With Abbas soon to depart the scene, the future of Palestine cannot be left to his followers, to manage as they see fit and to protect their own interests.
Although intended to inspire his Fatah Party followers, a televised speech by Mahmoud Abbas on the 51st Anniversary of the group’s launch highlighted, instead, the unprecedented crisis that continues to wreak havoc on the Palestinian people. Not only did Abbas sound defensive and lacking in any serious or new initiatives, but his ultimate intention appeared as if it was about his political survival, and nothing else.
In his speech on December 31, he tossed in many of the old clichés, chastising Israel at times, although in carefully-worded language, and insisted that any vital decisions concerned with “the future of the land, people and national rights” would be “subject to general elections and (voted on by the Palestine) National Council (PNC), because our people made heavy sacrifices and they are the source of all authorities.”
Ironically, Abbas presides over the Palestinian Authority (PA) with a mandate that expired in January 2009 and his party, Fatah, which refused to accept the results of democratic elections in the Occupied Territories in 2006, continues to behave as the ‘ruling party’ with no mandate, aside from the political validation it receives from Israel, the US and their allies.
As for the PNC, it served as the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) until the PA was established in 1994. Propped up by international funds, the PA was initially formed as a means to an end, that being ‘final status’ negotiations and a Palestinian State. Instead, it became a status quo in itself, and its institutions, which largely reflected the political interests of a specific branch within Fatah, replaced the PLO, the PNC, together with all other institutions that expressed a degree of democracy and inclusiveness.
Whatever PLO structure that symbolically remained in place after the PA soft coup is now a rubber stamp that does not merely reflect the wishes of a single party, Fatah (which lost its majority among Palestinians in 2006), but an elitist, wealthy group within the once-leading party. In some way, Abbas’ current role is largely to serve the interest of this group, as opposed to charting a path of liberation for the entire Palestinian collective, at home, in refugee camps or in the Diaspora.
Nothing was as telling about Abbas’ real mission at the helm of the PA than his statement in his speech of December 31, where he completely ruled out the dismantling of the PA—now that it has failed in its mission, and while an elaborate PLO political structure already exists, which is capable of replacing it. Oddly, Abbas described the PA as one of the greatest achievements of the Palestinian people.
I say, ‘oddly’ because the PA was the outcome of the now practically defunct Oslo ‘peace process’, which was negotiated by Abbas and a few others in secret with Israel, at the behest of the late Palestinian Fatah leader, Yasser Arafat. The whole initiative was founded on secrecy and deceit and was signed without taking the Palestinian people into account. Worse, when Palestinians attempted to vote to challenge the status quo wrought by Oslo, the outcome of the elections was dismissed by Fatah, which led to a civil war in 2007 where hundreds of Palestinians were killed.
But aside from the historical lapses of Abbas, who is now 80-years-old, his words—although meant to assure his supporters—are, in fact, a stark reminder that the Palestinian people, who have been undergoing a violent uprising since October, are practically leaderless.
While Abbas explains that the reason behind the ‘habba’ or the ‘rising’—a reference to the current Intifada—is Israel’s continued violations and illegal settlement, he failed to endorse the current uprising or behave as if he is the leader of that national mobilization. He constantly tries to hold the proverbial stick in the middle so that he does not invite the ire of his people or that of Israel.
Like a crafty politician, he is also trying to reap multiple benefits, siding with the people at times, as if a revolutionary leader, to remind Israel and the US of his importance as someone who represents the non-violent strand of Palestinian politics, and ride the wave of the intifada until the old order is restored. In fact, signs of that old order—interminable negotiations—are still evident. The PA’s Chief Negotiator, Saeb Erekat, has recently announced that talks between the PA and Israel are still taking place, a terrible omen at a time when Palestinians are in desperate need for a complete overhaul of their failed approach to politics and national liberation.
However, the problem is much bigger than Mahmoud Abbas. Reducing the Palestinian failure to the character of a single person is deeply rooted in most political analyses pertaining to Palestine for many years. (This is actually more pronounced in Western media than in Arabic media). Alas, once aging Abbas is no longer on the political scene, the problem is likely to persist, if not addressed.
While Fatah has made marked contributions to Palestinian Resistance, its greatest contribution was liberating the Palestinian cause, as much as is practically possible, from the confines and manipulation of Arab politics. Thanks to that generation of young Palestinian leaders, which also included leaders of the PFLP and other socialist groups, there was, for once, a relatively unified Palestinian platform that did represent a degree of Palestinian priorities and objectives.
