The Gulf Crisis and New World Order — Page 249
The Gulf Crisis & The New World Order Lion-hearted also took part in these invasions and was defeated; so were some powerful monarchs of France. Germany and Belgium also participated but nobody could tum the tide. So these wounds are still bleeding and their painful memories still alive. Secondly, they had to bite the dust at the hands of the Ottoman Empire and the Ottoman government occupied a substantial portion of Europe. So this has also been a running sore for these powers. At any rate the long and short of this is that the crusades and the ascendancy of the Ottoman Empire is spread over a very long period of time. Particularly during the time of Solomon - the Magnificent, these powers were repeatedly routed. This forced them to regard Islam as their greatest threat. In their psychological perspective this matter is always alive that just as once before in history, Muslims countered their aggressive moves in the strongest terms, they must never be allowed lo repeat that performance and thus protect their interests. JEWS - VICTIMS TO TYRANNY AND PERSECUTION IN EUROPE There is another very interesting dimension lo this perspective, very profound and very painful as well. When Theodore Herzl introduced the plan of establishing a Jewish state, the reason he presented was that they were being oppressed and terrorised for over a thousand years in Europe. There was an incident of repression in France, when a Jew was wrongfully indicted and later convicted. Herzl travelled to France from Austria and was so moved by this act of injustice that he started a movement for the establishment of Israel. So this was the reason that triggered the movement for the establishment of an Israeli state in the land of Palestine. No one cared lo ask them as to how the cruelties perpetuated against the Jews by Europeans could be rectified by taking revenge from Palestinians. How would these cruelties taper off by their entry into Palestinian lands. But the fact remains that the Jews were certainly justified in saying that the Christian Western world subjected the Jews to such sustained horrifying cruelties that have no parallel in history. Let me draw your attention to some pertinent details in this context. The crusades which began in the year 1095 started from France and it was probably Lord Godfrey of B ouillon who took the lead. When he and other French monarchs embarked on this campaign or the first 249