Is Palestinian Terror the Result of the Occupation?

This is a question that is provocative and is really a two edged sword. There is no simple answer and much depends on how one looks at the relationship between Palestinians, Israelis and maybe the Middle East as a whole. The answer to this question is a mix of “yes and no”. It also depends on whether one supports Israel or the Palestinians. While it is true that Palestinian terrorism is a result of the occupation, it is also true that Palestinian terrorism is a consequence of an existential problem of Israel's right to exist. Israel's right to exist has been in dispute since the day it was established in 1948. Terrorism against Israel existed even before the occupation of territory because of the Six Day War of 1967. In fact, Hamas and Islamic Jihad and their ilk view Israel as occupied territory since 1948 and they will not rest until Israel is destroyed. Al Naqba – the catastrophe of 1948 resulting in Israel’s establishment on occupied Palestinian territory, which to them, is still unacceptable.

The only solution to this conflict is a negotiated peace settlement and total cessation of hostilities on both sides. A hudna or tahida (temporary cease-fire and calm) will not be the solution as Hamas holds the key to its observation. Hamas does not even want to discuss this directly with Israel as it refuses to negotiate or recognize Israel even though it is prepared to accept this through a third party. Anyway, there is no trust between the two sides. Israel will view a hudna as a period of re-armament of Hamas which could take ten years in order to recoup its losses and renew its armed struggle to destroy Israel.

The violence continues unabated. Ashkelon has now joined Sderot in receiving vollies of Qassam rockets which is causing injury, fatalities and severe damage to property. Now it is not only Qassam rockets, but also Grads that are being fired. The damage is increasing as well as the frequency of mortar fire. It is unacceptable! Nothing can justify this sort of terrorism! The result of it all will be severe Israeli Army retaliations in Gaza which will cause severe tragedy to many innocent people while those responsible – Hamas leadership and their allies - will be deep in their bunkers, planning their next round of attacks. They are not affected by the Israeli Army retaliations! They have their human shields where they hide – Palestinian women, children and babies! Their motivation for carrying out more attacks just increases while at the same time the cost in blood of the Palestinians also increases. What do they hope to achieve by this - Israel’s total destruction “ethnic cleansing and genocide” of the Jewish people? Is this their goal? Hamas and its new found ally, President Ahmadinajad of Iran, have hinted at this ad nauseam.

Hamas intends to harm as many Israeli civilians as possible. It does not differentiate between soldiers and civilians. The Israeli army retaliates and during its retaliatory activities, many innocent Palestinian civilians are harmed and killed as well as a handful of armed Hamas terrorists. Israel’s retaliatory activities are not directed at innocent civilians. Unfortunately, the Hamas terrorists hide behind Palestinian civilians in the hope that Israel will kill Palestinian civilians as well. They have succeeded in this tactic. Hamas are cowards and their leader Khaled Mashal hides behind his vicious, hateful rhetoric in Damascus, Syria where he dictates his wishes resulting in harm to his own people that he claims to represent.

According to South African lawyer, Professor John Dugard, an independent investigator on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a South African lawyer who campaigned against apartheid in the 1980s, says in a report that "common sense ... dictates that a distinction must be drawn between acts of mindless terror, such as acts committed by al-Qaida, and acts committed in the course of a war of national liberation against colonialism, apartheid or military occupation." The report calls for an end to the Israeli occupation, citing the country's checkpoints and roadblocks restricting Palestinian movement, house demolitions and the "Judaization" of Jerusalem. The report says that until the occupation is ended, "peace cannot be expected, and violence will continue." A question arises as to what is the definition of “occupation”. Is it the occupation of Palestinian territory conquered during the Six Day War of June 1967, or is it the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, which according to Hamas, is “occupied Palestinian lands that must be liberated”? If it is the latter, then only the total destruction of Israel will bring peace to the area according to the report. This is not clear.

Professor Dugard has given the most blatant support for Palestinian terrorism to date. It will be interesting to read how he will justify that in the 25 page report he compiled and will deliver at the Human Rights Council of the UN next month. This report will be based undoubtedly on a previous report that he wrote on 26^th March 2002. He does mention Israeli abuses of Palestinian rights which cannot be denied. Much of this report is reasonable in its content where he does give a sense of balance:

“The Israeli perception is very different. Israelis see terrorism as the cause of the crisis. Suicide bombers who enter Israeli shopping districts, suburbs and settlements and snipers who shoot at passing traffic, have instilled a sense of fear into all Israelis. There is no guarantee of safety on the streets or roads, in shopping malls and restaurants. Palestinian violence is not seen as a response to Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian Territory but as terror directed at the very existence of the State of Israel.

Since 11 September international support for the belief that terrorism is the main problem to be confronted in the region has inevitably grown. That terrorism is a threat to the present world order cannot, and should not, be denied. That terrorism is a scourge that threatens Israelis and Palestinians alike cannot and should not be denied. Every effort should be made to end violence intended or calculated to create a state of terror in the minds of particular persons or the public, whether it is perpetrated by instruments of the State, by organized non-State groups or by individuals. At the same time it is important not to ignore the main explanation for the acts of terror committed by Palestinians against Israelis - opposition to the military occupation. Or the main explanation for the acts of terror committed by the Israel Defense Forces against Palestinians - enforcement of the occupation”.

The Israeli blockade of Gaza is untenable and the poverty, overcrowding and the total collapse of the economy are factors that strengthen Hamas.