But that relative unity was splintered among Palestinian factionalism: within the PLO itself, and then outside the PLO, where groups and sub-groups grew into a variety of ideological directions, many of whom were funded by Arab regimes which utilized the Palestinian struggle to serve national and regional agendas. A long and tragic episode of national collapse followed. When the Palestinian Resistance was exiled from Lebanon in 1982, following the Israeli invasion of that country, the PLO and all of its institutions were mostly ruled by a single party. Fatah, by then, grew older and more corrupt, operating within geographical spheres that were far away from Palestine. It dominated the PLO which, by then, grew into a body mired in political tribalism and financial corruption.
True, Abbas is an essential character in that sorry episode which led to the Oslo fiasco in 1993; however, the burgeoning political culture that he partly espoused will continue to operate independent from the aspirations of the Palestinian people, with or without Abbas.
It is this class, which is fed with US-Western money and perks and happily tolerated by Israel, which must be confronted by Palestinians themselves, if they are to have a real chance at reclaiming their national objectives once more.
The current wisdom conveyed by some, that today’s Intifada has superseded the PA, is utter nonsense. No popular mobilization has a chance of succeeding if it is impeded by such a powerful group as those invested in the PA, all unified by a great tug of self-interest.
Moreover, waiting for Abbas to articulate a stronger, more convincing message is also a waste of time, since the ailment is not Abbas’ use of vocabulary, but his group’s refusal to cede an inch of their undeserved privilege, in order to open up space for a more democratic environment—so that all Palestinians, secularists, Islamists and socialists take equal part in the struggle for Palestine.
A starting point would be a unified leadership in the Occupied Territories that manages the Intifada outside the confines of factions, combined with a vision for revamping PLO institutions to become more inclusive and to bring all Palestinians, everywhere, together.
Abbas is soon to depart the political scene, either because of an internal Fatah coup, or as a result of old age. Either way, the future of Palestine cannot be left to his followers, to manage as they see fit and to protect their own interests. The future of an entire nation is at stake.
Abbas is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Abbas (and the PA Leadership) will be aware that Zionist Israel has assassinated over 350 Palestinian leaders, simply because they spoke up for the Palestinian people.
Indeed in 2006, The Zionist Israeli Supreme Court ruled that Assassination of Palestinian Leaders was legal. Zionist Israel is the only country in the world to pass such legislation.
Zionist Israel has created a “Catch 22” situation for itself, Zionist Israel needs Abbas as the P.A. leader in order to maintain the fiction that the P.A. is responsible for the intrinsic Palestinian population living under Zionist Israeli occupation.
Were Abbas and the P.A. to quietly disappear, Zionist Israel would find itself responsible for all people within Zionist Israeli borders, and that would create a Palestinian majority, in Zionist Israel.
Well actually, with a Palestinian majority, there could not be a Zionist Israel.
The Demographic Time Bomb is the permanent nightmare for 6 million Zionist Israelis of European origin and it`s very real.
Today, 1.6 million of Zionist Israeli population are Christian and Muslim Palestinians, there are nearly 2 million Palestinians imprisoned in the Gaza Ghetto, 3 million West Bank Palestinians and 5 million UN registered Palestinians who are denied the right of return to their homeland.
Non-Zionist Palestinians outnumber Zionist Israelis by two to one!
It was Thomas Jefferson who said “The will of the people is the only Legitimate foundation of any Government” he continued with “And to protect it`s free expression should be our first object”.
The US should start to use an even hand with Zionist Israelis and Palestinians, before it`s too late.
Ramzy Baroud is confused. There is already a ‘Palestinian’
state in Gaza. Israel
left Gaza and under fire and the
shooting never stopped and has intensified from time to time. Also there
are autonomous zones in Judea and Samaria
completely controlled by the PA. The only problem is that there is no
political entity that operates as a state in these territories.
For instance when the state of Israel
was declared after the 1947 partition the line of march had been consolidated
by the Jewish Agency and the international Zionist movement. The Jewish
Agency declared the state and recognition followed suit with the agency
establishing political ruling bodies including welfare and defense
administrations. This body successfully repelled the Arab invasions and
removed hostile populations. As to the injustice of the individual people
who were removed or fled or were killed one can only realize that statecraft is
a rough business. This might sound insensitive but is a fact that must be
grappled with.
