Israel is the problem

Quite often is spoken about the conflict in the Middle East between the Palestinians and Israel. If we look at the situation more closely we can observe something different. The media in Israel provide a platform for unpunished, insane calls for murdering peoples and a nation. An example is offered by Professor Arnon Sofer talking about Palestinians living in closed-off Gaza, "...those people will become even bigger animals than they are today, with the aid of an insane fundamentalist Islam... So, if we want to remain alive, we will have to kill and kill and kill. All day, every day. If we don't kill we will cease to exist....."1

In 2005 Ehud Barak stated on Dutch television2 that - in a secret and illegal retaliatory campaign against the Palestinian hostage takers at the Munich Olympic Winter Games - he personally had murdered thirteen innocent citizens. According to Barak this would teach the world not to fool around with Israel. Barak was and is not prosecuted for premeditated murder and could achieve the position of the country's prime minister.

Among the settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories are opportunists and extremely violent Israeli's who aim to occupy East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The Palestinians must be driven out of these territories by all means possible, including murder. The government of Israel supports the settlers in full while they lay there hands on Palestinian property and act out their violence on Palestinians.

The annexation of East Jerusalem by Ehud Olmert while he was the mayor of West-Jerusalem can according to the Fourth Geneva Convention be interpreted as a war crime. After the last elections in Israel Ehud Olmert's Kadima party won the vote and he is now the Prime Minister of Israel.

Israeli policies are driven by the Zionist ideal of creating a Jewish state, including the Palestinian territories. Israel is aiming systematically at destroying the identity of the Palestinian people. The so called "conflict in the Middle East" between Palestinians and Israel does not exist. Zionist Israel is the problem.

Rogue state

Israel is the world's sole remaining occupying colonial power. It systematically sabotages all international efforts to end the occupation. In its capacity of occupying power Israel violates numerous obligations emanating from Security Council Resolutions and the Geneva Conventions. It also breaches the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The USA applies a doctrine and the US-administration labels selected countries as 'Rogue states'. These countries possess weapons of mass destruction illegally, suppress large populations, torture, keep people in detention on a large scale and commit murder outside their national borders. Israel has adopted as a strategy the execution of land and water grabs, the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure (including in education and health), the carrying out of extraterritorial executions, torture, and collective punishments and keeping thousands of Palestinians imprisoned indefinitely without charge or prosecution. On the basis of the definition by the USA, Israel has ever since its establishment been a monumental Rogue state and a highly active member of the Axis of Evil.

Letter to Dutch ministers

In February Wijenberg wrote to the ministers Bot, van Ardenne-van der Hoeven and Nicolaï, ministers of Foreign Affairs, Development Co-operation and State Secretary of European Affairs respectively. He reminded them that according to article 90 of the Dutch Constitution "The government nurtures the development of the international order of law". So many previous Dutch governments violated this article when it concerns the Middle East. With referral to the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice of 9 July 2004 Wijenberg calls upon the Dutch ministers to show the world that they are serious about international law, justice and democracy. A copy of the letter was sent to the prime minister Balkenende and the minister of Justice Donner. In his view the United States and the European Union - including the Netherlands - have for too long condoned Israels disrespect for international law.

In its response the ministry of Foreign Affairs replies that the Dutch government is actively engaged in an ongoing dialogue with Israel. Wijenberg questions this policy. ""Since when do we politely ask notorious violaters of international law to stop their daily terrorisation of the Palestinian civilians, with assassinations in broad daylight and theft of property, houses, land and water? Why aren't the harshest peaceful means used to fight this?"

Call for sanctions

In the view of Wijenberg the European Union and the Netherlands have become an instrument of Israels foreign policy by ignoring its own core values values and respect for international law and human rights. Europe can play a key role in achieving lasting peace for Israel and its neighbours. If Israel refuses to show respect for international law, heavy sanctions against Israel should be installed.

Adri Nieuwhof is an independent consultant and human rights advocate from the Netherlands.

Younger Europeans, not to mention the rest of the world, are more sceptical about Israel's territorial claims. They are less susceptible to moral arguments about redress for past horrors, which have underpinned Israeli actions for almost 60 years. We may hope that it will never become respectable to be anti-semitic. However, Israel is discovering that it can no longer frighten non-Jews out of opposing its policies merely by accusing them of anti-semitism.

There is also evidence of growing disenchantment with Israel in the Jewish diaspora. Feelings have changed since 1948 and the days when Jews around the world thought it a duty to support "their" nation in the promised land right or wrong, in good times or bad. David Goldberg, the former rabbi of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London, has just published a book that will rouse plenty of wrath in Israel. Entitled The Divided Self, its theme is that in modern times the Jews of the diaspora have preserved the honour and heritage of the Jewish people far more convincingly than Israel's citizens.

