Obama's Speech and other Matters

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The much anticipated speech of Obama has come and gone. It was delivered on Thursday 19th May 2011. A day after his speech was delivered, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the US and had a meeting with Obama which was rather cold and emphasized their differences in approach to solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

After having read Obama's speech in the press, it is obvious that nothing new was said. Obama attempted at saying the right things to both sides to prevent controversy. The reaction to returning to the pre-1967 borders was predictable in Netanyahu's reaction. He stated that that the pre-1967 borders are indefensible. However, Netanyahu did hint that he was prepared to make wide ranging concessions for peace. What this means in practice is anybody's guess.

The speech was delightfully vague and diplomatically correct and did not offer any solutions

While Obama is aware of Israel's security needs and emphasized US commitment to Israel, he is also aware that Hamas's agreement with Fatah adds an additional problem to the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist and has been responsible for numerous acts of terror against Israel's citizens over the years. One can understand Israel not being willing to negotiate with Hamas being in the picture while its attitude against Israel's existence remains uncompromising.

On the other hand Israel's occupation policy, which is basically colonization of Palestinian lands by the continuation of building new homes in occupied Palestinian lands is also a great obstacle to peace and this has been going on for many years even before Hamas signed an agreement  with the Fatah ruled Palestinian Authority. Israel's colonization policies on the ground are proof that Israel does not intend to ever relinquish territory to the Palestinians in any peace agreement irrespective of Hamas being with Fatah or not. It is just an added excuse on Israel's part to maintain the situation as it is by not showing any willingness to freeze settlements in the West Bank. Nothing that Netanyahu says will convince any reasonable person of the contrary. The proof is in the pudding. The more settlements built in the occupied territories, the less viable will the future Palestinian state be. It is not about Israel's security being compromised; it is more about Israel's colonization policy of keeping the Palestinians without a state for as long as possible.

If Israel ceased building on occupied Palestinian lands and encouraging Israeli settlement there then we could say that Israel has no Palestinian partner for peace. Is Israel a partner for peace while it carries on its settler policies in the occupied West Bank? 

The inclusion of Hamas in the negotiating picture must be viewed as an added obstacle, but Israel's indecisiveness and expansionist policies must also bear part of the blame. Obama's speech to AIPAC  on Sunday 22nd May 2011, somehow did clear some misunderstandings. This speech was clear and proved the US commitment to Israel's security. Obama also made it clear that there is not much time and that withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines must be made with adjustments and land swaps agreeable to all sides. This was one of the most pro Israel speeches ever made by Obama. 

As mentioned in a previous article, Hamas was seeking a new godfather as they could not rely on the Assad regime of Syria and the Ahmadinajad regime of Iran to support them anymore owing to the uprisings in the Arab world. Both regimes are involved in suppressing opposition groups in their countries and Hamas realized that their support base was weakening in these countries.

Israel is losing another opportunity because of its expansionist policies and lack of foresight. The old orders are falling making way for a new order which is steered largely by the Arab youth against their traditional oppressive rulers. The direction it will take is still unclear. One thing is clear - zero tolerance for dictatorships. It means that Israel must accommodate itself to a new situation and show its support for the Arab uprising and its willingness to end the occupation of the Palestinians. Failure to do this will result in further isolation and condemnation.

Obama stated in his speech that the US would not support a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian State in September 2011. This can be viewed as a temporary respite for Israel. However it is just that and no more. The fact that Hamas has signed an agreement with Fatah is not as negative as it seems. Hamas will take a low key in the peace negotiations which will be left to the PA. This means that Gaza will also be included. If negotiations begin and show signs of progress, the siege on Gaza will also end.

Related articles

• Netanyahu's rejection of Obama's 1967 border deal leaves peace talks in tatters - The Guardian (news.google.com)
• Palestinians' UN Recognition Bid To Proceed (huffingtonpost.com)
• Turkey's Gul: Hamas must recognize Israel right to exist - Reuters (news.google.com)
• Obama, Netanyahu talk at White House following president's challenge to Israel on peace (washingtonpost.com)
• Palestinians to proceed with U.N. recognition bid (cbsnews.com)
• Netanyahu defiant over Obama plan (bbc.co.uk)
• Obama Looks to Smooth Relations at AIPAC Speech (foxnews.com)
• "Hamas must be rational about Israel's right to exist, asserts Turkey's President Abdullah Gul" and related posts (sanfranciscosentinel.com)
• Turkish president calls on Hamas to recognize Israel (jta.org)

Israel's 63rd Independence Day

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This may be the last Independence Day celebrations within Israel's indefinable borders.

