Defenders of Israel right or wrong continue to assert that the absence of peace is all the fault of the Palestinians.
In one sense they are right. When the Palestine file was closed by Israel’s victory (ethnic cleansing and all) on the battlefield in 1948, the Palestinians were supposed to accept their lot as the sacrificial lamb on the altar of political expediency. That was according to the script written by Zionism and effectively endorsed by all the major powers and, behind closed doors, the regimes of a divided and impotent Arab order. Nobody in power anywhere wanted the Palestine file to be re-opened because, if it was, a confrontation with Zionism in all of its awesome manifestations would one day be inevitable. So it could be said if the Palestinians had been prepared to be the sacrificial lamb, the first Arab-Israeli war would also have been the last.
By such cruel and mad logic the Palestinians are to blame for the sustaining and escalation of the conflict.
But let’s now leave fantasy land and acknowledge that the hallmark of Zionism in action is saying one thing to the world and doing the opposite.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that Israel has no future unless there’s a two-state solution, but the colonization of the occupied West Bank went on. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu let the word’s “two states” pass through his lips and, under pressure from President Obama, he even declared a moratorium on settlement building for 10 months, but the colonization went on. (And will no doubt be speeded up when the phoney moratorium ends in September).
So a question. Is there now case for saying that the time has come for the Palestinians to call Israel’s bluff?
They could do so with a joint Fatah-Hamas statement to something like this effect:
“We cannot and will not recognise Israel’s “right” to exist because it has no such right, but we are a pragmatic people and we hereby declare that we are prepared to recognise and live in permanent peace with the reality of an Israel inside its borders as they were on the eve of the 1967 war, with Jerusalem an open, undivided city and the capital of two states… We further declare that our pragmatism extends to accepting that the right of the dispossessed Palestinians to return must and will be confined to the Palestinian state, which means that many of those who wish to return will have to settle for compensation for the loss of their homes and their land.”
In theory, such a statement would have its best chance of making a positive impact in Israel if, when it was made, it was immediately endorsed by supportive declarations from Hizbollah and Iran to the effect that they will accept whatever the Palestinians accept. (Despite Zionism’s wild assertions to the contrary, that is actually the position of both Hizbollah and Iran).
Polls consistently show that about 70% of Israelis favour a two-state solution. If they really do, declarations as indicted above could have the effect of opening a door to new politics in Israel; new politics that would see a majority of Israelis giving real substance to their democracy by demanding that their leaders be serious about peace on terms almost all Palestinians and most other Arabs and Muslims everywhere could accept.
If a most explicit joint declaration by Fatah and Hamas failed to trigger new politics in Israel, it would prove what Larry Derfner said in an article for the Jerusalem Post on 23 July: “Politically, Israelis now operate strictly on fear and aggression; look at them cross-eyed and they think Hitler’s back and they’re ready to drop the big one. Politically they’re nuts. A danger to others and themselves.”
My way of putting it would be to say that what had been proved is that most Israelis have been brainwashed to the point where they are beyond reason and prefer to live with the fear of annihilation (fear planted and nourished in them by Zionist propaganda) rather than the comfort of peace and security. (In a future article I’m going to address this question – Do Israelis, most of them, need to feel threatened?)
What would the Palestinians have to gain from calling Israel’s bluff if doing so did not trigger new and sane politics in Israel? There are two possible answers.
One is nothing if the major powers, America especially, continue to be terrified of offending Zionism too much and remain constant in their refusal to use the leverage they have to cause or try to cause enough Israelis to be serious about peace.
The other is that exposing Israel like never before as the real obstacle to peace could be a game-changer. Even some Americans are now debating whether Israel is more of a liability than an asset. (See, for example, Chas Freeman’s remarks at a Nixon Center debate on 20 July, www.nixoncenter.org/index.cfm?action=showpage&page=Freeman-Israel-Asset-or-Liability).
