Al Jazeera reports the PLO refuses to endorse the Goldstone Report. Here are some of the reasons they give. One main reservation the Palestinians have is that the report endorsed the Israeli war on Gaza early this year as a legitimate act of self-defense and not an act of aggression, our correspondent said. Another concern is the accusations against Hamas and other Palestinian factions of having possibly committed war crimes by launching rockets against the civilian population in Israel. Endorsing the report would mean endorsing the justification for the Israeli war and the war crimes allegations against Hamas. The Palestinian side sees these as having legal ramifications which could hamper national efforts to form a unity government with Hamas.
Claims of human rights abuses generally involve the assembly of evidence over a period of years. The Hamas avoided this process in an attempt to gain the quick victory denied her on the battlefield. Although they couched their suit in terms of war crimes, they limited the action to the 22-day skirmish last winter. They opted for the quick propaganda show in lieu of establishing a string of human rights abuses going back 43 years. Less spectacular the tactic was the only one that might have improved living conditions for the people of Gaza.
A Primitive Tribal Seventh Century Society in Gaza, They Brandish 20th Century Weapons. Between 800 and 1200 AD the Muslim culture flowered as the most advanced in the world. It led the way in religious sophistication, philosophy, science and mathematics. Socially, they had fashioned a system of justice that respected the rights of women. How have they fallen so far?
The Hunger for Change Exists
By the year 1000 AD two great Muslim universities had developed in Cordoba, Spain, and in Baghdad. They were havens for the curious who searched for explanations. It was a time for debate nothing written in stone. In other places they lived in what we call the Dark Ages.
In the 21st Century many see the recapitulation of the forces of darkness and ignorance. President George Bush personified this, but he has had many cohorts. By the American example, the young people of Asia recognize the dangers of the imperialistic bottomless pit that democracy holds.
Critics of Reformers Have No Basis in Thought
The niggling nabobs of negativism use personal invective and lies to block reform. They repeat the ancient bromides that first brought them to power.
Literacy and Empowerment of Women Are Direct Roads to a Better Society
Historically, most Muslim women can't read. Hidden from them is the justice element of the Koran. Muhammad's wife was an entrepreneur. The Prophet was her employee. He wrote in the Koran women had the right to own a business and to dispose of the profits in any way she saw fit. In Bangladesh they have a system of village banks that make loans to impoverished clients. In denominations of $100, $200 and $300, the bankers insist on a business plan and a repayment schedule.
While the funds have supported myriads of projects, a large number remain in education. Literacy opens a world of opportunity for the client.
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