It is not as scary as it sounds. The Arab Spring has new popular mantras. The fight for democracy, human rights, equality and freedom are threatening the old tyrants that have been ruling the Arab countries for many years. Hate for Israel and the desire for its destruction are not slogans of the Arab spring. The Arab nations are seeking drastic changes to the autocratic tyranny that oppressed them for many generations.

The evil anti-democratic autocrats of Tunisia and Egypt have been overthrown. Libya's evil dictatorship, under Muammar Qaddafi, is in the throes of civil war which will be protracted and bloody. Syria's President Bashar Assad, the evil tyrant, is also facing great opposition to his regime and is murdering hundreds of demonstrators in cold blood. Unrest is spreading to Yemen, Bahrain and no autocratic tyrant in the Middle East can rest without impunity. The Arab spring will reach them too sooner rather than later.

Bearing all these remarkable changes in mind, Israel cannot afford to be complacent. The future outcome of these incredible changes is not clear apart from the fact that the old despotic regimes are on the way out.

Independence Day celebrations have come and gone with its usual speeches by various Israeli Government leaders patting themselves on the back reiterating the same mantras of Israel's achievements and that it is a Jewish democratic state as if they were telling us something new.

Israel's leadership has failed to unite all Israeli citizens, irrespective of race, colour or creed. The reason is an historical one and the pain of the past cannot be erased simply by avoiding it or passing legislation making it illegal for Israeli Palestinians to commemorate their version of what happened in 1948. This version is Al Naqba or "catastrophe" which is part of the Palestinian narrative of tragic events that created a severe refugee problem compounded with hate for Israel.

How wonderful it would be if all Israeli citizens unite with patriotism and pride for the country that is their common native land. Those who are perceptive notice that Israel's Jewish and Arab population is just as divided as before. While Jewish Israelis are filling and littering the national parks with barbecues and celebrating with plastic hammers and canisters of foam spray, the Arab villages have no Israeli flags and they keep a very low profile. Surely something is not normal here.

Instead of uniting Israel's citizens the Israeli government is dividing them. Pledges of Allegiance to Israel are incumbent on non-Jewish Israelis. Laws are passed making the commemoration of Al Naqba illegal creates divisions between Jewish and Palestinian Israelis.

Why can Israel not afford to allow their Palestinian minority to commemorate their pain in the way we commemorate our pain? Palestinian Israelis have their history which is no less tragic than our own. All it does is make further dents in Israel's already threatened democracy. The Netanyahu-Barak-Lieberman triumvirate ruling Israel is doing its share to fragment Israel's citizens even further.

Israel is well established and is in no danger of ceasing to exist. It does not need draconian laws to ensure its survival or to create animosity between the Jewish majority and Arab minority.

Instead what we are getting are ugly trends of racism such us the refusal to rent apartments to Arab students studying in Israeli colleges or universities. It even has the "Kosher" stamp of approval of rabbis in high positions in Israel's religious establishment. Our ancestors were persecuted by the Nazis. Almost all Israelis have lost a member of his/her family through Nazi terror. Are our collective memories only revived on Holocaust Day? Israel’s treatment of foreign workers through the “revolving door” policy is inhuman. Will they "contaminate" the Jewish majority if they are given the right to remain in Israel? The religious "paragon of virtue" Eli Yishai - the Interior Minister, is doing all in his power to deport these foreigners and their children born in Israel and speak no other language other than Hebrew.

The list of unjust discrimination goes on and on and this is a threat to Israel's democracy.

A country that does not have a common patriotism with which all its citizens can identify has failed in unifying its people.

From the occupation beginning in 1967 to the day after the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1994, Israel used a covert procedure to banish Palestinians by stripping them of their residency rights. This was revealed in an official document drawn up by the Israel Defense Forces’ West Bank headquarters. Surely here we have a sophisticated form of "ethnic cleansing" a term much maligned in Israel but in practice is part of the "final solution" to the Palestinian problem.

Israel's right wing policies and lack of foresight to move towards the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is also a catalyst that prompted the so-called signing of an agreement between Hamas and Fatah. There are other reasons as well which I mentioned in a previous article. There is nothing more dangerous than no decision in regards to ending the occupation.

