extremism is the new enemy but it has been such since it 23:11  |  ralph 10/11/06   58.   Understanding Judaism, then Islam (Sheri 42) 23:21  |  Tosefta 10/11/06   59.   Sheri #42, understanding Islam - cont`d 23:23  |  BouSameer 10/11/06   60.   Foxman 23:35  |  hollingsworth 10/11/06   61.   defeat extremism 23:40  |  Emad Matahin 10/11/06   62.   Steven #22 00:25  |  Jane 11/11/06   63.   And what has lovely sherri added? 00:55  |  Ibrahim 11/11/06   64.   #52 DORIS THE DUTCH IS ALSO SWISS MISS 00:56  |  PAUL HARRIS 11/11/06   65.   RELISH IN YOU`R POWER with MUSTURD.. 01:12  |  mike katz 11/11/06   66.   Islamic extremism vs. Jewish extremism 01:23  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   67.   Understanding Judaism, then Islam (Sheri 42) 01:24  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   68.   You loosers need to take some Middle East classes 01:30  |  Ariel Bukhari 11/11/06   69.   Foxman and free speech 01:48  |  Californian 11/11/06   70.   Sheri please 01:54  |  Omar 11/11/06   71.   Mike Good For You ! 02:15  |  Dutch 11/11/06   72.   Toseftas further confusions 02:35  |  Danite 11/11/06   73.   Tosefta and never ending confusions RE Sheri 02:40  |  Danite 11/11/06   74.   Ibrahim "what has Amira Hass added?" 02:44  |  Danite 11/11/06   75.   Ignorance 03:27  |  Ahmed 11/11/06   76.   #51 BouSameer - very interesting point 03:45  |  sheri 11/11/06   77.   #61 Tosefta - extremism 04:00  |  sheri 11/11/06   78.   Tosefta 04:04  |  sheri 11/11/06   79.   #67 Danite (Re Tosefta) 04:11  |  sheri 11/11/06   80.   foxman 04:27  |  hollingsworth 11/11/06   81.   Just One Struggle 04:32  |  Sophie 11/11/06   82.   BACK ON THE PAYROLL DUTCH 05:42  |  TOBIA 11/11/06   83.   sheri 05:52  |  Gina 11/11/06   84.   To those who saw my posts as bigoted 06:43  |  sheri 11/11/06   85.   #Indrajaya 08:40  |  Willy 11/11/06   86.   false arguments 09:07  |  pimbo 11/11/06   87.   HAMAS and their charter is part of the Islamist/Moslem br.agenda 12:01  |  PETER SM 11/11/06   88.   Pot calling the kettle black 12:44  |  Tony Price 11/11/06   89.   R.BERKLEY.Look in your own country&the internal Islamist threats 13:41  |  PETER SM 11/11/06   90.   Politeness 13:43  |  S 11/11/06   91.   Politeness 14:15  |  Stranger 11/11/06   92.   #88 TONY TAKES THE PRIZE FOR PRICE TRIPE 15:25  |  paul harris 11/11/06   93.   Haaretz and BHTosefta 15:41  |  Gabe1 11/11/06   94.   Meaningless words 15:59  |  Mark Lincoln 11/11/06   95.   De-confusing (maybe) the confused Danite 72 16:17  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   96.   Danite 16:38  |  Gabe1 11/11/06   97.   # 21, DAVE KENNAIRD 16:39  |  indrajaya 11/11/06   98.   The West and logic (Sheri 77) 16:43  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   99.   Islam is a religion with blinders on 16:45  |  Avrum 11/11/06   100.   # 85, WILLY 16:48  |  indrajaya 11/11/06   101.   Just misunderstanding, or no evolutionary concept (no.73) 17:15  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   102.   Tosefta 17:28  |  Gandhi 11/11/06   103.   Jibril1 (=Gabe1 93); the pissing mouth 17:31  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   104.   #91 MARK FAILS THE HISTORY TEST ONCE AGAIN 17:35  |  paul harris 11/11/06   105.   Benny Hill ibn Tosefta #100 18:02  |  gabe1 11/11/06   106.   Maureen Ann #154 18:04  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   107.   