Gaza-‘Palestine’
is a border defined area that operates as a state. This state has declared war
on Israel plain
and simple. At this point Israel
has not crushed this entity but that is not necessary. If and when the
need arises this will happen. Hopefully
there will be no need to force Gaza-‘Palestine’
to capitulate a la India- East Pakistan.
A similar situation existed between India
and East and West Pakistan after partition of the Indian
sub continent. This is the parallel I-P (Israel-Palestine: India-Pakistan)
situation. The Indian sub continent was
partitioned between religious (Muslim – Hindu) groups in much the same way that
Jewish – Arab Palestine was
partitioned. However the consequences
were exponentially different. For
instance
Over 1.1 million people were murdered in sectarian violence
during the partition process when India
and Pakistan
were created and more than 10 million refugees lost their homes.
Pakistan
and India
continue to fight over Kashmir each occupying and
claiming territory in that region.
Fighting and gang like terror attacks continue to this day. Check out this timeline: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/live-terror-attack-at-pathankot-air-force-base-2-terrorist-killed/
…..one can easily find parallels in the other I-P situation. Just exchange the names of the leaders, the
geographic locations and voila! Even the
words ‘terrorist neutralized’ are all too familiar and interchangeable n’est
pas Mr. Baroud?
Israel
much like India
after partition was sandwiched between two hostile entities – Gaza–+
+Palestine’
occupied by Egypt
and Judea-Samaria occupied by Jordan. In 1967 Gaza
and Judea-Samaria were liberated from the occupying states. Today hostilities continue. Israel
was exposed to harassment from these two regions much like India
was exposed to harassment by East and West P+akistan. India
forces invaded East Pakistan and forced unconditional
surrender and set up a puppet – Bangladesh
– prohibiting a sharia law state as part of the 25 year treaty forced on the
puppet. Most notable in the treaty was
the prohibition agreed to by the Bengalis that no diplomatic relations could be
instituted with any country hostile to India. This model should apply to Gaza-
‘Palestine’.
The Hamas – PA axis and leadership need to vacate so called
leadership roles and make way for a new politically conscious class. This could be promoted by an Israeli invasion
of Gaza and the setting up of a
puppet regime a la East Pakistan/Bangladesh.
Currently the Hamas-
PA leadership and political class are money suckers and not making any progress
to formalize relations with the Israeli government. Hamas- PA and their gangs are only involved
in money shake down operations engaging in gang style violence with the aim of
obtaining funding for the limited purpose of perpetuating their corrupt scam
and continuing conflict. Hamas-PA have
done absolutely nothing to improve the well being of the local citizenry they
purport to represent and a plethora of independent
(not shills like Baroud) writers. Any
claims that this is ‘all Israel’s
fault’ is disputed primarily by the Hamas-PA populations. In all reality a so called ‘Paelstinian’
state already exists but has not been formally recognized since the leadership
is bankrupt. There is no
state/institutional stability other than who gets the money, gas and guns.
An Israeli invasion with the setting up of a puppet regime
in Gaza is the best step forward
that can be taken at this time. Gaza
is a contiguous territory with air and sea outlets that can stand alone without
traversing Israeli territory. There is
no need for a ‘safe passage’ as envisioned in the Oslo
accords (where is the safe passage across Canada
from the lower 48 to Alaska?) The puppet in Gaza
can promote the peaceful interests of the citizens of Judea
and Samaria, issue passports and
have a peace treaty with Israel,
Egypt and Jordan. Under the treaty Jews should be allowed to
return and settle and promote commerce with other residents. Note that both Egypt
and Jordan have
concluded stable peace treaties with Israel
and the Gaza state can join this
treaty regime. Gaza
should have no relations with any country that is hostile to Israel. This formula has worked for India
and Bangladesh
and should serve as a model for future Israel Gaza – ‘Palestine’
relations. All Arabs living in Judea
and Samaria and Palestine
could obtain passports and vote for a legislative body and leadership with
governance located in Gaza – ‘Palestine’.
It’s you who’s confused, I’m afraid, starting with your Israeli hasbara version of history. The truth is that there was a ceasefire following the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza that held for a week until Israel launched an attack into the West Bank, killing three members of Islamic Jihad, who retaliated with rocket fire from Gaza. Indeed, the violence has intensified from time to time, including Operation Cast Lead, which was begun after Israel violated its ceasefire with Hamas, and Operation Pillar of Defense, which was again begun just a day after a ceasefire agreement was announced in order to catch Hamas off guard to assassinate a high level official. Etcetera.
