Israeli Arabs on Monday commemorate “Nakba Day,” (Day of Catastrophe) marking the 69th anniversary of Israel’s declaration of Independence, which actually took place on May 14, 1948 (it was a Friday).
Arab social networks have been calling for a shut down of all commercial activities between 11 AM and 2 PM, so folks can go out and experience freedom. Monday morning has already been marked by rioting and stone-throwing in the villages of Nabi Salah, and Abud. And dozens of Arabs threw stones at the homes of the Beit El settlement from the direction of Gilazon.
The Declaration of Independence specifically noted that “in the midst of wanton aggression, we yet call upon the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to return to the ways of peace and play their part in the development of the State, with full and equal
citizenship and due representation in its bodies and institutions – provisional or permanent.” The text continues: “We offer peace and unity to all the neighboring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all.”
The Arab response to Israel’s extended hand in peace – before there were any issues of borders and “occupation,” mind you – was a massive invasion by five major Arab states, which followed a lengthy civil war under the British Mandate which had just expired.
Very little has changed since that initial standoff, although, had the Arab invaders won there likely wouldn’t have been nearly as many living Jews between the Jordan River and the Sea. And so, to emphasize this point, terror attacks, marches and riots are expected throughout Judea and Samaria, combining with a security prisoners’ hunger strike in a climactic cautionary tale of what would happen should Israel’s Jews ever lose sight of their internal, Arab threat.
The Palestinian Authority, created by a Labor government representing a minority of Israeli Jews, is throwing gasoline on the fire, having declaring this a school holiday, so the kids can go out and riot. And so Arab citizens of Israel and the PA will be demonstrating, parading, and, of course, eventually getting to the stone and Molotov cocktail bottle throwing at IDF soldiers all day Monday, to drive home the message of what could happen to Israel should its leaders acquiesce to a Palestinian State at their border.
You say peace, I say stage one.