Every time I hear an American official remind Israel on the need to end settlement activity, my blood pressure starts to go up. Those American officials have hit the nail on the head. Yes, for sure, settlement activity should come to a halt and the occupied territories should be given up. Israel I hope, told them that, when US State Department officials John Wolf and David Satterfield recently visited Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

I whole-heartedly agree, and by the way the Mexicans would too. America should return the occupied Southwestern territories it took from Mexico (some say bought, but that was under pressure, after the war). Since according to International Law, conquest does not transfer sovereignty rights, America has been occupying illegally California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas since 1845. George W. Bush - the settler - will have to give up his home, as he suggests others do elsewhere. I propose that an International Peace Conference be convened, to reopen this long historic injustice, and settle this conflict permanently. I'm sure America would find Israel to be a friend and an even-handed participant.

As Satterfield recently said, Israel must stop building settlements and rethink a barrier in the West Bank and told Palestinian leaders to rein in terrorist attacks. And I fully agree. America should also stop building its anti-immigration wall along the US-Mexican border. Lucky for the Americans, the Mexicans long ago stopped terrorist attacks against American settlers, they just want to return to their homeland - California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas - to find work. Israelis aren't as lucky, the Palestinians still are trying regularly to slaughter Jewish "settlers" and are too often successful.

I guess Israel's security fence is more justified than the American's wall.

So when an American official spouts-off about giving up occupied territories, they should first check to see if their membership card for MEChA is still valid.

MEChA by the way, is a radical Hispanic students organization in the Southwest United States, whose constitution Article II, Section 1, says, "...general membership shall consist of any student who accepts, believes and works for the goals and objectives of MEChA, including the liberation of AZTLAN, meaning self-determination of our people in this occupied state and the physical liberation of our land." MEChA is just the tip of the Hispanic liberation iceberg.

This radical movement and other liberationists like them, identifies itself as "America's Palestinians." Their ultimate goal is to reclaim the American Southwest, including California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and parts of Colorado and Texas. Hispanic activists refer to the former Mexican territory as Aztlan, the mythical place of origin of the Aztec people. Aztecs in Colorado? Palestinians in Hebron or Jerusalem?

I think, since anyone can open a bible and see for themselves that the Jews/Israelis were in Hebron and Jerusalem for thousands of years, there shouldn't be a question as to whose land it is. But I don't know, those Aztecs have a point...

Since both Christians and Muslims believe in G-D's revelation to the Children of Israel and His promise of bringing them into a land - the present Israel - there shouldn't be too much dispute, Jews aren't settlers in Judea and Samaria - the West Bank - and Gaza, they're the indigenous population. Jews have lived in their ancient homeland from time immemorial. The same cannot be said of those European and African settlers living in the American Southwest. Black and White settlers might just have to return their lands to the original inhabitants, Aztecs or Mexicans, or whomever a proper International Tribunal shall determine to be the rightful owners.

I don't recall anywhere in the New Testament or in any African writings that claim that G-D gave them the Southwest United States, or for that matter anywhere in the "New World". By the way, lets not forget the genocidal slaughter of the Native Americans in the rest of what's now called the United States. Fair is fair, and if American officials and American policy can call on Israel to give up lands, Israel should reciprocate and file motions in the UN on behalf of the Mexicans, the Aztecs, and the other indigenous peoples in North America.

When Satterfield recently said, "As Israeli settlements expand ... it becomes ever more difficult to see how two peoples can be separated into two states," He didn't stop to think, who is right, whose land it is, and who is stealing. Arabs invaded the area in the 7th century. Why should they have a state? The 22 Arab states they already have aren't enough?

Satterfield said in a speech to a conference on the Arab-Israeli War in 1967 not long ago, "Settlement activity must stop." If he meant in Los Angeles, and Phoenix, and Dallas, I agree. But in Hebron, where my forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived; where King David ruled from, before Jerusalem, forget it!

"The course of the separation barrier under construction now remains a significant problem as well ... and, like settlement activity itself, takes everyone further from the comfort and trust necessary to achieve the president's vision of two states," Satterfield said. When George W. Bush packs up his home and migrates to, lets see where was that, the east coast? Or was that Great Britain? I'll consider giving up part of the Land of Israel - for all of a split second - no, let Bush be a refugee, the Jews have G-d on their side, and are already home.

Satterfield concluded, saying that a two-state vision "must be the basis for any lasting final status arrangement." Boy is he right-on there, and I hope the Aztecs enjoy living on Bush's ranch.

By the way, where does Satterfield live?

Ariel Natan Pasko is an independent analyst & consultant. He has a Master's Degree in International Relations & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites, in newspapers, and can be read at:

www.geocities.com/ariel_natan_pasko

(c) 2004/5764 Pasko