Seth and the concepts of moderation 18:08  |  Honi 11/11/06   108.   Gandhi 99; Jihadists 18:24  |  Tosefta 11/11/06   109.   Agent 008 Mark Lincoln 18:45  |  Neutral observer 11/11/06   110.   Of course, it`s resistance and we will continue 19:24  |  d.dor 11/11/06   111.   FOXMAN IS JUST A FOX 19:57  |  THE JACKAL 11/11/06   112.   So tell me Ha`aretz 20:59  |  Marlene 11/11/06   113.   Tosefta 21:12  |  Danite 11/11/06   114.   Marlene 21:30  |  TM 11/11/06   115.   Islam 21:54  |  Kerry 11/11/06   116.   SWISS Ignorance is bliss.Foxman doesNOT speak for Israel. 22:05  |  PETER SM 11/11/06   117.   #55 Jane and lets not forgett 22:08  |  eva 11/11/06   118.   Mark Lincoln, RE THE NEW SPEAK 22:26  |  Dutch 11/11/06   119.   To Ms./Mr. Smarty Pants - No. 106 22:35  |  Marlene 11/11/06   120.   # 108 PETER SM Thank you so much Australia ! 22:48  |  Swiss 11/11/06   121.   No. 51 - what exactly is "Jewish" culture? 22:59  |  Marlene 11/11/06   122.   Marlene 23:39  |  TM 11/11/06   123.   Marlene 23:46  |  Nuetral Observer 11/11/06   124.   Islam is a religion(Avrum) 23:49  |  Jiri Hubacek 11/11/06   125.   Swiss 23:51  |  Fair Minded 11/11/06   126.   Marlene 23:53  |  Nuetral Observer 11/11/06   127.   Avrum 23:58  |  Fair minded and worr 11/11/06   128.   The latest incomprehension (Danite 105) 00:22  |  Tosefta 12/11/06   129.   #111 Marlene......exactly right!!! 00:25  |  T A Sheppard 12/11/06   130.   to the naive Tosefta - start to see reality 00:44  |  Howard 12/11/06   131.   SWISS"How do I deserve so much indulgence ??.You earn it 00:48  |  PETER SM 12/11/06   132.   Nature`s Balance 01:23  |  David King 12/11/06   133.   To #113 Marlene - the so-called culture experts 01:31  |  Howard 12/11/06   134.   abe foxman 01:38  |  tom 12/11/06   135.   Marlene 02:29  |  TM 12/11/06   136.   Marlene 02:31  |  TM 12/11/06   137.   TM 02:54  |  Neutral 12/11/06   138.   Same difference 06:34  |  Elimelech 12/11/06   139.   ah - does he mean Jewish Extremism 06:54  |  Waleed 12/11/06   140.   walleed 07:48  |  bev 12/11/06   141.   TM 07:55  |  Waleed 12/11/06   142.   bev 08:01  |  Waleed 12/11/06   143.   Abe Foxman 08:27  |  tbora 12/11/06   144.   Israel-the accident prone country of injustice! 08:36  |  Maureen Ann 12/11/06   145.   Judaism is a totalitarian political ideology -No 2 08:40  |  Lebanese admirer 12/11/06   146.   BLINDNESS OR CYNICISM? 08:55  |  Lebanese 12/11/06   147.   To Howard in "Phoenix" - 133 14:01  |  Marlene 12/11/06   148.   To Maureen No. 144 14:49  |  Marlene 12/11/06   149.   And what have you added Jane? (56) 15:00  |  Marlene 12/11/06   150.   to "Neutral" Observer No. 123 15:17  |  Marlene 12/11/06   151.   NO CLASH OF CIVILIZATION, BUT WORSE! 15:44  |  Peace 12/11/06   152.   Marlene 16:42  |  Neutral 12/11/06   153.   No. 152 17:03  |  Marlene 12/11/06   154.   Marlene 17:46  |  Neutral 12/11/06   155.   Marlene 17:50  |  Nuetral 12/11/06   156.   Marlene 18:03  |  Nuetral 12/11/06   157.   I am going to tell you where you should feel youe own pain! 19:15  |  Musa 12/11/06   158.   #148 Marilyn, THEIR SHAMEFUL INDIFFERENCE AND SILENCE 04:02  |  Duch 13/11/06   159.   # 151 Well said! 07:14  |  Dutch 13/11/06   160.   to #22 (Steve) 10:29  |  Eman 13/11/06   161.   The same of Christians 16:09  |  Yevhen 13/11/06   162.   ADL 19:24  |  edgar 04/11/07

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