Why get into the tit for tat stuff? Who denies that Israel and Zionists and Arab gangsters and Isis and Hamas and Fatah are shooting at each other? The question is how do the people of Gaza run their ‘state?’ What is their political narrative? What forms their political consciousness? Obviously they need a new political consciousness because the ‘the Jews are killing me’ and ‘the Zionists stole my land’ isn’t working. Gaza needs some new political theory for existence. This is why Baroud and you and Thompson are confused. Zionists aren’t the only racists in the world. India stole land from Pakistan by military force. North Vietnam stole South Vietnam by force. Sunnis and Shiites are chopping each others’ heads off and are tit for tat bombing their mosques. Again look at India-Pakistan and Kashmir? That’s a much bigger problem with millions dead and tens of millions of refugees. Some Pakistanis are attempting to change the political narrative. The leadership there wants to get ahead of the past history even though India defeated the Pakistan army and conquered Bengal by force and set up the puppet in Bangladesh. And this was the defeat of an Islamic entity to boot – land taken from the Umma! How are the Pakistanis ‘getting over it?’ This is what you and Thompson and Baroud need to examine and eschew the old narrative and develop a new political consciousness that gets beyond the ‘tragic defeat’ at the hands of the Zionists. Because ‘The Zionists stole my land’ doesn’t resonate anymore.
Funny how you considered it relevant when blaming the Palestinians for violence, but when I point out how Israel’s violence was responsible for ending the ceasefire following the withdrawal from Gaza, suddenly, the question is “Why get into the tit for tat stuff?”
Instructive.
The examples you give are basically civil wars, much like the USA civil war.
Zionist Israel was created by Britain and is sustained by the US for the exclusive benefit of Zionist European immigrants who insist that the land is exclusively theirs.
The US appointed King-Crane Commission said in 1919 that a proposal for a Zionist State in Palestine was unfeasible as it would require the removal of the intrinsic population and could only be sustained by force of arms.
That is the situation we have today, 5 million UN registered Palestinian refugees all denied the right of return to their homeland, 2 million Palestinians imprisoned in the Gaza Ghetto and 3 million West Bank Palestinians living under illegal military occupation.
The nearly 2 million Palestinian Israeli citizens are second hand citizens, marriages between then and Zionist Israelis are not recognised.
The simple fact is Zionist Israel effectively, illegally, occupies all of Palestine, part of Syria and Lebanon.
You may be convinced that “Zionists stole my land” does not resonate, try talking to any of 400 million Arabs and see what they say, and it`s the opinions of those 400 million that are far more resonant that your Hasbara nonsense. .
Back to the parallel I-P problems. Just as India was partitioned against the will of some of the majority of the natives so was Syria-Palestine. The King – Crane (Crane was a plumbing fixture manufacturer and I’m sure you’ve relieved yourself in a Crane urinal before) report is visionary and idealistic – note that the religious freedom and protection of minorities was paramount in that text. There was to be no kingdom of Jordan, no independent Lebanon and all peoples in the Syria region were to unite in a democratic Syria. As things turn out the only stable democratic country in what was supposed to be greater Syria is Israel. Fancy that! Also you can look to the Mesopotamia part of the report and that region – Iraq- is in nearly the same shape as Syria.
The report speaks of the religions and cultures being pushed together into one country to learn to live together. The report notes the distrust of the Muslims and Christians and Jews of each other. Supposedly this mistrust would disappear with the enforcement of religious and individual freedoms – something IMPOSSIBLE under Muslim Sharia law. The report also noted the ancient distrust of the various sects of Christians of each other. And of course this idealistic report could not countenance the idea that Jews could be in control of the holy sites of Christians or Muslims. So much the ideal of different people learning to live together. By the way what state in the middle east is not sustained by force of arms? Syria? Lebanon? Iraq? Jordan? Not to mention the wars between Iraq and Iran and Kuwait. The Muslim Arabs are warrior peoples.
There is no end to these intractable differences except maybe in the United States. People immigrate to the US and are SUPPOSED to leave their sectarian conflicts behind. The US is now under a wave of Sharia Jihad invasion. While this invasion is only beginning in the US it is well underway in Eurabia.
Given the objective evidence the most successful country that came out of the mandatory period is Israel. The people of Israel enjoy the highest standard of living in the region and the highest education level and the highest literacy levels and the best health levels. These are OBJECTIVE standards.