There is no doubt that the enlarging of existing settlements in the West Bank serves to maintain the status quo and the occupation. The actions on the ground, despite Bibi Netanyahu’s lip service to the contrary in his famous Bar Ilan speech, in practise indicate business as usual.

At no time is it more important than it is today to unite Israel's citizens.  Failing this, Israel risks isolation in the world as it becomes identifiable with apartheid South Africa's abominable race policies.

A start could be made by recognizing the Palestinian narrative of Al Naqba rather than banning or suppressing it. Al Naqba should be the starting point of dialogue alongside the Israeli narrative. Palestinian identity and symbols should be part of the Israeli experience and be included in Israel's national symbols. Emphasis in education on both narratives should begin in integrated Arab/Jewish schools and teachers should be trained to deal with this subject when the pupils are still in their junior levels. Neither side need to compromise on their culture or identity but take pride in what they are.

Secular subjects should be taught to mixed Arab and Jewish classes. Perhaps separation could be for the purpose of religious instruction.

Naturally the right tools are required to initiate a change in the educational approach. This can only be achieved once there is peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Perhaps the air has been cleared for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians since Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement. Despite the great rift between Hamas and Fatah, the former had no alternative. Syria is in turmoil and Iran is showing signs of revolution. Hamas is seeking a new sponsor as the old sponsors are weakening.

In September 2011, a Palestinian state will be declared by the UN General Assembly. Israel will have no alternative but to accept this. Hamas will modify its attitude towards Israel in order to get world support. Instead of wasting time and refusing to negotiate with the Palestinians, Netanyahu should not condemn the Hamas-Fatah agreement. He is wasting precious time and wasting another opportunity. Hamas will find a way to negotiate even if it takes a back seat position in order to save face. In practice, it has agreed to the moderate Fatah leadership to carry on negotiations with Israel.

Israel should also reach out to the Arab demonstrators in the Arab world who are searching for values that are close to ours. We need to support them in their fight for freedom and at the same time we must end our old mantras of support for territorial aggrandizement and end the occupation.

Related articles

• Israelis, Palestinians Clash During Funeral for Youth - Voice of America (news.google.com)
• Shalit protest on Israeli holiday (bbc.co.uk)
• For Israel's Arabs, sense of disenfranchisement as Israel marks 63rd birthday (jta.org)
• Clashes in east Jerusalem as 'Nakba' events start (alternet.org)
• Dear Israel: Your house is on fire, & you're worried about the pilot light. (emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com)
• September 2011 - Unilateral Declaration of a Palestinian State? (shimonzk.blogspot.com)
• Israel's leaders praise troops on Independence Day (ctv.ca)

September 2011 – Unilateral Declaration of a Palestinian State?

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The Israeli Government is now going into a kind of phobia. The Palestinian Authority threatens a unilateral declaration of independence on September 2011. The P.A. will apply to the UN for admission as a fully independent state.

It is very unfortunate that there have been no negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority for quite a while. P.M. Salaam Fayad has been very busy trying to establish an infrastructure within the West Bank in preparation for the time when Palestine gains its independence. He is a pragmatist and is not a member of Fatah. The problem is whether he has the power to achieve this aim. So far, he has had some success in winning over the PA to his way of thinking. The Palestinian security police have improved and there is cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians in this area.

Nevertheless, much work has to be done and this can only be achieved when Israel decides to withdraw from the occupied territories and at the same time negotiations over security issues, future economic and cultural cooperation that is beneficial for both peoples must be negotiated.

Another big problem is the final borders issues between Israel and Palestine that has not been solved. Another issue is the problem of Gaza under Hamas rule. Hamas and Fatah are at loggerheads and the chances of them settling their differences are slim. World opinion is gaining ground at a rapid pace in support of a unilateral declaration of independence for Palestine and Israel cannot ignore this as much as it would like.

Israel is also complicating the issue by building new Israeli settlements in occupied territories since the settlement freeze period had expired. The idea of this is to make it more difficult for the Palestinians to achieve independence. If negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians do begin, many outstanding issues need solving including the settlers on the West Bank should if they decide to remain there. What will be their status? Will they agree to become Palestinian citizens? The chances of this are zero.