Goldberg, whom I should acknowledge as a friend, rejects the Zionist conceit that the only proper place for Jews is in Israel. He discerns an unhealthy artificiality about the society constructed beside the Mediterranean since 1948: "to assert itself, it must be rigid and inflexible". He notes that while genealogy has become a popular enthusiasm of diaspora Jews, Israelis prefer archaeology, "pursuing the distant past to authenticate an ancient connection with the land" in the absence of any more recent claim.

He tells a good story of returning on a boat from Israel to Marseilles in 1958, after a stint on a kibbutz. His efforts to make headway with pretty blond American passengers were thwarted by the presence of a tanned, muscular Israeli paratrooper, who effortlessly cut him out. When the boat stopped at Naples, this hero of Sinai announced that he was off to buy a watch. Beware of fakes, advised Goldberg, magnanimous in sexual defeat. The soldier ignored him, and was later seen hurling a worthless purchase into the sea.

If we were talking about Christians here, it might be called a parable. Goldberg believes that Israel has allowed military prowess to blind it to wisdom: "the Jewish fox knows many things, the Jewish hedgehog only one big thing". Or you may prefer a Talmudic saying: "better a live dog than a dead lion".

Goldberg defines the virtues of diaspora Jews, "adapting to novel circumstances and responding to changing times", in terms that would rouse the contempt of many Israelis. "Two thousand years of powerlessness have honed the antennae to detect where self-interest lies, what is on or not on ... The experience ... of learning to live circumspectly among more numerous and powerful neighbours is a surer guarantee of survival than the triumphalist illusions of a mere 50-odd years of statehood."

Some Israelis would say that this is the language of the ghetto, reflecting a willingness to defer, even to cringe; of exactly the kind their state was created to remove from the Jewish psyche. Yet Goldberg's book reflects a declining willingness among many diaspora Jews to write blank cheques for Israel, either literally or figuratively.

It is a painful experience for some Jews who achieve good and even great things in their own societies to find themselves cast as sin-eaters for the Jewish state. Most are reluctant to speak out as frankly against Israel's West Bank policies as Goldberg has, and as did the late and great Rabbi John Rayner, who came here from Germany with the kindertransport. But with each generation the emotional distance between Israel and the diaspora is growing.

In some respects, this reflects a situation Amos Oz prophesied. "People like you," he said to me almost 30 years ago, "who want Israel to go on behaving like a European society, are heading for disappointment. Israel is becoming a Middle Eastern country. In future, I hope that it will not behave worse than other Middle Eastern countries, but I doubt that it will behave any better."

As long as Israel retains US support, its rulers may feel they can shrug off the alienation not only of non-Jewish Europeans, but also of growing numbers of European Jews. Yet if David Goldberg is right that diaspora Jews today contribute far more to the "universal values" of civilisation than the people of Israel, then the Jewish state has a far more profound problem than that of frontiers.

Explaining the incident on Monday, a Ghana team spokesman, Randy Abbey, said that Pantsil's action was "a thank you to his fans in the Israeli league".

"It was naive, he was not aware of the consequences of his actions," Abbey said. "We apologise to everyone who felt offended by this.

"It was not an official message from the Ghanaian team. We do not represent Israeli politics or the politics of any other country. We are just here to play football."

In Egypt, which played host to the African Nations Cup this year, newspaper commentators let rip with a barrage of insults and fury against Panstil.

"The ignorant and stupid Pantsil, who spent 20 days in Egypt during the last African Nations Cup, plays for Hapoel," wrote sports commentator Alaa Sadek in the daily Al-Akhbar newspaper.

Some papers described 25-year-old Pantsil as a "Mossad agent", others said "an Israeli had paid him to do it", but the most elaborate theory was offered by the state-owned daily Al-Ahram.

'Abused'

Writing in the paper, sports analyst Hassan el-Mestekawi said that many Ghanaian players attend football training camps set up by an Israeli coach who "discovered the treasure of African talent, and abused the poverty of the continent's children" with the ultimate goal of selling them off to European clubs.

During the match itself the live commentator on the Arab satellite channel ART broadcasting all World Cup matches in the region abruptly cut short his trademark "goooaaaaaaal!" when Pantsil brought out the flag.

"What are you doing, man?" the bewildered commentator said.

Football's governing body FIFA said it had taken note of the flag-waving and that, although there was nothing in the rules to prevent it, it hoped not to see a repetition.

Israel has answered cross-border rocket salvoes with air strikes and artillery barrages. The Israeli shelling has caused several civilian casualties, drawing international condemnation.

In the Israeli border town of Sderot, which has borne the brunt of Palestinian rocket attacks, residents have staged protests and urged the government for tougher actions in Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz, who lives in Sderot, on Monday pledged new military counter-measures "within a matter of dozens of hours" but did not elaborate.