Could it be that a most explicit Palestinian calling of Israel’s bluff would create the understanding needed in America to free up President Obama (after the mid-term elections in November, of course) to take on and defeat the Zionist lobby, for the sake of peace in the Middle East and best protecting America’s own real interests in the region and the wider Muslim world?
Caveat
I am fully aware that a two-state solution which restricted the right of return to a Palestinian mini state on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip would not come close to providing justice for the dispossessed Palestinians. Nothing but the de-Zionization of Palestine and the creation of One State for all could do that. The point of the article above is only that I believe the Palestinian leadership should now say, in the most explicit terms, that most Palestinians are still prepared to live in permanent peace with an Israel inside its pre-1967 borders.
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Alan,
The extreme Zionists have now changed their tack and are calling for a one state solution.
http://www.haaretz.com/magazine/friday-supplement/endgame-1.302128
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/is-there-another-option-1.293670
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/27/israeli-right-vision-jews-arabs-share
And Uri Avnery has written a great deconstruction of their arguments:
http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1279969692/
Your thoughts Alan?
Use the Legal Judicial ICC Court of Law. Never give your legal Land Right's up.
Law Suit Filed with ICC Against the State of Israel
By Ronald Douglas Kennedy
Al-Jazeerah, ccun.org, April 12, 2010
Regarding MR. Mahmoud Abbas, the elected Palestinian prime minister of Hamas remarks to the Arab League regarding there legal rights to file a Law Suit with the International Criminal Court ICC. in the Hauge Netherlands. which additionally was listed as a option in the United Nations Gold Stone Report as a means to have there Legal Rights Adjudicated. Below pleas find some working thoughts on this action.
This action would be filled with The Click here: ICC - International Criminal Court : Home -- http://www.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC/Home [Jurisdiction and Admissibility, "The crime took place on the territory of a State Party or a State otherwise accepting the jurisdiction of the Court;".]
The ICC. Court is the only viable appropriate Court of Law at this time for the individual Palestinian Citizens and there Two Elected Party Government's: FATAH and HAMAS. As the State of Israel is a Failed Piranha State in word and in respecting the norm's of International Law in protecting Palestinian legal rights in a Just Court of Law, at this time. Also the ICC Court is immune from the United States, Veto as used in the UN. in denying international Resolutions and Sanctions against the State of Israel. As shown in some of the past U.S. Governments.
It is long past time to recognize "Semitic" Palestinian Legal Rights to there lands in a just court of Law. As they are also the Semitic Children of Shem.
This action is for Restitution Payments for Damages and Land Rental's only. Land Rights would not be given up as payments are made.
As Damages and Land Rents are paid by order of the ICC. "Court". By the Government of Israel, or any group holding or using lands given by the State of Israel. And Countries who are signatories? of the ICC. through Court Sanctioned Confiscation of Funds in there Countries before being sent to the State Israel or there International Banking Accounts. And other Nation Government's not members of the Court but wishing to support the rule of Law.
This Legal Action against The State of Israel as the Fiduciary, State Military Controlling Power. For not protecting Palestinian Right's as: Property Rights, Land Rights, Personal Medical and Death Compensation Rights. And paying financial compensations as ordered by the Court For: Damages Payments As: Rental Payments for use of lands, Death Benefits, Pain and suffering. Destroyed or damaged Property's payments. Rental payments for any and all use's on Palestine lands taken for: Homes, Development Buildings, Roads, Separation Walls. Farm use of any kind, Infrastructure of any kind and Tree and Crop Destruction, and ---- -----
U.N. "Human Rights In Palestine And Other Occupied Arab Territories. Gold Stone Report. United Nations Fact Finding Mission On The Gaza Conflict. December 2008, January 2009.
page 334 at 1546 "Settlements are contrary to article 49 (6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Furthermore, they violate Palestinian property rights and the prohibition on the occupying Power of changing the nature and legal status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (art. 55 of the Hague Regulations), may constitute direct discrimination against Palestinians, besides causing restriction of moment, hindering economic and social development, and access to health, education and social services. In addition, the extensive destruction and appropriation of property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly, amount to a "grave breach" of article 147 of the Geneva Convention." foot note 898 " Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, advisory opinion --------
" grave breach " of article 147 of the Geneva Convention also.