According to Maan News Agency 1^st March 2008, 34 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip on since dawn Saturday, including five children and more than 100 wounded in Israeli shelling on the northern Gaza Strip. (The number of Palestinian killed is still rising and stands now at over 50)

Two Israeli soldiers have also been killed and five injured as Israeli forces step up its attacks on the coastal region.

In the latest attack Abdul Rahman Shahab the son of Hamas leader Muhamad Shahab was killed.

Two sisters, 13-year-old Salwa Zedan and 17-year-old Samah Zedan, were killed in an Israeli attack near their house east of Jabalia.

Two resistance fighters from the Al-Qassam Brigades Mu'tasem Abed Rabbo and Abdullah Abu Shahira were killed in clashes with Israeli forces.

Israeli Special Forces backed by tanks penetrated the area east of Jabalia in the eastern Gaza Strip under the cover of Israeli warplanes that showered the region with rockets and missiles early on Saturday morning.

Medical sources confirmed that houses were bombarded with air and ground fire.

According to Dr Mu'awiya Hassanain, director of emergency and ambulance services in the Palestinian health ministry, the dead and injured were transferred to Kamal Adwan Hospital.

Fathi Thabet and Tal'at Darduna were the first to be killed in the Israeli attack. Less than an hour later Ibrahim Az-Zein and Sa'id Al-Hsheim died after being hit by Israeli artillery shells near Az-Zawiyah in the eastern area of the Jabaliya camp. Eyewitnesses reported that Hussein Al-Batsh was also killed.

According to medical sources, a missile fell on the house of Abu Shbak family, killing 12-year-old Jacqueline Shbak and her brother Iyad Mohammed Abu Shbak, along with 45-year-old Bassam Obeid and his son Muhammad. Muhammad Al-Jamal and Abed Faraj were killed in another missile attack. They are reported to be affiliated to Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades.

On Friday an Al-Qassam Brigades commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in Jabalia.

The Al-Qassam Brigades told Ma'an that "Iyad Al-Ashram a commander in the Al-Qassam Brigades died when a missile targeted his car in the Al-Zamo area of Jabaliya."

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in violent clashes between Palestinian resistance factions and the Israeli army east of Jabaliya.

Israeli sources reported that two of the soldiers are in a serious condition. They were air-lifted by helicopter to the Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva.

The Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for targeting an Israeli Special Forces unit in a house east of the Jabaliya camp with two rocket propelled grenades. The brigades claim there were casualties and planes were seen evacuating the wounded from the scene.

The Al-Quds Brigades claimed responsibility for launching two rocket propelled grenades at a group of soldiers inside located the Darduna family's home in east Jabalia.

Moreover, five Palestinian resistance fighters were wounded as they launched projectiles at the Israeli town of Ashkelon on Saturday.

Israeli sources confirmed that five Israeli citizens were slightly injured when a missile landed on a house in the city of Ashkelon.

According to Israeli military sources 18 rockets have landed in the western Negev and Ashkelon since dawn on Saturday.

Hamas is harming the Palestinian people. Their callousness and lack of sensitivity towards their own people is criminal. It is removing their right to peace no less than the damage and terror that it is causing to Israel. It is increasing Palestinian suffering by its criminal behaviour and it does not intend to rule the Palestinian people responsibly. The only people that can rid themselves of the Hamas cancer are the Palestinians themselves. Imposition of the Hamas fantasy of the destruction of Israel through terror on the Palestinian people is irresponsible and dangerous. It will lead nowhere but to further suffering, economic hardship and more Israel army retaliations which will take a tragic toll in blood. They have declared war on Israel and this is a war that they have no chance of winning.

Closures and Checkpoints

Closed Military Area bisecting Palestinian farms: After being prevented from entering Qalqilya by the IDF, Jennifer and Daniel tried to find some high ground in one of the neighboring villages with the hope of getting a better look at the wall surrounding the town. Eventually they came to this fence laying at the edge of an olive grove. It was a closed military area as designated by the IDF. There was a series of 4 gates and on either side barbed wire and electric fence stretched for as far as the eye could see. The sign on the gate indicated that it is opened only 3 times a day: from 7-7:20am; from 1-1:20pm; and from 4:40-5:00pm.

Photographs by Jennifer Lemire and Daniel Moss for Grassroots International

At first glance, there is strong justification for closures in the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). The motivation of terrorist groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and their various splinter factions to carry out a massive terrorist act in Israel is great. During the second Intifada that began in October 2000, there were many suicide bomber infiltrations into Israel. They blew themselves up in shopping malls, buses and other public places killing many innocent people. Israel instituted draconic measures to protect its citizens from this form of terrorism. No country in the world would tolerate the sort of terrorist activity against its citizens on a scale to which Israel was subjected. From 2000 until 2005, terrorist acts were committed every few days.

Still today, Israel is subjected to barrages of Qassam rockets from Gaza into Sderot and even as far afield as Ashkelon.

Closures and checkpoints were instituted and the security wall was built in order to prevent terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens. Since these measures were implemented, suicide attacks and other terrorist activities against Israelis within the green line have dropped drastically. Despite the frustrations and suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis, nothing can justify the use of terror against innocent people on both sides.