Time is not on Israel’s side and if the UN General Assembly agrees to adopt a resolution to recognize a Palestinian state alongside Israel, the US would probably veto the resolution and this would mean that the occupation would continue for an unlimited time. The spirit of the recent uprisings in the Arab states will also have an effect on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. It is hoped that it would pressure the Palestinians of Gaza to demonstrate and revolt against the brutal Hamas regime. Hamas is racist, anti-democratic and tolerates no opposition to its rule. The murders that Hamas has committed against the Palestinian people of Gaza have been overlooked by many freedom activists in the world.  The flotillas that move towards Gaza’s seas are ample proof of this. They fight for the removal of Israel’s blockades but not for the removal of the cruel Hamas regime who is responsible for Israel’s initiating these blockades. These so-called freedom-fighters are strengthening Hamas and in so doing are increasing the suffering of the Palestinians of Gaza. 

On Wednesday 27th April 2011, Mahmoud Abbas the Fatah President of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas' Khaled Mashal signed an accord that may bring the two sides closer to some kind of rapprochement. This took place in Cairo to the surprise of everybody. Both sides agreed on two points:

1. Palestinian General Elections will be held in a year's time.

2. Rehabilitation of Gaza's infrastructure must be undertaken.

According to President Abbas, this will not effect the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on an eventual peace agreement.

Naturally, PM Netanyahu's reaction was a knee jerk panic reaction when he should have sealed his lips and those of his coalition. Instead he said the usual expected statements that there will be no negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians if Hamas and the PA unify unless Hamas recognizes Israel's right to exist. He said the obvious which should have been unsaid only two hours after the Hamas-Fatah agreement was signed. He sent an ultimatum to the PA – they agree either to negotiate with Israel or to form a coalition with Hamas. The latter is unacceptable to Israel.

It is hard to believe that this mini-accord will be more than just that. The differences between Hamas and Fatah are so great that it is hard to believe that the gaps will be bridged.

After all, Hamas is on the verge of losing their proxies - Hezbollah (militants from Iran and Syria). This could result in Hamas moderating its stand towards Israel. The usual mantras in the Middle East are changing due to the Arab uprisings and Syria's President Bashar Assad's security forces brutally shooting Syrian demonstrators in cold blood. Assad is using the same cruel tactics as Ahmadinajad of Iran in suppressing opposition to their cruel despotic regimes. There are reports that Iran is aiding Assad in suppressing the uprising. Ahmadinajad knows that his regime will be on the firing line from the Iranian opposition. The Palestinian people of Gaza have had enough! They want to rebuild their lives and Israel is not their priority for destruction. It probably never was in the first place. Hamas, which is losing its proxies, are seeking other avenues to justify their existence. As the winds of change envelope the Middle East, Hamas - the despotic terrorist regime is not immune to the changes.

The turmoil and instability in the Middle East has resulted in Hamas putting out feelers to seek a new proxy. It is conceivable that the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt has played a part in bringing Hamas and Fatah to some kind of agreement. This is especially significant since Hosni Mubarak’s fall from power. One must remember that Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt and this mini accord with Fatah may be the beginning of a new direction in the unification of Gaza and the West Bank after the upcoming Palestinian elections.

It would be interesting, in view of the changing circumstances resulting in an agreement between Hamas and Fatah, whether the support for a unilateral declared Palestinian state will lose its momentum. After all, the E.U, U.S. and Russia regard Hamas as a terrorist organization.

The Netanyahu Government must also share the blame for the Hamas-Fatah mini-accord. An action always causes a reaction in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. A lack of any action is worse. It results in a stalemate and new alliances result aggravating a situation that does not improve. Every time there is an individual act of Palestinian terror it serves the Netanyahu Government’s aims – the building of more illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and thus making a Palestinian state more difficult to achieve.

The Hamas-Fatah mini-accord could result in Hamas moderating its attitude towards Israel as its despotic proxies have been weakened. Israel, on the other hand, must make a move towards getting the peace process started once more. Freezing settlements and confidence building measures must be undertaken. By doing this, Hamas will be weakened considerably as the wind will be taken out of its sails. Hamas appealed to Fatah for negotiations. They are showing signs that they are seeking another partner to replace Iran and Syria whose present regimes are weakening.

