Bill Sykes' Newsletter from America.
(January 2002)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
The Palestinian situation - Part One
Comparison of the State of Palestine that I knew during
the period 1946-1948, to the current day State of Israel.
 As
a member of the elite British Parachute Regiment, I was
stationed for two years in Palestine on a tour of duty
aimed at enforcing the Balfour Declaration and the British
Mandate (1922-1948), which restricted the entry of Jewish
immigrants to specified numbers.
During this time period, members of three Israeli factions,
the Hagganah, Irgun Zvia Leumi, and the Stern Gang, committed
daily acts of terrorism against the British Soldiers.
The bombing of the King David Hotel, in Jerusalem, by
members of one of the terrorist organizations, killed
in excess of one hundred people.
Incidentally at the time of the bombing I was staying
at the nearby YMCA for a couple of days R&R.
 Menachem
Begin, a future Prime Minister of the State of Palestine,
was at that time a Commander of the Irgun Svai Leumi Militant
Extremist terrorist Organization.
The British soldiers acted with great restraint and indomitable
courage under the extreme provocation of continued terrorist
actions.
The interception of the illegal boat people was handled
humanely and with extreme care.
I was present at the arrival, and boarding, of the dilapidated
boats, (such as the Star of David and the Exodus), by
British Naval personnel and the subsequent humane treatment
by qualified medical personnel of the illegals.
Apart from the distressing conditions aboard the refugee
boats, such as terrible overcrowding and unsanitary conditions,
I was somewhat amazed at the large contingent of Asiatic
Jews amongst the people fleeing Europe for the Promised
Land.
By the way, during my tour of duty myself, and members
of my platoon, patrolled every road from Safed in the
north to Gaza in the south on a daily basis.
I was going to say that we slept on every road from Safed
to Gaza during our day and night patrols, but sleep was
a great luxury in those troubled times.
My most pleasant experience was, whilst stationed with
my platoon at a small outpost overlooking the Sea of Galilee,
that I had the opportunity to visit many times a Kibbutz
near Rosh Pinna on the Lebanese border in order to purchase
fresh fruit and vegetables etc.
 This
Kibbutz bore the romantic name of “The Morning Star
Settlement” and during my visits I sat with the head
of the settlement on the porch of his chalet watching
the evening sunset, drinking Gold Star beer and discussing
our different roles in the current struggle.
In a later edition I will give the readers a fuller account
of my two-year stay in Palestine. (For whatever reason,
I still call the country Palestine as that is what it
was when I was there).
So my question is: “Has anything changed?”
The perception by the Jewish people, during the period
1946-1948, that the British soldiers were the oppressors
of Jewish nationals has now turned about face and the
Jewish people are now considered by many Islamic Nations
to be the oppressors of the Arab Nationals.
So, it would appear that in the last fifty plus years
nothing has really changed, except the players.
When noting the brief history outlined on the next page,
what is fifty years in the life of a country that has
been occupied for thousands of years by many different
nations of this world.
 One
must remember the saying, ”One man’s freedom
fighter is another man’s terrorist”.
There is a very fine dividing line between the two.
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