Israel Radio, quoting witnesses, said Israeli armored units were massing outside northern Gaza. Israel has limited its ground operations over the past year to quick forays by small infantry units.

Palestinian sources described the building damaged in the blast as a metal foundry.

The attack followed continued rocket fire on the Jewish state by Gaza fighters on Monday.

Israel has stepped up air raids against Palestinian fighters in response to increased rocket fire recently that has mainly targetted the southern Israeli town of Sderot.

Sderot is the hometown of Amir Peretz, the Israeli defence minister.

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is one of the most pressing issues in international politics. The loss of Palestinian life, however, is not a pressing issue, nor does it seem to be a concern of the U.S. media. The killing of the family last week was a rare instance in which the U.S. media decided a Palestinian tragedy was news. Maybe the outlets realized that blowing up a family picnicking on a beach can cause quite a media firestorm and they didn't want to miss out on the coverage. Granted, the articles had the usual section addressing how "brutal" the Palestinian "terrorist" groups are, while describing the reign of rocket fire "bombarding" Israel (which have killed a couple of civilians in the last nine months). It would be interesting if CNN, in reporting an attack on Israel, also reported on Israel's illegal confiscation of Palestinian land, their policy of slow ethnic cleansing, non-recognition of the Palestinian people, and ruthless military and settler occupation that disregards the Geneva Conventions and international law.

Where is the world community's condemnation of Israel's military actions? Where are the words of reprobation from the European Union-the champion of democracy? I know the death of Palestinians is not as interesting as the World Cup-but this is getting a bit ridiculous. The West has sided against the Palestinian people-hoping the move will cause the collapse of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. Should the death of innocent Palestinians be considered the necessary collateral damage for the fall of Hamas? If so, how many Palestinians will suffice? In the last five years, Israeli forces killed four women and children a week on average, with barely a peep coming from the international community. If an increase in internal strife is necessary for this collapse, who is to lead the Palestinian people after the fall? How can one expect Palestinian Authority President Abu Mazen to come to the aid of Palestinians? While Abu Mazen slammed the actions of Israel today as "state terrorism," it is he who benefits from the discord in Palestinian society.

The international community and Israel elected Abu Mazen as the new negotiator for peace. Yet, this only occurred after the world powers and Israel refused to consider him a partner during the 14 months following the passing of Yasser Arafat. No matter how many hoops Abu Mazen jumped through it was never enough, and his charades to appease the West and Israel were a contributing factor in the collapse of Fatah, his ruling party.

Suppose Abu Mazen gained power with a newly emplaced Fatah-led government, would peace be around the corner? With the construction of Oslo, it is Abu Mazen who helped create the trenches Palestinians stand in today. It is the Oslo period which led to the biggest expansion of settlements in Israeli history. Why should Palestinian society bring back Fatah's financial corruption, disingenuous promises of prosperity, and inept policy that miserably failed for fifteen years?

Abu Mazen should begin to realize that he was elected to lead the Palestinian people to a better future. He was not elected to align his political agenda with Western interests. The international community's firm stand against Palestinian society and democracy is a position that will fail. Hamas is not going anywhere and neither is the will of the Palestinian people. Political ploys and maneuvering by Israel and the West will fall short. This lesson should have been learned after Hamas' sweeping victory in the parliamentary elections. The Palestinians are at their strongest when they unify-this is a fact Abu Mazen must come to grips with. It is also what Israel and America fear the most.

Remi Kanazi is the primary writer for the political website www.PoeticInjustice.net He lives in New York City as a Palestinian American freelance writer, poet and performer and can be reached via email at remroum@gmail.com

But most of the regular security forces are Fatah supporters and Abbas has appointed a close ally to head the security forces and reinforced his elite troops in the Gaza Strip.

Tensions have mounted since President Mahmoud Abbas, who is also Fatah's chairman, issued a presidential decree to call for a referendum on a proposal seeking a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Hamas' charter formally calls for Israel's destruct. The group has so far refused to renounce violence, recognize Israel's right to exist and accept previous Palestinian-Israeli agreements.

Fatah, once long dominant on the Palestinian political arena, has supported a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and espoused negotiations with the Jewish state.

Palestinian officials said a private meeting would take place between the two leaders, but Israel has not offered any confirmation.

Jordanian officials have said the kingdom is trying to bring Olmert and Abbas together.

Olmert, who won Israeli national elections in March, said he's willing to restart peace talks with the Palestinian leader if the militant group Hamas renounces violence against Israel.

Hamas won Palestinian parliamentary elections in January over rival group Fatah, which Abbas leads. Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist and has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks on Israelis.

Abbas has been pressuring Hamas leaders to accept a proposal brokered by imprisoned Hamas and Fatah leaders. That deal implicitly recognizes Israel and sets out rough terms for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.