The motivation of Palestinian extremist terrorist groups to carry out a deadly terrorist act remains high. In return, targeted assassination of terrorist leaders only increases hate and motivation to carry out more terrorist attacks. It is a matter of time before a terrorist act will occur. The situation in Gaza has become unbearable for its citizens. The overcrowded conditions, poverty and frustration will only serve the interests of terrorists and their allies. While Qassam rockets are exploding in Sderot causing injury to people as well as damage to property, there is no way that Israel will ease the situation for the Gazan population. Economic sanctions, cutting off electricity as well as limiting fuel supplies will continue. All actions that Israel carries out against Gaza will only strengthen Hamas’s resolve to carry out more terrorist acts. Hamas is a cancer in Palestinian society! Hamas can only survive on the backs of suffering Palestinians. A prosperous and satisfied Palestinian nation (as remote as this possibility is today) is fatal to Hamas. Hamas can only survive on the Palestinian tragedy and it has no intention of acting responsibly towards its people. It has no plan for leading the Palestinians to an independent state apart from unrealistic rhetoric of replacing Israel through violence and bloodshed.

The conundrum is where to draw the line. On the one hand it is imperative that there be total cessation of Qassam rocket fire while on the other hand, the innocent Palestinians in Gaza not be punished collectively. Israel, despite its messy unilateral disengagement from Gaza in August 2005, is still responsible for the well-being of Gaza’s citizens since they are inextricably dependent on Israel economically. The blame for the situation, contrary to what many people may think, must be laid on Hamas’s doorstep. Hamas’s uncompromising attitude omits opposition to any form of negotiation as well as rhetoric in support of terror has created a hopeless situation in Gaza.

Simultaneously, the situation in the West Bank is also tenuous. Innocent Palestinians are subjected to harassment through closures and checkpoints. Palestinians who are employed in jobs within the territories are subjected to humiliating treatment by the Israeli Army. They are often abused and treated with contempt. They also have to wait for many hours before being allowed to enter their villages. In Tulkarem there was total closure. People under the age of 35 years were not allowed to enter or leave Tulkarem. A Palestinian employee, who works in Azzoun (a town not far from Kalkilya), did not arrive at her place of employment. As it is, she has to pass two checkpoints that make her journey to and from work a five hour nightmare. She was stopped because of the closure of Tulkarem where she lives, on the way back home from work and was not allowed to return home. She was stranded for hours in the pouring rain and cold. Her experience was horrendous and unnecessary!

There was a case of parents, who left their infant with its grandparents in another village. The infant was not allowed to join his parents because of the closure. Another incident is that of a bridegroom who could not marry his bride because he was stuck at the check point on his wedding day. Even more serious are the delays of very sick Palestinians who are in urgent need of medical attention. These restrictions led to the death of 59-year-old Fawzia Abd El-Fattah El-Darak. Her husband tried to bring her to the hospital in the West Bank city of Tulkarem after she began to experience severe chest pain, but the Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance in which she was traveling was not allowed through the checkpoint south of Deir Al-Ghusun, northeast of Tulkarem. The woman’s family then attempted to bring her across in a private taxi, informing the Israeli soldiers of her condition, but was again denied entry. The woman later died of a heart attack in her village. No explanation was given by the Israeli authorities.

There are no signs that any of the checkpoints within the territories have been removed despite Israeli statements to that effect. The daily lives of Palestinians are so disrupted that many become despondent and cannot find work. All these disruptions in Palestinian daily lives must be blamed on the Hamas and company terrorist groups. They are the cause! Had they not been so motivated in carrying out terrorist activity against innocent Israelis, Palestinians would be able to get on with their lives. If anything, “ethnic cleansing and genocide” is very much a part of the Hamas lexicon and their adopted godfather Mahmoud Ahmadinajad of Iran!

The occupation is dehumanizing Israeli society. A question that one must ask is:

What is more dehumanizing – the occupation or the senseless killing of innocent people on both sides? Can one be more dehumanized than someone who straps himself or herself with bombs and goes seeking victims? It is difficult to be human when acts perpetrated against Israeli citizens are indiscriminate and inhuman.

“Palestinian life in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) (1) is heavily impacted by Israeli military policies that restrict movement, isolate, and harass the civilian population. This state of "siege" takes the form of closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, regular curfews, roadblocks, checkpoints, electric fences, and walls. It is almost impossible to move people or goods within or out of the OPT, strangling the civilian population and devastating the Palestinian economy. This state of siege has intensified drastically since the beginning of the second Intifada (uprising) in September 2000.” From The Siege on Palestinian Life

Very special thanks to Dr. Robert Ben David, who contributed to the writing of this article.

Assassination as a Deterrent against Terror

Emotions in Hezbollah are running high following the assassination of Imad Mughniya, a militant, terrorist leader responsible for the murder of innocent Americans, Israelis and French as well as members of the Jewish community of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

“Mughniyah has been implicated in many terrorist attacks in the 1980s and 1990s, primarily against American and Israeli targets. These include the April 18, 1983 bombing of the United States embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, which killed 63 people including 17 Americans. He was later blamed for the October 23, 1983 simultaneous truck bombings against French paratroopers and the U.S. Marine barracks. The attacks killed 58 French soldiers and 241 Marines. On September 20, 1984, he attacked the US embassy annex building. The United States indicted him (and his collaborator, Hassan Izz al-Din) for the June 14, 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, which resulted in the death of U.S. Navy diver Robert Stethem.^[10] He was also linked to numerous kidnappings of Westerners in Beirut through the 1980s, most notably that of Terry Anderson, and William Francis Buckley, who was the CIA station chief in Beirut. Some of these individuals were later killed, such as Buckley, who had been brutally beaten beforehand.^[11] The remainder was released at various times until the last one, Terry Anderson who was released in 1991.” (From Wikipedia.)