The scenario is not as terrible as the right wing in Israel imagine. It can be dangerous if the Netanyahu Government does not accept the changes occurring in the Arab world and carries on business as usual as if nothing has changed. There are many risks to Israel if they continue in the same “no movement” mode and are oblivious to world opinion. September 2011 is not so far away and they have to come to terms with a Palestinian state even if there are no negotiations. There has been enough time wasted. Time is not on Israel’s side. The chances of it being viewed as an apartheid state old white South African style may become a reality. Boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel could be the next step.

Related articles

• Israel Can Have a Peace Partner With a Unified Palestine, But Will Palestine Have One? (desertpeace.wordpress.com)
• Rival Palestinian groups reach deal (edition.cnn.com)
• Israel Rejects Palestinian Unity Deal (news.sky.com)
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• Palestinians will continue to negotiate peace, Abbas says (jta.org)

The Goldstone Turn About

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There is no reason to rub one's hands with glee at Judge Richard Goldstone's turn about on his report for the anti-Israel UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC). We must remember that Israel is also at fault for the conclusions of the biased commission. This was mentioned when the report's conclusions first came out.

I am no legal expert nor do I claim to be a lawyer. Despite this, it is obvious that a legal report, judgment or conclusion can only be based on evidence that is available and has nothing to do with what is right or wrong morally but based on revelations by witnesses. The facts may be true or false. It was important for Israel to allow the UNHRC to interview the Israelis who had suffered from Qassam missile fire into Sderot and other areas in the south of Israel. Their evidence or witness reports would have been documented and proof of Hamas crimes against Israeli victims would have been more difficult to deny. One must also bear in mind the Hamas mantra of the desire to demoralize Israel and fantasize on its destruction. Hamas refusal to enter any form of negotiation with Israel because of its failure to recognize Israel’s right to exist must never be forgotten or pushed into the background. As far as Hamas and its lackeys are concerned Israel’s 1948 borders (or pre-June 1967 borders for that matter) are still occupied territory. It has nothing to do with Israel’s withdrawal to the pre-June 1967 borders. They will never cease (unfortunately they have not given any indication to the contrary so far) their violence against Israel until a Palestinian state is established in the place of Israel, hence their provocations.

By not allowing the Goldstone Commission to obtain evidence from the Israeli victims of the Qassam missile attacks, Israel had played into the willing hands of Hamas resulting in Goldstone being manipulated by Hamas witnesses and the UNHRC in receiving evidence which was false or at best half true.

If one reads the Washington Post op-ed, written by Judge Goldstone, the lack of evidence from Israel gave rise to the inaccurate conclusions of the Goldstone Report which was biased against Israel. Israel had therefore shot itself in the foot.

Judge Goldstone, by his own admittance, stated in his op-ed that had Israel given the information that he knows now, the report would have been different.

The fact that Judge Goldstone is Jewish or that he is a Zionist and therefore pro-Israel is irrelevant when it comes to making legal decisions or drawing conclusions. The one has nothing to do with the other when it comes to evidence which may be unpleasant to both sides. Anybody who has been involved in a court case is very aware of the way lawyers and judges function. One may be convinced of the correctness of one's case only to have it overturned by a technical legality based on new evidence that has become known and the judge's interpretation of the evidence and the legality of its acceptance before legal judgment is made.

Perhaps it would have been prudent for Judge Goldstone not to agree to lead the UNHRC which by his own admittance is biased towards Israel.

I do remember Judge Goldstone saying in an interview just after the report came out, that the UNHRC gave him the freedom to draw up the protocol for the commission and he could not refuse to be the head of a commission for which he wrote the protocol of the enquiry of Operation Cast Lead of 2008-2009 in Gaza. Perhaps this could give us an indication that he was manipulated by the UNHRC. The personal price that he paid for this was immense. He was condemned by Israel and the Jewish Community for his findings. There is no doubt that he was also manipulated by Hamas as well. The credibility of Hamas and their lackeys are questionable at all times and Israel must be apportioned the blame for omission of evidence to the contrary.

Perhaps something positive did come out of this report. It resulted in Israel investigating IDF excesses of force against innocent Palestinian civilians and those soldiers who were held responsible were brought to justice. This may not have occurred had there been no Goldstein Report. Hamas never undertook organizing a commission of inquiry into human crimes that they had committed against their own people and Israel as the Goldstone Report had requested.

During the IDF operations against the Hamas terrorists ("militants" as Hamas sympathizers call them) had used innocent Palestinian people as human shields and hid behind them in order to increase Palestinian casualties and fatalities. They did this in order to prove to the world that Israel, whom they refuse to recognize, had killed Palestinians on purpose. Judge Richard Goldstone had refuted this in contrast to what was claimed by the Goldstone Report.