To complain that somehow Israel is or was sustained by Britain or the U.S. is silly. The report you cite speaks of a mandatory power to assist the regions that were formerly under Turkish control with economic investment op the
Thanks for your response, Smoke Signals, I have been away from a computer for a few days, hence the delays.
The 1917 Balfour Declaration stated A Jewish homeland in Palestine would be backed by Britain, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done to predjudice the civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.
The King-Crane Commission findings pointed out the impossibility achieving the conditions of the Balfour Declaration; stating it would require the removal of the intrinsic population, and could only be sustained by force of arms.
I may be wrong, Smoke Signals, but I have the distinct impression that the King-Crane report prophesied what is the reality in Zionist Israel today.
A codicil letter to the King-Crane report contained the statement, that were such a state to created, then the USA would be committed to permanent, financial, military and diplomatic support.
That also, Smoke Signals, was an accurate prophesy of the situation today.
US Financial and military support is obvious to all, less so is US diplomatic support;
Zionist Israel, according to the CIA, has between 200 and 400 military warheads which Zionist Israel refuses to confirm.
Zionist Israel is in violation of nearly 80 UN resolutions, over 40 of which have been vetoed by the US, both record number by a very long way.
Compare that US response to the US approach to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, etc, etc, etc. Or to the $ billions paid annually to Egypt and Jordain conditional on maintaining the US brokered 1979 peace treaties.
The catch 22 situation that Zionist Israel has created is; you cannot have a Zionist state if the majority of the population are Christians or Muslims. the current 20% of Palestinian citizens of Israel are tolerated but not accepted.
The remaining 10 million or so Palestinians must be excluded from Israel if Israel is to remain Zionist.
The current situation is that Gaza has been under (Illegal) blockade for 9 years, and The West Bank has been under (illegal) Zionist Israeli occupation for 49 years, with over 500,000 Zionist Israelis now living in fortified segregation settlements, linked by fenced road that the Palestinian population is not allowed to use.
Netanyahu stated in March 2015 “A Palestinian State will not happen on my watch” it won him the election, yet Netanyahu avoids the alternative of a “One State” solution.
And Abbas is expected to come to some sort of arrangement with Netanyahu!
What a shame that the early European Zionist immigrants to Palestine were not prepared to integrate into Palestinian society (the Ottoman`s had left a pretty well establish system).
As it is, what we have today is a European colony, based on the 19th century British imperialist model, that has not provided any benefits to the intrinsic population, only serious disadvantages, and resentment from the wider Arab world, and Iran, if you don`t consider Iran an Arab country.
I personally feel that, as the “new arrival” in the Middle East, the onus is very much on Zionist Israel to make herself acceptable, not the other way around.
P.S. If you are seriously interested in M.E. history, try “Western Imperialism in the Middle East, 1914 – 1958” by D.K.Fieldhouse, intended as a “broad introductory overview of the region.
It`s rather expensive, but well worth it, if only for all the source references, which expose all the myths!
.
Mr. Thompson – The problem is that Jews as a rule are never acceptable wherever they may be. That was the point of establishing the National Home.
As you can see from the surveys in King – Crane neither the Christian or Muslim Arabs wanted the Jwws around. But when you stack up all the countries in the region that were partitoned at the same time and look at them objectively applying commonly used development standards of life span, literacy rates, per capita income, agriculture development which is the most successful? Syria? Lebanon? Iraq? Jordan? Saudi Arabia? Israel? Clearly the answer is Israel.
The object of the mandate system which King – Crane studied was the liklihood of successful organization and enterprise as a state. The Zionist State of Israel is the most successful state in the region by any objective measure.
Unfortunately there is no comprehensive peace in the region but the Zionist State of Israel has concluded relatively stable treaties with Arab Egypt and Arab Jordan. This is a success that is supported by the U.S.
Much less money has been spent on Israel than on other countries in the region – for instance the US spent $ 1 trillion on Iraq and this pales in comparison to US $ spent on Zionist Israel. Add it all up. When you throw in the money spent to liberate Kuwait and the largess spent to arm the other countries in the region the money spent on Israel is a bargain.