The assassination of Mughniya could have been an Israeli Mossad operation. A hunch tells me that there may have been a number of non-Israeli agencies involved. The possibility that Lebanese anti-Hezbollah groups sought revenge for Hariri’s murder cannot be ruled out. Perhaps it is a coincidence that the assassination of Mughniya took place close to the third anniversary of Hariri’s murder. After all, the US, France and Argentina (maybe even Lebanon) all wish to see this man destroyed. Naturally, Hezbollah’s leader Sheik Nasrallah delivered a rabble rousing, demagogic speech filled with hatred for Israel and threatening its destruction. He also hinted directly that he will hit Israeli targets abroad and Israel’s northern border will come under attack. He accused Israel of the assassination. However, people have forgotten that this firebrand hid deep in a bunker whenever he felt that his life was threatened by Israel. Only occasionally does he come up for air in order to rabble rouse and rally his supporters to the cause of Israel’s destruction.

The wisdom of political assassination as a deterrent against terror is of questionable value. The western democracies have always maintained the presumption of innocence until proof of guilt. After all, this is the basis of the rule of law and the right of all suspects to a fair trial within a reasonable time in an International Court of Law in the case of terrorist crimes of an international nature. Would it not have been preferable to have captured this suspect and given him a fair trial as was done in the case of the notorious Iraqi dictator, Sadam Hussein? This would have involved tremendous time consuming intelligence gathering. Political assassination has not deterred terror in the past. There will always be other dangerous extremists waiting in the wings to take over.

Eventually the truth will be known about the perpetrator of the assassination of Mughniya. Meanwhile the police responsible for the safety of Israeli and US personnel security are on high alert worldwide. This will not deter extremist firebrands from murdering innocent people.

Gaza is living a similar situation. Assassination of Hamas leaders would only create further cycles of violence as other radical Hamas leaders replace those who were killed. There is no shortage of such extremists in Gaza and their motivation is rekindled after each assassination. This would result in further escalation of violence. The financial sources pouring into Gaza to retaliate for Israeli pin-point assassinations would increase.

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)'s Weekly Report, during the week of 7 - 13 February 2008, 10 Palestinians were killed and 40 were injured by the Israeli military. Among the ten victims killed included a school teacher and 3 brothers. Of those injured, most were civilians -- 9 women and 8 children. In addition, Israeli forces abducted 82 Palestinian civilians. Obviously the constant cycle of violence between the two sides has to be curtailed. The Qassam rocket fire into Sderot and southern Israel must stop as well as the retaliations resulting in the death and injuries to both sides. After all, it is the innocent Palestinians and Israelis who are victims of this violence.

Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist in theory, in practice it does despite its rhetoric. Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh of the Hamas movement expressed willingness to reach "a state of calm" in the region, saying that any offer or initiative to achieve this "will be considered by his government". He would not have suggested a “tahdia” – a period of unlimited calm which could extend over a couple of years. In order to reach that stage, there must be dialogue. No harm has ever occurred when parties to a conflict engage in dialogue. The solution to this problem can only be political.

The problem lies in lack of trust on both sides. If there is a desire for calm by a Hamas leader, this means that recognition is just round the corner. The problem is that this respite from violence could be used as a period for Hamas and its allies to re-arm and to proceed with renewal of terrorist acts in the future. Failure by international observers in the past, to prevent re-arming does not mean that they must be discarded altogether in the future. The inspectors are not given adequate powers to be effective in curtailing violence.

Another severe drawback is the division of Palestine into two entities – Gaza ruled by Hamas and the West Bank ruled by Fatah. If an agreement were to be reached there would have to be coordination between these two entities. Presently, this is lacking. The West Bank is full of Jewish settlements considered part of Israel. The legality of these settlements is questionable. This severe problem really lays the foundation for Israel eventually becoming a binational state or confederation of states for both Palestinians and Israelis. The journalist, Daniel Gavron, wrote an article“Israel has won!” in the International Herald Tribune where he mentioned similar ideas.

Assassination is not a viable alternative for a political solution. It only perpetuates violence, hate and distrust on all sides.

Collective Punishment under the Occupation

The Palestinians are accusing Israel of “collective punishment”. This is true in many cases. However, the reverse is also true. Palestinians are also carrying out “collective punishment” against Israelis. One has to see the havoc in Sderot with the Qassam rockets being fired. Recently two suicide bombers made their way into Dimona. One blew himself up, killing one women and seriously injuring 11 people. One terrorist was shot in the head and killed by a policeman. Surely, suicide terror acts are also a form of “collective punishment” against innocent people. Collective punishment is a method used by both Israelis and Palestinians against each other, thus prolonging a cycle of violence that does not end.

Collective punishment is the punishment of specific people because of criminal or violent behaviour of one or more individuals or groups associated with the specific people or group. The punished group may often have no direct association with the other individuals or groups, or direct control over their actions. During wartime, atrocities are committed, and are a violation of the laws of war and the Geneva Conventions. Historically, occupying powers have used collective punishment to retaliate against and deter attacks on their forces by resistance movements (e.g. by destroying whole villages where attacks have taken place). If one were to apply this definition to what is happening in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is obvious that both sides are guilty. The holding of prisoners-of-war like Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier, kidnapped by Hamas and being held indefinitely is illegal and is a violation of human rights. Even Palestinian prisoners are allowed visits by their families or even their lawyers. Gilad Shalit is denied this.