In retrospect, had Judge Goldstone refused to head this commission on the grounds that it would not be prudent because of his sympathies for Israel as he claims, the one sided findings would not have backfired on him personally especially as evidence of Israeli victims harmed by Qassam missiles prior to Operation Cast Lead was withheld from the Goldstone Report.

Even to this day there is sporadic firing of Grad missiles into southern Israel by Hamas and Israel is retaliating. Indications are that Iran is taking advantage of the unstable situation in the Middle East because of the Arab uprisings and the availability of the tunnels in the Gaza strip which are unguarded.

The provocations of the extremist Islamic groups in Gaza goading Israel to retaliate

is a foolhardy action of brinkmanship, which will increase Palestinian casualties and suffering.

  

Related articles

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• The Guardian and Goldstone (cifwatch.com)
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• Goldstone Recants His Report Attacking Israel (usnews.com)
• Goldstone panel colleagues rebut judge's mea culpa - Ha'aretz (news.google.com)
• Israel calls for Goldstone report on Gaza to be withdrawn (telegraph.co.uk)
• You: Gaza report team turn on Goldstone (guardian.co.uk)
• AJC Calls on Judge Goldstone to Correct Disgraceful UN Report on Israel (prnewswire.com)

The Murder of Juliano Mer-Khamis

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Actor and director, Juliano Mer-Khamis-the son of a Jewish mother and a Christian Arab father was murdered by Palestinian terrorists on Monday April 4th 2011. He was shot 5 times at point blank range in his car in Jenin on the West Bank.

Juliano was a very talented actor and producer. His future in acting and directing was assured. However, he felt that his place was in Jenin in the West Bank working with young Palestinian children and youth. He established the Freedom Theater and continued his mother, Arna Mer-Khamis's legacy, in teaching Palestinians to act as well as the culture of acting in order to help them come to terms with the Israeli occupation.

Jule, as the Palestinians called him, was very devoted to the Palestinian cause. His mother was Jewish and his father was a Christian Arab from Nazareth. He viewed himself as 100% Jewish and 100% Palestinian.

Jule was a rare mix and a man of peace. He hated the occupation because of what it has done to both Israelis and Palestinians. He believed that the occupation is immoral.

He had no sympathy for the settlers nor did he have anything in common with extremist Palestinian ideology. Perhaps this is the reason why he was assassinated. He was different!

He taught acting skills to the Palestinian youth. He seemed to be admired and loved by all. Apparently this is not entirely correct. He was a freethinking progressive humanist believing in coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis.

Today the Arab people in the Middle East are fighting for democracy and human rights in their society as well as equality before the law. As mentioned in my previous articles, the Arab uprising is not about Israel which has always been a uniting factor in the Arab world. The Arab dictators had always kept the fire of hate for Israel as a mantra to maintain their own stability and to oppress their own people.

The Arab uprisings against their own ruthless dictatorships are part of the process for democracy and human freedom.

If this is the case, their message has not reached Palestine in its entirety. There are still Islamic extremists in Palestinian society that are using the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict as a mantra to maintain a semblance of unity. This unity serves the extremists in Palestinian society – the hate for Israel which had been common place since its establishment in 1948 and which is manipulated by Hamas and its terrorist allies. As far as they are concerned Israel is occupied territory.

Jule was part of the spirit of equality, human rights and democracy. He was the embodiment of freedom, progress as well as equality of the sexes.

Despite all positive qualities that he had and the Freedom Theater that he had established, there are still hard core conservatives in Palestinian society that wished his death. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and their extremist Islamic allies are groups that are against Palestinian progress. They still hold much power especially in Gaza and it is difficult to assess their power in the West Bank. Jule was a thorn in their flesh. He had been subjected to death threats and even his Freedom Theater was vandalized. Jule's progressive ideology was too much for them. He paid the ultimate price by being murdered in cold blood. He had imbued his students with freedom and equality. This was in keeping with the spirit of the Arab arising but not in keeping with Hamas and their extremist ideologues.

He was loved by all peace people - Palestinians and Israelis. Maybe his mixed identity was not what the racist Islamic groups in Palestinian society wanted. They viewed him as a threat to their potential hegemony and murdered him.