And as previously stated there is a Gaza – ‘Palestine’ state with Hamas rule. The P.A. administers areas in Judea and Samaria. Look at the horrible job those leaders are doing. They are corrupt by any objective standard and they don’t function like a state even though they are a defacto state. They reflect the problems that are present in places like Iraq and Syria and Lebanon – gangsters who pose as political leaders whose main political tome is look at what the Zionists have done to us! As long as this nonsense continues the Arab people will continue to suffer from their own self inflicted wounds.
Time for a new narrative that eschews victimhood and anti Zionism and anti Semitism don’t you think?
You may recall, Smoke and Signals, that my original response to your comments started with the words “I`m really surprised that there are supporters of Zionist Israel that still post such smoke and mirrors nonsense”
I do appreciate your “debate” dialogue, that said, and with the greatest respect, you have simply provided a standard Zionist Israeli Foreign Office propaganda response and ignored the “Zionist” scenario.
The King-Crane Commission were well aware of Arab sensibilities, in 1919 Arabs were understandably convinced that Britain would provide Arab independence from Ottoman occupation, they would have rejected the proposal of a national home for Druids, Hindus, Taoists or Mormons.
Arabs were not anti-Jewish per se, they were and are anti-Foreigners, full stop.
You have a very strong point when you refer to “Other” M.E. states, under some 600 years of Ottoman rule the M.E. did not have formal borders, rather there were “Spheres of Influence” Damascus, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Beirut, Mosul and Basra were the main ones, each having a seat in the Turkish Parliament.
It was a system that had evolved with the general approval of the Arab population. The borders we now see are all artificial creations of Britain, France in the case of Lebanon with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait a result of US influence (If it`s a Kingdom, it`s a Western creation!).
Collaborating Arabs were installed as Leaders who did as instructed by “The West” and there was resistance from day one, resistance which goes on today. I`m personally surprised that it took so long for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (IS) to emerge, and not at all surprised it is such a fanatical organisation.
Israel also faced resistance, but Israel had a recognised and very effective Army, Hagana had long been trained in the use of heavy weapons by Britain and officially recognised by Britain as early as November 1944, and from May 1947, despite a UN arms embargo, Israel was supplied with sophisticated weapons by the US including 3 B17 bombers.
The US has continued unconditional support for Zionist Israel, creating one of the worlds, not just the M.E. most powerful army which has provided the means for expansion of Israeli borders to in effect include all of Palestine, part of Syria and the Lebanon.
Funnily enough, Smoke Signals, I have no objections to expanding borders, Palestine has a very long history of Foreign occupation, my strong objection is to the imposition by force of a Zionist state, which has to exclude non-Zionists if it is to remain a Zionist state.
The fact that Palestinians are the majority population in that neck of the woods, by nearly 2 to 1, presents a serious problem for Zionist Israelis who seem determined to blame Palestinians for 69 years of Genocidal Apartheid.
History has no examples of a state, country or empire that has permanently maintained a military superiority, yet that is what Zionist Israel will have to achieve.
Instability is not universal in the M.E. Iran has succeeded in rejecting western interests, and despite 17 years of sanctions, has emerged as a rich, stable and powerful country that has consistently maintained a balance of trade surplus (Israel last did that in 1958).
It was the former President of Iran who asked the question, “The Holocaust did not happen in Palestine. Why then are the Palestinians punished for the crimes that were committed in Europe”, why indeed? Smoke Signals.
Mainstream USA may well be very pro-Zionist Israel, but some 400 million Arabs are very anti-Zionist, and it`s those Arab opinions that are the most important.
I would also add that the majority of the worlds 15 million or so Jews, have no need or desire to live on stolen Palestinian land, which belies your claim that “Jews as a rule are never acceptable wherever they may be” and the need for a National home.
But it`s good to talk Smoke Screen.
Mr. Thompson – What do you mean by smoke and mirrors nonsense.
I have met all of your points and you have no real response. Of all the countries that were created in the M.E. after the WWI Israel is the most successful by ANY objective standard. This includes infant mortality, literacy, life expectancy, per capital income. No one can refute these statistics. You might think they are meaningless on a philosophical level but this is how the success of states is measured in the modern world.
You make mention that no empire or state has lasted forever through military power. Can you name me an empire or state that has lasted forever? I can tell you that the Jewish Zionist religion and culture has lasted from ancient times to the present with and without a statie. The culture is now augmented with an autonomous political Homeland entity namely the state of Israel that was reconstituted in the historical homeland of the Jewish people. You might not like fact but this is an undisputed fact. Will this new state last ‘forever’? Only the Almighty knows. But there is no record in our western history of an exiled people reconstituting their political state except for the Zionist Jews and the Zionist State of Israel. Yes Zionism is a political as well as a cultural religious movement. And again this state is more successful than any of the other states created at the same time in the M.E.