The Palestinians claim that the terrorist violence is a result of frustration and hopelessness because of the occupation with a feeling of nothing to lose and possibly something to gain. A Palestinian friend asked me why so many Palestinians are ruthlessly killed by the Israeli soldiers while Israeli casualties are relatively few despite the heavy Qassam rocket fire into Sderot. I replied that Sderot residents are well disciplined and that the moment there is a siren warning of Qassam rocket fire, the residents have about 15 seconds to go into the bomb shelters. This is a big factor in saving lives; Israelis are well drilled into heeding siren warnings. The Palestinians do not have the same facilities to ensure their safety from Israeli attack. Apart from that, the weapons used by Israeli soldiers are far more accurate, efficient and deadly. This explains the high casualty rate suffered by the Palestinians. Hamas and Fatah never bothered to protect their citizens from Israeli attacks and retaliations. There are no bomb shelters or security rooms, where Palestinians could take their children and hide until the danger passes.

The tragic cycle of violence shows no sign of ending. Hamas is continuing to monopolize on Palestinian suffering in order to create a situation whereby peace between Israelis and Palestinians will never be achieved. The situation in Gaza is tragic. The West Bank does not fair much better and it is a matter of time before Hamas gains the upper hand there as well. President Mahmoud Abbas has no control over Gaza and it is doubtful if he has much control over the West Bank. The Annapolis understandings have been forgotten and President Bush’s idea of achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians before leaving office will not occur.

Many innocent Palestinians are under tremendous stress because of the situation. Unemployment is rife and those who are fortunate to have employment have to go through humiliating check posts manned by Israeli Army personnel even when they get employment in their own Palestinian areas. A twenty minute journey within the occupied territories can take two to three hours. All the Israeli promises of removing check posts within the occupied territories have not been kept. The excuse is security. Even within the Palestinian territories, Palestinians are unable to reach their places of work without being stopped and checked in a humiliating fashion. The delays are long and tedious. This also creates an atmosphere of hate for Israel.

Both Palestinians and Israelis see themselves as victims of each other. Hamas rides on the wave of Palestinian suffering. It does not intend to cease terror activity. The reason is the occupation and this includes the whole of Israel since its establishment in 1948. There is no indication that Hamas will change its hard-line attitude towards coming to terms with Israel’s existence. It uses the Palestinians in a cynical way, prolonging their suffering and encouraging terror against Israelis.

Arab columnists condemn Hamas for bringing suffering on the Palestinians

Several Arab commentators have fiercely criticized Hamas for its conduct in Gaza (see a review of these articles on MEMRI - http://www.memri.org/- Special Dispatch 1829, dated 29 January 2008). Al-Arabiya TV Director Abd'al Al-Rahman Al-Rashed condemns Israel, but then he says: “What is the point of these rocket attacks… that increase the suffering of 1.5 million Palestinians, but do not cause Israel any military harm or induce it to make political concessions? Hamas rocket attacks amount to a suicide operation that sacrifices the security of all the residents of Gaza ….” (Al-Sharq al-Aswat, 21 January 2008). Palestinian journalist Nadia Ilabouni is highly critical of Israel, but she then writes: “What the Palestinians need is for Hamas to show some responsibility – even a little….. Before begging for compassion from the world, we had better have some compassion for ourselves, and protect ourselves from the tyranny and control of those who trade in blood – those who are not committed to the Palestinian cause, but are serving the agendas of external forces that have nothing to do with Palestinian interests… “(Al-Sharq Al-Awsat 23 January 2008) [Beyond Images comment: the latter comment is almost certainly a reference to Iran]

The breaching of the security fence in Gaza was a result of the immense pressure that has built up within Gaza itself. An independent Palestinian state alongside Israel is becoming more and more of a fantasy. In practice, there are two Palestinian entities, Gaza and the West Bank. The Gaza strip has no Jewish settlers as they were evacuated in August 2005. An independent Palestinian state can only be achieved when all Jewish settlements in the West Bank are evacuated. There is no other place for a Palestinian state (or maybe there is according to Hamas, which states that the whole of Israel is occupied Palestinian land and has to be replaced by a Palestinian state). Right wing cynics in Israel say that the Palestinian state is Jordan as 80% of Jordanians are Palestinians. The Jewish settlement policies of the previous governments of Israel has actually laid the foundations of a future binational state as the West Bank (the so-called future Palestinian state) is populated with Jewish settlements. Evacuating these settlements the way that the Gaza strip was evacuated does not seem possible. This being the case, the establishment of a Palestinian state can never become a reality.

The use of military force to stop Hamas terror attacks will not work. It will result in tremendous loss of innocent lives on both sides. It may result in a temporary lull in terrorist activity, but the hate will continue and this will result in renewed violence against Israel. The cycle of violence can only be stopped by negotiations for a political solution – and, if Hamas wills it, then Israel must negotiate with them. There are no other options. The military option is not a long term solution. Terrorist attacks and Israeli retaliation will prolong “collective punishment”. The innocent on both sides will suffer in the end. This cycle of bloodshed has already proved pointless. The Palestinians gain nothing by firing Qassam rockets, but Israel is not helping itself with its extensive operations in the Strip. As I write more Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza into Sderot. Two Sderot residents, brothers aged eight and 19, were seriously wounded Saturday evening when a Qassam rocket struck the backyard of a home in the city.

The two were rushed to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon with the 8-year-old suffering serious wounds to the lower extremities.

The attack on innocent civilians, whether Palestinian or Israeli, ought to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The collective punishment weapon is being used by both sides and no side will win. Hamas’s firing of Qassam rockets is a pointless tactic that will achieve nothing. It will only bring strong Israeli retaliatory actions that will increase Palestinian suffering.