This tragedy is a loss to both Palestinians and Israelis who believe in peace, coexistence, democracy and human rights.

Apart from sporadic condemnation for his tragic assassination, the left in Israel has remained relatively silent. If he had been murdered by Jewish extremists, the left would have been stronger in their condemnation. It seems as if Palestinian extremists have poetic license to kill even a true democrat on their side. It will take a long time, if ever, before the spirit of the Arab uprising reaches the hardcore religious extremists in Palestine with their vitriol towards those who are different. The Israeli occupation is blamed for almost everything even if it is the fault of the Hamas regime itself. The murder of Jule emphasizes this fact and it rings true today.

Here was a man of mixed Palestinian-Israeli blood that tried his best to build bridges of peace between the two peoples. Instead Palestinian racist extremists felt it their duty to spill his blood because of their bloodlust directed at those who are different.

It seems that all peacemakers, irrespective of whether they are Palestinians or Israelis, are under threat from Hamas and their extremist factions.

We must not allow their evil ideology of racism and hate to move us from the sacred cause of democracy, tolerance, peace and coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis. We must also support the fight for democracy and freedom in the Middle East. This would be the best way that we could honour this incredible man.

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• Hamas suspect held in West Bank actor killing: Palestinians (reuters.com)
• A Part of All of Us Was Murdered in Jenin (desertpeace.wordpress.com)
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Return of Terror or Moving Forward?

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The past week has been a week of terrorist scenarios in Israel. The old extremist Islamist groups perpetuate terror whenever they get a chance. It began with the tragic murder of the Fogel family in Itamar on the West Bank, followed by the launching of Grad and Qassam missiles by Hamas-affiliated splinter terror groups resulting in severe damage and injuries against an innocent population in Israel. Naturally, Israel's Defense Forces retaliate and the cycle of bloodshed begins with the loss of Palestinian lives and more tragedy for both sides. What does Hamas hope to gain by this? Israel will not disappear. In fact, according to reports, Hamas does not wish to heat up the situation. It is possible that Hamas is losing control in Gaza to more extremist groups. The provocations in Gaza seems to be coming from Iran. These missiles reached as far afield as Beersheba, Ashdod and Rishon l'tsiyon. The terrible bomb in a suitcase placed near a phone booth and kiosk in Jerusalem was part of an obvious terror campaign against Israel. The bomb exploded, killing an innocent British tourist and injuring numerous Israelis.

The missile terror coming from Gaza and the increase of Islamist terrorist violence must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Those responsible must be brought to justice, and if not, at least, pinpoint attacks against the leadership responsible are a matter of urgency. Every country has a right to protect itself against this threat on its citizens and this includes Israel.

Who hopes to gain by the escalation of this cruel violence against innocent Israelis? The Palestinian Authority has come out straight against the violence. There are a number of factors responsible for heating up the situation. It could be an attempt by Iran to take the heat off human rights and democracy issues in the Middle East and concentrate on uniting the Islamic world against Israel if it retaliates.

The Arab world is embroiled in uprisings against their autocratic, despotic rulers. These uprisings are spreading across the Middle East with a speed that boggles the imagination. The courage of the youth at the forefront is remarkable and they deserve the support of liberal democrats all over the world, including Israel. We must make a distinction between those fighters for human freedom in the Arab world and the Islamist terrorist groups whose purpose is to kill and maim innocent people. The latter is part of the old order, whose patron is the evil Iranian regime of Mahmoud Ahmadinajad and the ruling Ayatollahs.

Syria is now showing signs of unrest and the people are taking to the streets in Damascus and demonstrating against the Alawi sect under Bashar Assad who has ruled his people with an iron hand. The disturbances began in Dara'a in a poverty stricken region that had faced discrimination for many years. Four demonstrators were killed there in a mosque. This started the unrest in Syria which is now spreading. It looks as though President Bashar Assad is losing control. The opposition is in the hands of Sunnis, Druze and Alouites. A question remains whether Syrian youth will be able to influence the revolution as their counterparts in Egypt and Tunisia. The Syrian Authorities have reacted aggressively and killed many Syrian demonstrators.

