Israel's Final Solution
Steve Laudeman
Denver, Colorado
March 1, 2002
On the last page of the February 22 edition of the Intermountian Jewish News (Denver) is an interesting yet troubling editorial. Interesting insofar as it provides some insight into the pro-Israel mentality in the Denver area and the United States in general. Troubling in that the writer advocates not an end to hostilities but an escalation that would lead to all out war.
The author - who chose not to include his or her name - first assails those who advocate full Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian Occupied Territories. Withdrawal is presented as the far-fetched pipe dreams of "diehard peaceniks", a crazy scheme to make concessions which will only embolden Palestinian militants. This position ignores the fact that, for over thirty years, the United Nations General Assembly has been virtually unanimous in its support for full withdrawal, as expressed in hundreds of resolutions and committee reports. The United Nations is not a radical fringe group. This is the international organization that represents the governments of the civilized world. In unusually strong language, the UN has repeatedly called on Israel to withdraw its forces, and condemned Israel's repeated and continuing violations of international law and human rights conventions.
After determining that withdrawal is not an option, the author goes on to the next item on the Palestinian wish list, the right of return of refugees. This is quickly written off as a subversive plan by the Palestinians to destroy the state of Israel from the inside out. As argued by the nameless author, and other pro-Zionists, the return of refugees would so alter the demographics of Israel as to reduce the Jewish Israelis to a minority. The author again conveniently ignores the fact the the right of return of refugees is internationally recognized. In 1948, in reponse to the intitial refugee problem in the Middle East, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 194. This Resolution stated, in part: "...the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live in peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing to return ...". The right of return has been reiterated annually by the General Assembly up to the present time. The right of return of refugees, including other rights of non-combatants in war time, was developed partly in reponse to poor treatment of civilians during World War II. Ironically, regarding this particular issue, Israel and the Nazis appear to be on the same side.
Keeping his blinders on, the author goes on to portray Israel as a helpless lamb among lions. "Israel is fighting for her life." Nothing could be further from the truth. Israel is the only country in the region which possesses nuclear weapons. Isreal gets a $5 billion dollar yearly allowance from the United States which is used to buy the most advanced weapons systems in the world. The weapons of the Palestinian militant are pea-shooters compard to the tanks, Apache helicopters, and F-16 jets used by the Israeli forces. Hence the great disparity in casualties during the most recent fighting.
So Israel will not cede any territory, the Palestinians will not be allowed to return to their homes, and Israel's military dominance is without question. What then is the solution? Our anonymous writer has a plan: "The solution is the systematic destruction of every Palestinian weapon, no matter the cost. The solution is the planned, systematic, comprehensive, proactive, military, house-to-house Israeli search for every single Palestinian weapon." Now this is truly frightening. No matter the cost. No matter the cost in Palestinian - or Israeli - lives, the cost in Palestinian national identity, the cost in condemnation from the international community. Be sure to check for the secret apartment behind the bookshelf. Make sure every Palestinian boy gets a loaded Israeli M-16 pointed at his chest, just so he knows who the boss is. But why stop at confiscating weapons? To fully pacify the troublemakers, why not eliminate their right to freely congregate, freedom of the press; destroy their communications and transportation infrastructure. In these repects, the Government of Israel has jumped ahead of our nameless editorialist. The plan is already being implemented.
Does anyone else see alarming historical precedents for this planned subjugation of the Palestinian people? Did the rest of the world not learn long ago that this type of military repression is not only illegal, unethical, and immoral, but that it does not work? Have American men and women not given their lives to end such aggression by the Nazis, the USSR, and other military regimes? Early in the Zionist movement, the Jewish philosopher Ahad Ha'am warned against the violation of the rights of the Palestinians. Regarding the Zionists in Palestine, he wrote "...serfs they were in the lands of the Diaspora and suddenly they find themselves in unrestricted freedom and this change has awakened in them an inclination to despotism. They treat the Arabs with hostility and cruelty, deprive them of their rights, offend them without cause and event boast of these deeds; and nobody among us opposes this despicable and dangerous inclination...". I suppose Israel can pursue its planned ethnic cleansing if it so chooses, but I wonder how Americans can continue to support the Zionist regime. When will Israel learn that the military solution is really not a solution at all?
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