Israel has now decided to cut back electricity to Gaza. Now that the border between Gaza and Egypt is more or less open, weapon smuggling from this point will increase and so will the influence of Iran and its financial backing. The electricity cuts will prolong the suffering of innocent Palestinians and it will not stop the Qassam rockets. A political solution is now more urgent than ever before.

“Stop this Madness!

Stop Making Life

In Sderot and Gaza

Unbearable!

Talk with Hamas!

Cease Fire!!!”

Gush Shalom

http://www.gush-shalom.org/

The Gaza Closure has Cracked

This week we all witnessed the unofficial end of the “air tight” closure of the Gaza Strip. The wall that Israel’s Security Forces had built on the border between Egypt and Gaza was breached. The situation in Gaza reached a peak like steam that is trapped in a pressure cooker left on the stove unattended. Something had to give way. This last week it did. The more Israel increased the pressure and the siege on Gaza, the greater the frequency of the Qassam rockets fired into Sderot and its environment in southern Israel. The situation has now changed and this could result in worsening relations between Egypt and Israel as both sides accuse the other of taking responsibility for the breaching of the wall.

The situation in Gaza is becoming more complex as Hamas becomes more adamant and determined not to recognize Israel. Israel closed the borders and did not allow any passage of essential goods into Gaza. Many members of the EU viewed this as collective punishment of Gaza’s citizens – echoing the cries of Hamas, who have a habit of squealing to the world community portraying the suffering of Gaza’s residents. Hamas is also indulging in collective punishment in the south by firing Qassam missiles into Sderot making the lives of the people living there unbearable. The people of Sderot are poor and many are unemployed. Israel has ignored these people. They only made headlines because of the intolerable Qassam rocket attacks. Many of the residents there are impoverished immigrants of Russian, Ethiopian and North African background that have lived there for a long time.

Hamas is to be blamed for the suffering of Gaza’s citizens. However the build up to this intolerable situation must also be blamed on Israel. This situation began since the June War of 1967. When Israel occupied Gaza, the West Bank, Golan Heights and Eastern Jerusalem, it became responsible for the well being of the people in the territory that it had occupied. Israel became the “foster parent” of the Palestinians under occupation. Social services including health, economic development as well as improving infra structure was Israel’s responsibility. The Israeli claim that the surrounding Arab states were responsible for the well being of the occupied Palestinians was ludicrous. How could surrounding Arab countries be responsible for Palestinian welfare when they were at war with Israel and Israel occupied these territories? Israel adopted a policy of expansion and settlement of the occupied territories with Jewish settlers, many of whom were fanatic in their belief of occupying the “holy land” as specified in the Torah according to their interpretation.

The squalor and poverty in the “occupied territories” was not alleviated by Israel. The refugee camps remained neglected for many years until today. Israel poured money into the occupied territories and encouraged Jewish settlement there. Settlers received much state help for moving there and their homes were subsidized. Most Palestinians, who remembered the times before the Six Day War as not being so great, accepted the occupation and there was a long period of relative calm until the first Intifada that began in 1987 and was the forerunner to the ill-fated Oslo Accords of 1993 which ended the intifada temporarily. The situation in Gaza remained a tinder box because of the intense overcrowding and poverty in the refugee camps. A new generation was born. A generation of young Palestinians grew up in intense human misery. They had no hope for the future while Israel was building roads and settlements on occupied lands. Palestinians at best remained a source of cheap labour for the Israeli building trade including the building of palatial homes in the occupied territories. These people worked under intolerable conditions, were paid poorly compared to their Israeli counterparts.

The situation for Palestinians became hopeless and intolerable. The younger generation born many years after the Six Day War of June 1967, became extreme in their outlook and viewed Israel as their enemy. Their hopeless situation became an ideal breeding ground for Hamas and their allied terrorist organizations to take root. Hamas endeared itself to many Palestinian people because of the social services and charity work that it did amongst the Palestinian community. The corruption of the Fatah controlled Palestinian Authority is also one of the root causes for Hamas taking over power.

According to the semi-official Hamas biography "Truth and existence," Hamas evolved through four main stages:

1. 1967-1976: Construction of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Gaza Strip in the face of "oppressive Israeli rule";

2. 1976-1981: Geographical expansion through participation in professional associations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and institution building, notably al-Mujamma` al-islami, al-Jam`iyya al-islamiyya, and the Islamic University in Gaza;

3. 1981-1987: Political influence through establishment of the mechanisms of action and preparation for armed struggle;

4. 1987: Founding of Hamas as the combatant arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine and the launching of a continuing Jihad.

While this reflects the activities of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the organization in the West Bank developed differently, with less emphasis at the beginning on the creation or control of public institutions. The Muslim Brotherhood in the West Bank constituted an integral part of the Jordanian Islamic movement, which for many years had been aligned with the Hashemite regime. Furthermore, the Muslim Brotherhood in the West Bank represented a higher socio-economic profile, consisting of merchants, landowners, and middle-class officials and professionals. By the mid-1980s, the Muslim Brotherhood held a significant portion of the positions in West Bank religious institutions.

Today the situation in Gaza has become hopeless. The tactics of Hamas of carrying out terror and not recognizing Israel’s right to exist has created an intolerable situation for the Palestinians. Somehow the bubble burst in southern Gaza and the wall separating Gaza from Egypt was breached. Many Gazans seized this opportunity to escape from Gaza and make their way to Egypt. This escape will snowball and will create endless problems for Egypt. How Egypt will handle this situation remains to be seen. It is estimated that about 20% of Gaza’s population have left Gaza for Egypt. This number will probably increase.