The Syrian people do not want Iran's proxy - the evil Hezbollah influencing their country. They have made this perfectly clear. Iran seems to be heating up the situation in Gaza by supporting Hamas and various terrorist groups as a digression to unite Islamist extremists against Israel. They do this through Hezbollah by smuggling weapons and missiles into Gaza for the purpose of manipulating the Palestinians and taking the heat off the traditional despots. It is their plan to colonize the Arab world under a bizarre form of Iranian Shiite rule. Iran's record of human rights and democracy is dismal. They wish to fill the vacuum caused by the threatened despots whose power is falling and their way of doing this is to strengthen Hamas in order to increase their influence in the Palestinian world by exploiting Palestinian suffering under Israeli occupation in order to dominate Palestine.

Hamas is affiliated to Iran through Hezbollah. The latter also influences Lebanon and it is certain that the Lebanese people do not want to be proxies of Iran or Iranian backed Syria under the Alawi Assad regime any more than the Syrians did. The evil, shrewd secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, who hides in his bunker underground and spews out hatred for his opponents with aggressive rhetoric, is losing support. Not only will he remain in his bunker because of his fear and hate for Israel, he will rot there for his love of the despotic Iranian regime which has killed many Iranians fighting for human rights.

We in Israel are not blameless either for the increase in terrorism against Israelis. There is nothing more dangerous than apathy and no movement towards a settlement with the Palestinians. It is essential that negotiations with the Palestinian Authority begin in earnest to end the occupation and that serious steps be taken for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel in secure, well defined and agreed borders. Freezing of settlements prior to negotiations could go a long way to building confidence and trust between the two sides.

The situation is more complicated now because of the uprisings in the Arab world. The direction it will take is still unclear. In Libya, the terrible torture of Kaddafi’s opponents is becoming known. The coalition of Britain, France and the US against the Kaddafi slaughter of his people still goes on and, for the moment, they seem to be getting support from the Libyan people as well as saving many Libyan lives.

It is hoped that the Palestinian people will be influenced by the uprisings and they will revolt against the brutal Hamas regime and their terrorist allies. The Palestinians deserve better in Gaza than the evil Hamas regime which ruthlessly destroys the Palestinian's right for a true democratic state upholding human rights and dignity, justice and decent living conditions. The mantra of the Israeli occupation in the Hamas mind is not an excuse to oppress Palestinians and deny them basic human rights.

Arise! Palestinian brothers, rise up against Hamas! Join your brethren in the Middle East in their just fight for freedom, democracy and human dignity. The occupation serves Hamas interests no less than that of Israel's right wing regime.

It is unfortunate that the right wing Israeli government has been involved in passing anti democratic laws against Palestinian citizens of Israel.

These laws - the Naqba Bill and the Acceptance Committees Bill were voted into law recently. During the last six months from Sukkoth to Pesach about a dozen bills were introduced that are distinguished by how they sanction violations of fundamental human rights and civil liberties. It is obvious that the targets of some of these bills are Israel's Arab citizens. The bills also have wider ramifications or goals - deligitimization, weakening and silencing those who do not conform to the majority's expectations. The lack of sensitivity towards the Palestinian narrative only serves to widen differences between Israelis and Palestinians rather than using it as a starting point to understand each side better through positive dialogue to reach an understanding and empathy for both sides' historical narrative. History can never be changed, but both sides can learn the lessons of the past to build a better future of understanding and cooperation.

At the helm of these racist laws are Avigdor Lieberman and his ilk of the Israel Beitenu Party. There is no doubt that the present Israeli Government is the most racist government in Israel's history. The Middle East is changing, despots are falling and Israel must adapt to the new situation. Hopefully there will be new democracies arising from the desire of the Arab people. Can we afford to retrogress in our inability to take up the challenges positively?

Israelis and Palestinians need peace. The leadership on both sides is not up to the challenge but we, the people, with our common desire for peace can do it. We are the means that can facilitate our leaders in that direction we all need so desperately.

Related articles

• Escalation approaching - Ha'aretz (news.google.com)
• Syria Regime Rocked by Protests (online.wsj.com)
• Syrian Troops Open Fire on Protesters in Several Cities (revolutionwithoutborder.org)
• Syria unrest presents dilemma for Iran (cbsnews.com)
• Analysis: Surge in violence "arose from Hamas internal row" (reuters.com)
• Gaza rockets strike deeper inside Israel (reuters.com)
• Report: Hamas says will withhold fire if Israel does - Ynetnews (news.google.com)
• Breaking: Grad rocket lands north of Ashdod (israelmatzav.blogspot.com)