The developments in the last few days have been interesting
to say the least. Israeli papers are finally publishing stories
showing that Israel assassination of the Hamas leader Jabari that began the
latest attack was intentional and political. Jabari was actually considering a draft
ceasefre agreement reached between a Hamas representative and an Israeli with
the knowledge of Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak and the Israeli
hierarchy. Perhaps that is why Barak announced quitting of political
life knowing that this will come back to haunt him in the upcoming elections! But Netanyahu and Lieberman are doggedly
counting on the settler vote to win and had the plans ready ahead of time. The vast majority of countries voted for
accepting Palestine into the UN system as a non-member STATE (based on the 1967
borders but also with reference to UNGA resolutions 181 and 194). Only
Canada, the Czech Republic & a few tiny islands dependent on US aid voted
NO with Israel & US. Four days
later, the United Nations voted to inspect Israel’s nuclear facilities (which
had manufactured hundreds of nuclear weapons destabilizing the region). The vote also calls on Israel to join the
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty without further delay. The vote again passed with vast majority: 174
countries votes for the inspection, six voted against, and six abstained. The countries that voted against the
resolution were Israel, the United States, Canada, Palau, Micronesia, and the
Marshall Islands. Shameful succumbing to
Israel lobby by those very few counries (against their own people's interests).
But clearly Apartheid Israel is isolated
and we must increase the pressure to isolate it further to achieve peace with
justice.
The Israeli government arrogantly decided to continue
violating International law: a) it rejected all relevant UN resolutions, b) it
withheld Palestinian tax money (called stealing), c) it approved building even
more colonial settlements on Palestinian lands (also called stealing), and c)
it bribed and blackmailed politicians around the world (Israeli intelligence is
good at getting dirt on politicians or even entrapping them) to avoid any
concrete measures of punishment. While all
governments objected verbally (even the USA!), most failed to take any concrete
measures against apartheid Israel for engaging in crimes against humanity. In
fact, some European countries and the US are applying pressure on Mahmoud Abbas
(whose term expired two years ago) not to take actions in International fora to
hold Israel accountable.
The Palestinian Authority is now on shaky ground and not
only politically (because of the division) but economically and over 150,000
civil servants will likely not get paid this month. All this
emphasized to us Palestinians that liberation must come before governance. We must depend on ourselves (with some help
from civil societies around the world and few governments) and there are certain
things that must be done NOW: Fatah and Hamas and other Palestinian
factions must implement their reconciliation agreements and the PLO must be
reconsitituted on democratic ground to represent all 12 million of us and to
deal with the grave challenges ahead. History will not forgive leaders
who can make and implement agreements with their colonizers (including Oslo and
ceasefires) but cannot implement agreements with their fellow countrymen. It is then possible engage in large scale
popular resistance that gets most of the Palestinians to Participate and on
solid footing and to take Israel to the International Court of Justice for
breach of conventions like the Geneva Conventions, the Hague Conventions, and
most importantly The International Convention for the Suppression and
Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (see http://untreaty.un.org/cod/avl/ha/cspca/cspca.html ).
Most Palestinians see that salvation will not come from outside and that unless
we Palestinians are serious about challenging Israel, we will remain under
perpetual occupation. There is a role for the international society
and millions are now activists in the campaigns of boycotts, divestment and
sanctions as we did it with Apartheid South Africa. Just last week,
Stevie Wonder canceled his participation in concert that would have benefited
the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
Successes are mounting every week. I am back in Palestine
tired but inspired by the energy especially of the youth in India whose
conference was dramatically successful despite the odds. Tears
rolled up in our eyes as we witnessed Muslims, Hindu, Christians, Atheists, and
others of India working hand in hand against racism in their own society (like
Brahmanism/cast system discrimination) and racism in Palestine (Zionism). We all recalled the words of Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian leaders in opposition to Zionism and colonialism. Most were youth who are taking charge of their
own future. The alliance of Indian right-wing racism with Israeli
and other racist/fascist movements now provides a joint target for popular
movements around the world. The internet
provides a tool of organizing for the energetic youth who attended the
conference in India (see http://ipsf.org.in/ ).
On the other side of the world, thousands gathered and took important decision
on the issue of Palestine at the World Social Forum in Brazil (see http://wsfpalestine.net/)
It still rings in my ears: India Zindabad!! Palestine
Zindabad!!
Israel and Palestine, an animated introduction from Jewish
Voice for Peace
Report from the PLO on the ongoing settlement activities
Report from B'Tselem on "The E1 plan and its
implications for human rights in the West Bank"
When It Comes to Gaza, Don’t Let Obama Speak for Black
Americans: ‘Like an olive tree planted by the water, we shall not be moved’ by Jesse
Hagopian
If Not Two States, Then One
Stay human
I am glad to see pressure to bring Israel under the NPT (among many other pressures on Israel that this article talks about).
ReplyDelete"the United Nations voted to inspect Israel’s nuclear facilities (which had manufactured hundreds of nuclear weapons destabilizing the region). The vote also calls on Israel to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty without further delay. The vote again passed with vast majority: 174 countries votes for the inspection, six voted against, and six abstained. The countries that voted against the resolution were Israel, the United States, Canada, Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Shameful succumbing to Israel lobby by those very few counries (against their own people's interests)."
Now if only we could get the US to comply with all of the provisions demanded by the signatories.
Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) states: “Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.”
My view has been that Israel, after carving out most of the places it wants in Palestine, it would accept a "two state" solution. So the vote last week, was....not a happy one for me. But I am not Palestinian and I am not on the ground to know what is going enough to argue with the happy Palestinians after the vote. I hope I am wrong. What do you think ?
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