And the success can be objectively compared to the other I-P situation – that being India and Pakistan each CREATED as separate states out of many tribes and mini kingdoms in much the same way Israel and the other states in the middle east came into existence. Note that Israel gained her independence at the same time that I & P gained independence and ALL from the British. Do India and Pakistan maintain armies? Would those countries survive without armies and strength of arms? Both India and Pakistan are confrontation states and each has its own domestic insurrection movements that are motivated by some kind of political injustice. YOU have not reviewed this situation comparison between India and Pakistan on the one hand and Israel and “Palestine” on the other objectively. I think this belies animus toward Zionist Jews and Zionist Israel.
You single out Iran as some kind of outpost against western hegemony in the M.E. Don’t forget that this country once had friendly relations with Zionist Israel until 1979 when the Islamists took over the country. Note that Zionist Israel does not occupy a single grain of sand belonging to Iran. Iran is not an Arab country. Iran is Shiite and not Sunni and the Sunnis comprise the majority religion in the confrontation states surrounding Zionist Israel. There is no rational or political basis for the billigerance of Iran towards Zionist Israel. The war mongering coming from Iran is based on hatred of Jews only. Further evidence of this is the persecution of the Jewish population in Iran and the stated threats to annihilate the Jews in Israel and holocaust denial. This is based on religious hatred ONLY. Why would you be so enamored with such a state? Do you support Iran’s anti Semitic motives against Zionist Israel?
And while you state that the holocaust happened in Europe there were Nazi conspirators in the M.E. that worked to destroy the Jews of Europe. The mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al Husseini who claimed to represent the Arabs in Palestine spent the war years in Berlin and his promotion of the murder of the Jews is well known. And the Shah of Iran was a Nazi sympathizer. He was replaced by his son Reza Pahlevi who ruled until he abandoned his country during the Islamist takeover. There were anti Jewish riots throughout the Arab M.E. inspired by the Nazis and their sympathizers. The Arabs are not innocent when it comes to the holocaust in Europe. Many of them were collaborators and/or had a hand in it. One should ask why the Arabs chose not to open their doors to Jewish refugees during the holocaust and instead brutalized their native Jewish populations!
And what about the 400 million Arabs? Are they operating in objectively successful states? Syria? Iraq? Yemen? Libya? Not to mention the fact that Zionist Israel is at peace with the largest Arab state in the region Eqypt and neighboring Jordan for several decades now. Why do you ignore this success? Do you reject the existence and success of these treaties also? Are they meaningless to you or do they represent progress toward untangling a difficult situation? I am an optimist and I view those treaties as political success for Zionist Israel and Egypt and Jordan. If Zionist Israel was truly disinterested in peace with her neighbors why these successful treaties?
And you mention the fact that most Jews in the world choose not to be Israeli Zionists based on population figures. While more Jews live outside of Israel the number of those living in and out of Zionist Israel is nearing parity. This does not make either population group more or less Zionist or Jewish. And this is not a unique situation for ethnic groups. For instance did you know that there are SEVEN (7) TIMES more Irish in the U.S. than in Ireland? I’ll bet you didn’t think of that either. Or should the U.S. become the new homeland of the Irish?
Bear with me, Smoke Signals!
You may be aware that Dan Shapiro (US Ambassador to Israel) made a public speech in tel Aviv last Monday (18th January).
In it he stated, “Too many (Zionist Israeli) attacks on Palestinians lack a vigorous investigation or response by (Zionist) Israeli authorities; too much (Zionist Israeli) vigilantism goes unchecked. It seems there are two standards of adherence to the law, one for (Zionist) Israelis, and one for Palestinians”.
As far as I`m aware this is the first time a US representative has made such statements in a public forum,
Dan Shapiro`s speech is reproduced on the Israeli Governments web site, with every comment critical of Zionist Israel removed. This is standard policy, long practiced by Zionist Israel.
The Zionist Israeli Foreign Office, Hasbara organisation has, years ago, perfected the technique of presenting Zionist propaganda as the historically accurate representation of historical events with regard to Zionist Israel.
Hasbara propaganda has long been discredited, indeed there are many contradictory “facts” that only work when taken in isolation.