Additionally rights for the Citizens and Government of Palestine as sited by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 194. which was passed in 1948. And holder's of Legal land tittles. For Damages Occupation. Caused by the June 1967, Six Day preemptive aggressive War Attack by the State of Israel. As further Called out in UN Resolutions 224 and 338 . The Rome Statute Fourth Geneva Convention .
This Legal action would use Palestinian Legal Escrow group's to validate claims and distribute payments to Government's or Citizen or Family Member for those claims approved by the Court. The legal Action with the ICC would set up a agreeable way to bring groups of claims as developed to the Court for Adjudication.
Ronald Douglas Kennedy
USA CA.
Click here: Law Suit Filed with ICC Against the State of Israel By Ronald Douglas Kennedy
http://www.ccun.org/Opinion%20Editorials/2010/April/12-b%20o/Law%20Suit%20Against%20Israel%20By%20Ronald%20Douglas%20Kennedy.htm
On face value what you are suggesting is not significantly different from the Arab League's proposal which included normalizing of Israeli/Arab relations throughout the region.My feeling is that events on the ground and ongoing Israei intransigance will render it a nonstarter. Surely it is time for the PA to be disbanded, for the Palestinians to cease doing Israel's dirty work of maintaining the illegal occupation,and to put their energies and resources into the liberation struggle.I would suggest that this, more than anything, would act as a catylist for action in both the Arab and Western world.
Until 1922, Arab Palestine(93% Arab, LESS than 5% ME Jews, NO ILLEGAL European Jews) - 1948 - Israel is NOW 50% European Jews, 20% ME Jews, 30% Arabs - how did that happen - BRUTALITY, MURDER, AND LAND THEFT - NOW ADD WATER AND ORGAN THEFT(Israel's OWN ADMISSION AND THE JAILED RABBI LEVI ROSENBAUM AND HIS RABBINICAL ORGAN THEFT RING) and the formation of murderous Jewish terrorist groups(labeled as such by the British) in 1922- Irgun(NOW Likud- made the Nazi SS look like pansies/choir boys MUCH worse than their Arab counter part Hamas - GOOGLE THEM), the Stern Gang, Lehi, Levi, Haganah(Irgun was sooo blood thirsty, this one attempted, UNSUCCESSFULLY, to rein them in), and many others.
Alan, I am glad to see you back in print. Israel, like the US and all the european countries, does not seem to care about 70 percent support for policies the Government does not like, so would not accept the suggestion, unfortunately. The Israeli leaders, even (especially?) Likud, seem to be unstoppable . I just cannot believe that even now, US "reps" and senators support the crimes of Israel while trying to annihilate Iran, which threatens nobody except with retaliation if attacked. Oliver Stone's words on media control are proved true by Haim Saban's vituperous response, with threats to ruin Stone's media career.
An important step in the right direction would be for Israel to stop electing right-wing, blood thirsty governments. The sooner reality is faced the better.
See Livia Rokach, Israel's Sacred Terrorism (1980) on Moshe Dayan's acknowledgment of a strategy of "provocation and revenge," designed to keep the Israeli population forever under "moral tension" and in existential fear. Dayan thought without that, Israel would be "lost." Not only is that the Israeli strategy; it's also been the Jewish strategy over a period of millennia. Jacob is forever irrationally persecuted, albeit chosen by God. He's thus entitled to take whatever revenge and recompense he can, which brings more supposedly irrational persecution, and so the vital, essential cycle continues. It keeps insiders in and outsiders out, and is a source of great concerted power and hostile motivation.
Rokach, by the way, was the daughter of Israel Rokach, the Israeli minister of the interior under Moshe Sharett. She was found dead in a Rome hotel room in 1984, after her book had ceased to make news.
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