Egypt will attempt to stop this human flow and it is uncertain as to whether they will succeed. It looks as if a new refugee problem will be created but this time it will be even worse than before. It is doubtful if Palestinians who have escaped from Gaza will return of their own free will. The misery will become worse and the scenario of Egypt shooting escaping Palestinians cannot be ruled out as the situation runs out of control.

The situation is desperate and tragic. The blame for this situation must be laid at the door of Hamas, Israel and the corrupt Fatah organization that ruled Gaza prior to the Hamas take over. The situation will remain volatile and at present there are no signs of a solution. While Gaza burns under Hamas control and the West Bank is under Fatah there will never be peace. The Annapolis agreements will soon be a forgotten diplomatic exercise.

Gaza and Southern Israel are Burning

Gaza and Southern Israel are burning! Hamas and their allies, Islamic Jihad, have upgraded the frequency of Qassam rocket fire into Southern Israel to Sderot and even as far as Ashkelon. The havoc, damage and injuries as a result are increasing and there is no sign of any cessation of this form of terror. It is hard to understand what Hamas hopes to gain by this violence. The loss of life because of Israeli Army retaliations for the Palestinians is even greater.

Hamas is acting in a most irresponsible manner towards their people. It wants to liberate all of Palestine and establish a radical Islamic state in place of Israel. It has gained notoriety with its assassinations, car bombs and other acts of terrorism. The death toll is mounting in Gaza and at the same time so is the Qassam rocket fire towards Sderot and its environment. The damage to homes in this area which is deprived economically is horrendous. While the death rate in Israel is low compared to the Palestinian death rate, the casualties, because of shellshock, is increasing. Ambulances are taking the injured to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon at an increasing rate. Perhaps Hamas is doing this as a digression from the problems that they are having with Fatah. There is civil war between Hamas and Fatah in a power struggle.

The Hamas leadership carries on with its violent anti-Israel rhetoric, goading the Palestinian people to terror and martyrdom. There is no hint of pragmatism or any desire to cease the Qassam rocket fire. Does Hamas, in its fantasy world really believe that by their terrorist activity, Israel will surrender and cease to exist? What does Hamas intend to achieve? Their programme is steeped in blood and hate! They are on a mission of self-destruction! They have achieved nothing for their people. They are destroying what remains of their infra-structure by provoking Israel into retaliating. The statistics on death and destruction in Gaza are on the rise. The mistakes of the Israeli Army in its quest to root out the terrorists are also rising. Many innocent Palestinians caught up in the cross-fire are being killed. So many innocent people on both sides of the conflict are injured and dying – why? Innocent Palestinians and Israelis have had enough! The time is more than ripe for peace. While Hamas rules there will never be peace. Hamas is a parasitic organization that feeds on hate and self-destruction. While Gaza burns, the negotiations between Israel and the West Bank Palestinian leadership are meaningless.

While it might be hard to believe, Israel must be held accountable for the creation of Hamas. Israel and Hamas may currently be locked in deadly combat, but, according to several current and former U.S. intelligence officials, beginning in the late 1970s, Tel Aviv gave direct and indirect financial aid to Hamas over a period of years.

According to a report from the Institute of Counter-Terrorism, Israel wanted to weaken the influence of the PLO by financing Hamas. It was a policy of “divide and rule”. This policy had backfired and Israel and the Palestinians today are reaping the fruits of Israel’s unwise policy:

“According to ICT papers, Hamas was legally registered in Israel in 1978 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the movement's spiritual leader, as an Islamic Association by the name Al-Mujamma al Islami, which widened its base of supporters and sympathizers by religious propaganda and social work.

According to U.S. administration officials, funds for the movement came from the oil-producing states and directly and indirectly from Israel. The PLO was secular and leftist and promoted Palestinian nationalism. Hamas wanted to set up a transnational state under the rule of Islam, much like Khomeini's Iran”.

While Israel hammers Gaza in retaliation for the Qassam rocket fire, it also somehow strengthens the resolve of the Hamas murderers. Gaza is a huge Palestinian prison under severe stress. It is blockaded on all sides. It has a large number of refugee camps living in severe poverty and squalor. The refugees have no future and this is the ideal breeding ground for hatred against Israel. They are subjected to humiliating and devastating Israel Army incursions. Hate is excellent fertilizer to Hamas. Added to this is the immense overcrowding. Hamas takes advantage of this situation for its own ends. It does not even try to alleviate the horrifying conditions in the refugee camps. Hamas’s strength lies in Palestinian suffering, much of which is their creation. While the refugee camps remain a severe problem, nothing has been done to solve this human tragedy. It is Israel’s problem no less than the Palestinians’ problem. If this problem is not solved and the refugees rehabilitated, the violence will increase and there will be a human explosion that will be grist to the mill of Hamas. This grist is Hamas’s lifeblood and Hamas does not intend to alleviate the situation or rule responsibly.

Israel has adopted a “carrot and stick” policy as regards Hamas. It will not work while Hamas remains steadfast in its attitude of non-recognition and non-negotiation with Israel. The Gaza human tragedy will only get worse. Hamas is taking advantage of Palestinian suffering to entrench itself in power. The firing of Qassam rockets into Israel will increase Israel’s resolve to enter Gaza and this will result in heavy loss of life to both sides.