I have no way of knowing if you are a Hasbara volunteer, but I can say your comments reflect fully those that such people propagate.
For example, you state that “Israel is the homeland of Jews”. History disproves that claim, the Hebrews originated in what is now Southern Iraq, back then it was Egypt. Abraham was born in the ancient city of Ur near the Tigris and Euphrates delta. Overwhelming historical evidence of that simple reality.
Iran`s 1979 revolution was no different from the American, French, Russian or Chinese revolutions, it was a result of the overwhelming “Will of the people”.
Today there are some 30,000 Iranian Jews (and some 300,000 Iranian Christians), all with their rights guaranteed in the Iranian constitution, which provides all minorities with representation in the Iranian parliament.
Indeed Siamak Moreh Sedgh, is an Iranian M.P, a UN delegate to the UN and is Jewish.
There has never ever been an Iranian demand for Israeli Jewish annihilation, there has only been rejection of apartheid Zionism, which demands the artificial creation of a colony exclusively for Zionists.
Your repeating of Netanyahus claim that Palestinians were responsible for the Holocaust is, quite frankly, absurd. Netanyahu was roundly ridiculed and condemned by all sections of world society when he made that claim. It was made at a Zionist congress, where such stupid statements, seemingly have a ready audience.
You are probably unaware that Hungarian Zionist immigrant to Palestine, Feival Polkes became a leader of Hagana, the first Zionist terror organisation.
Feiveal Polkes arrived in Berlin, 26th January 1937 and met with Adolf Eichmann. Polkes invited Eichmann to Palestine and he arrived in Haifa, October 1937.
Adolf Eichmann then traveled to Cairo to meet the Hagana leadership, over a series of meetings the Hagana leadership approved of a Nazi offer that Polkes should spy for Nazi Germany.
Polkes supplied important information regarding the British military situation throughout WW2, providing valuable aid to the Nazi war effort.
As for the Egypt and Jordan peace treaties, they were imposed on all parties by the US. Read the CIA papers on the 1973 war, when Zionist Israel threatened to use short range nuclear tactical warheads unless the US came to the assistance of Zionist Israel.
It`s all there Smoke Signals for anyone who wishes to (Easily) find out for themselves. You may not be knowingly propagating Zionist policies, but that is what you are actually doing, and it is not helpful at all.
This story is about “Palestine after Abbas” and that is highly dependent on the actions of Zionist Israel.
It`s just my opinion, but in the long term Zionist Israel has not a hope in hell of surviving, yet a multi cultural “Israel” including all Palestinians has every chance of not just surviving, but thriving.
Zionists are the problem, Smoke Signals, not Jews or Christians or Muslims.
Killing members of Islamic Jihad is not a break in a ceasefire. That’s just a public service.
No, of course it isn’t possible for Israel to violate a ceasefire, by definition; the same way it isn’t possible for Israel to commit war crimes. So, e.g., bombing civilian homes and UN schools. Not war crimes. Why not? Because it was Israel that bombed them.
I challenge you to produce a comment showing a modicum of intellectual honesty and intelligence.
Excuse me, that`s a very childish comment to make, and a bit red neck in my opinion.
I`m really surprised that there are supporters of Zionist Israel that still post such smoke and mirrors nonsense, and nonsense that has long been discredited.
Presumably Smoke Signals is a newly acquired Hasbara volunteer, the old time established ones have long given up on posting such easily dismissed juvenile ramblings.
The simple generalized reality is that Zionist Israel is in violation of nearly 80 UN resolutions and refuses to disclose it`s nuclear arsenal.
Compare that with North Korea who is in violation of 4 UN resolutions but discloses it`s nuclear situation, then consider the attitude of the United States towards both those countries.
Hiding the reality of Zionist Israeli Genocidal Apartheid with the Zionist Israeli Foreign Office lies, deceptions and deflections started long before 1947, it`s taken some 20 years of Internet availability to start to expose the deceptions of Zionist Israeli.
Winston Churchill once said “A lie can run halfway round the world, before the truth has got it`s pant`s on”!
Web sites such as FPJ and Americans such as Ramzy Baroud should be congratulated for “running with the Truth”. and catching up rather well! .
What a joke. There are no “people” of “palestine.. They are a collection of Arabs who have made political capital out of being displaced by a war the Arab League waged on the newly formed Israel. (Source regarding the Arab League–Modern Times, Paul Johnson)