topic by
Sherharazade
5/31/2002 (8:47) |
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Who’s Really Fighting for Survival?
Israel wants the world to continue the “pity party” for them as if they have been the only one’s who have ever suffered genocide or cruelties
By Fatima Hamilton
Several Israeli officials and spokespeople have claimed that Israel is defending itself and is fighting for survival. How can they claim they’re fighting for survival while they have a large, well-equipped army and national reservists? They have armed, dangerous settlers. They have America—the world’s superpower—on their side. They have no regard for United Nations resolutions and no fear of obeying the UN. They are the ones calling all the shots. Even the other Arab/Muslim countries are just sitting politely on the sidelines with only slight criticisms. So, how can they claim to be fighting for survival?
Indeed it is war, and they started it long ago by occupying Palestinian lands and oppressing Palestinian people. What did they expect? Do they think they can take our land and our dignity without a fight? Do they think they can disregard Palestinians and try to stomp on them as if they were cockroaches? Israel’s biggest problem is that it does not view the Palestinians (and Arabs in general) as real human beings who have rights, dignity, honour, dreams, aspirations and a desire for freedom.
Israel wants the world to continue the “pity party” for them as if they have been the only one’s who have ever suffered genocide or cruelties. Just recently, Muslims in Kosovo suffered genocide. During the Second World War, Hitler not only targeted Jews but also gypsies and other minority groups. In Bosnia, there was genocide. Even now 30,000 to 40,000 people are still estimated to be missing in Kosovo—probably dead and buried. Jews are not, and have not been, the only ones to suffer atrocities. And at this moment, no one in the world is torturing or exterminating them. However, it appears they are trying to exterminate Palestinians. One would think that someone who in the past, as a people, suffered atrocities would not want to do the same to others. It is as if they are taking out historical frustrations on an innocent population, which is not fair. It is even criminal.
If the sleeping world would stop taking their sleeping pills, they might open their eyes to see the truth rather than blindly accepting the medicine Israel and its supporters feed them. Pictures on the news should speak a thousand words, but these pictures, evidently, are tied and gagged. The world looks on with a dumfounded expression as Israel surrounds the headquarters and office of Yasser Arafat. They watch the military destroy the walls of the compound, cut off water and electricity and shoot all the guards and police belonging to Arafat. Even food and medicine cannot reach Arafat. One must wonder what is the real purpose of this military mission? Revenge? Punishment? Hatred? To teach a lesson? It doesn’t make sense to endanger the life of a people’s leader and to completely close the road to dialogue causing additional anger among all the people who are already feeling Israel’s heat.
Palestinians are the ones fighting for survival. Israel has come to their homes and businesses destroying walls, windows, property and land. Israel shoots into homes that have women and children inside. Israel is capturing Palestinian men, isolating them, tying them up and even blindfolding them. Many of them have been Palestinian police officers. (This is baffling, too. If the police are detained and killed, how can any order be maintained?) Israel is crazy and needs to be institutionalized. Palestinian people are fighting for survival. They are defending themselves. If troops come to search your home and harass you and your family (while you are not even sure of their dangerous intentions) and they begin firing on your home, then what would you do? Any human’s instinct is to defend himself and his family. This is what Palestinians who return shots at the Israeli troops are doing. They are defending themselves and fighting for survival against a stronger, well-equipped, ruthless, cruel enemy.
Who is the real terrorist? Who is the war criminal? Who has a history of ruthlessness and a reputation as a bloodthirsty leader who caused the massacre of a people at Sabra and Shatila? Ariel Sharon. Sharon is contemplating genocide and crimes against humanity under the guise of self-defense and rooting out “terrorists” (freedom fighters). Ariel Sharon should be on trial at the Hague beside Milosovic. Maybe even President George W. Bush could join him there, too, after one investigates the incidents of Afghanistan and a determination is made as to how many innocents were killed there, as well as his administration’s treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Also let us not forget the poor people still detained in the U.S. without being charged for a crime and denied access to lawyers and their families. Bush and Sharon have a disregard for basic human rights and both always believe they are right, even when they are wrong. Always the strong want to get stronger so they can completely overpower the weak and oppressed. Israel’s goal is either to break the spirit of the Palestinians or to annihilate them. This is easy for Israel because the world, even if they disagree, seems unable (or unwilling) to stop it. Shouldn’t the world community be ashamed of themselves? They lack courage and principles, it would appear. The only courageous warriors left are the Palestinians, even its women and youth.
Until the Palestinian people get their rights and their freedom, Israel will never rest. Simply, if the Israelis desire security and desire peace, they can easily achieve this in one day—as easy as adding two and two—by just withdrawing every soldier from every Palestinian town, by immediately halting all settlement building in Palestinian areas, by announcing the borders of the Palestinian State (all the land in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as East Jerusalem), by allowing refugees to return to Palestine and by releasing all Palestinians from their prisons so they can go home to their families. End the occupation immediately and pull out, and then meet to discuss what can be done with existing settlers on Palestinian land. Stop striking at the Palestinians. Then, the Israelis would live in peace and security. (I doubt Israel would ever do this and I’m sure they will make a thousand excuses to avoid peace because they are too greedy for land).
In most cases, Palestinians will leave the Israelis alone if the Israelis leave them alone. (Instead, Israel antagonizes them.) Palestinians, like any other human being, wants to live in peace, to go to work every day, to enjoy his family, to go to the university, etc. They want a life—a decent life—like anyone else in the world. However, Palestinians refuse to accept less than their rights—we want all of our land, including East Jerusalem. Israel, if you really desire peace and want rest and security, then get off our land NOW. Otherwise, you will suffer the consequences of your stubbornness and stupidity.
Brought to you in association with Palestine Times
palestinechronicle.com/article.php?story=2002052917211162
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