The Bush Visit Hype in Israel and Palestine

President George Bush has come and gone. He received a very warm welcome in Israel and perhaps less so in the West Bank by the Palestinian Authority. It was an amazing show of hospitality, which began with well-rehearsed solo singing of the famous song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” in English, Hebrew and Arabic from the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” and dancing by children in President Shimon Peres’ presidential residence to welcome President Bush. There was a moment of euphoria with all this pomp and ceremony. Many of us had strong doubts as to the potential success of the visit. It somehow seemed very artificial and unrealistic.

Expectations of a treaty between Israel and the Palestinians towards the end of 2008 are a vision that Bush somehow entertained and expressed at the end of his visit. Those living in the area and have experienced many disappointments see that as dreaming. No peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians can be achieved without including Gaza. Bush does not seem to be clear as to how Hamas could be part of his imaginable peace treaty by the end of this year. Hamas is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and the EU. Hamas is well entrenched and rules Gaza. Overlooking this fact, while declaring the signing of peace treaties for an independent Palestinian state, is not realistic. The chances of any peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians are remote without including Hamas in negotiations. As it is, the Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh predictably stated that “Bush gave Israel all required pledges to solidify its occupation".

President Bush’s visit to Israel in the last year of his presidency will not achieve anything to promote peace. Since he has left much baggage in Iraq and in Afghanistan which is ruled by an American puppet-regime under President Hamid Karzai, his record of success in the Middle East at trouble shooting is close to zero. The situation in Afghanistan is hardly any better than in Iraq. Wherever the US gets involved in “liberating” a country from dictators or cruel regimes, it leaves a situation behind that is a human disaster! Bush is obsessed naively with installing a western-style democracy in these countries. In Iraq, there is total anarchy with many splinter terrorist groups some of which are affiliated to Al-Qaeda are causing total havoc amongst Iraqis, including suicide bombings. The Bush failure in Iraq and in Afghanistan is plain for all to see. Can Israelis and Palestinians afford to take Bush seriously? After all he has botched up so much. He can barely be viewed as an “honest broker”. He has “honestly broken” Iraq and Afghanistan beyond repair. Where was Bush during the last seven years? What is the hurry to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict before he retires to oblivion? The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been on the backburner for most of President Bush’s presidential term.

The Bush naivety and eccentricity comes to the fore when he gives speeches on fighting terror and solving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict. He gave the impression that he does not understand the mechanics of the conflict. He had made so many statements that somehow do not reflect any deep knowledge of the situation. According to Al Jazeera, Bush spoke of Israel's "occupation" of territory it seized in the 1967 conflict, he was clear that any "mutually agreed adjustments" would still leave Israel with settlements in the West Bank. This is problematic from the Palestinian point of view and would never be acceptable. It would be viewed as a definite pro-Israel bias. According to Al-Ahram weekly 10-16 January 2008, on the eve of Bush’s state visit to Israel, Israel had been involved in confiscating land from the Palestinians. This is no positive atmosphere for any form of peace treaty.

He came to Israel in the midst of a lot of Israeli Press hype. His visit was given very little press coverage in the US. Hilary Clinton’s failures and successes in her quest to be nominated as Democratic Party candidate for the presidency were more prominent in the US press. To all intents and purposes, President Bush’s travels to the Middle East are not a newsworthy item in the US. He is viewed as an unsuccessful has-been ceasing to have much relevance. There is nothing better for a lack-lustre president than to embark on a Middle East tour of irrelevance in order to boost up his sagging ego towards the end of his presidential term. He knew that in Israel he would receive a hero’s welcome, which he did.

During Bush’s visit and his meetings with Israeli leaders, he expressed sentiments that were music to their ears. He had to add a few “jarring notes” of soft-serve, such as “ending the occupation” for Palestinian consumption. However no new ideas were forthcoming on how to end it. When he visited the West Bank he also expressed platitudes aimed to satisfy the Palestinians. This did not go down well with the Palestinians despite the fact that he was received warmly by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Now that the dust of the Bush visit is settling rather rapidly, it will be a matter of time before it will be forgotten. What will remain of this visit will still be the check posts – a source of harassment to innocent Palestinians. The dehumanizing searches at these check points will also remain. Who knows how many sick Palestinians in need of urgent medical attention will suffer unnecessary delays to arrive at Israeli hospitals. Medical facilities for sophisticated treatment are severely lacking in the West Bank. The occupied Palestinians are still under Israel’s responsibility for their health and welfare. The illegal settlements will continue to be built which will encroach even further into Palestinian owned lands making a viable Palestinian state a virtual impossibility. Check posts will not be removed as this will remain a security measure to protect the illegal settlements. Nothing will change. The consequences of this will be the decrease in size of the future Palestinian state if it will be established. It is as if Bush had said “End the occupation” knowing that under these circumstances it will not occur.

The future Palestinian state, with its enclaves of Jewish settlements, looks like measles on the map of the West Bank. It is unlikely that Israel will agree to evacuation of these settlements to make way for the future Palestinian state. The idea of a one-state solution could become a consideration because the West Bank is becoming more populated with illegal settlements. This situation will be Israel’s creation. The core issues such as Jerusalem and the refugees will not come up for discussion as this would result in Olmert’s coalition falling apart. The situation for the future of a Palestinian state as well as peace between Israel and the Palestinians is bleaker now than ever before. Involvement of the US, whose credibility is low, will not facilitate a peace treaty that both sides need so desperately.

“Bush comes and goes.

We remain here-

And so do the Palestinians

Not the Americans

Will safeguard our future.

Our future

Will be assured

When we succeed

In persuading

The Arab world

That we are fair partners

In the building of this region-

For all its peoples and countries.”

Gush Shalom – Haaretz-Friday January 11^th 2008