Israel reported a record $7.2 billion weapons exports solidifying its
position in the top four countries profiting from war and destruction. The
other two main official sources of income for Israel (foreign aid and its
pillaging of the Palestinian economy) are also at a record high. A fourth
source of income that is less publicized but certainly is in the billions is
money laundering and other criminal activities. Many make billions by
illicit schemes in their own countries and then move to Israel or at least
move their money there (there are many example among Russian and American
Zionists). Israel is indeed in a very strong position financially and
militarily. Israel is also aided by a massive media campaign that vilifies
Palestinians (and now Muslims and Arabs in general). On the ground,
Jerusalem has largely been transformed and its multi-ethnic, multi-religious
character meticulously eroded just like what happened to Jaffa and Haifa
before and just like what is happening in Hebron and elsewhere today. But
we are not entirely helpless in facing the last remaining bastion of fascism
and racism that is protected by state power and a global network of hate
peddlers.
Yes, it is true that our struggle is more difficult than what transpired
against apartheid in South Africa. Yes, it is true that our "leadership" has
been reduced making weak declarations in fancy hotels and conference centers
and to the media. This "leadership" is paid handsomely for doing nothing
useful to change the political discourse or even increase the cost of this
colonial Zionist venture. Worse yet, a good segment of this "leadership"
actually aids and abets the occupiers. Salam Fayyad who worked at the World
Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), declares that he is fully in
favor of the appointment of the head of the Central Bank in Israel as head
of the IMF! He also worked hard to get funding to pave alternative roads
that made it easier on the apartheid system isolating Palestinians in
cantons than need not interfere with the plans to control the natural
resources and best lands of the West Bank. And then there is Mahmoud Abbas
who declared on more than one occasion and also even signed a provisional
agreement with Israelis that also declared that refugees need not return to
their homes and lands but only to the demilitarized denuded bantustan called
a Palestinian state. Abbas also declared repeatedly that his options are
negotiations, negotiations, negotiations. He and his associates (Saeb
Erekat, Abu Ala' etc) have been negotiating for 20 years with the only
tangible accomplishment being giving Israel economic and diplomatic space to
consolidate Zionist colonialism. But this era of Israeli colonial
superiority must and is coming to an end.
While we in the civil society still hope for these "leaders" to change their
ways, we have not been waiting. We have been acting and must act more. The
upcoming escalation in confrontation will not be between states nor will it
be with "insurgency" in its classic sense. What we see instead is a growth
in boycotts, divestment, and sanctions and what transpired by freedom
flotilla I, events of May 15, June 5th, the upcoming freedom flotilla II,
and July 8-16 are so critical. We have individual and collective
responsibility to change things by moral and determined ways. The other
options have been proven catastrophically negative: relying on politicians
(elected or self-appointed) or on the vagaries of shifting military
capabilities (a dangerous development in the era of advanced science that
makes development of weapons of mass destruction relatively easy even for
small state and non-state actors). Let no one have any illusion: we are
coming to a major confrontation. It can either be 1) a civil confrontation
where civil society wins the struggle because it got engaged in these
tactics of strong and determined popular resistance, or 2) it can happen via
armed insurgency that uses modern technology to challenge conventional
military forces. Hezbollah in Lebanon provides a model of mixing the two
but with more reliance on the second. In challenging local dictatorship, we
saw the power of civil resistance in Egypt and Tunisia. Challenging
colonialism successfully happened with a mix of the two in Algeria
(liberated in the 1960s) and South Africa (more recently). But the mix in
South Africa was improved thanks to International civil participation. Each
situation is unique and our local history here and the upcoming
confrontation will also be unique to Palestine and different than in these
other places. But it is clear that we have a responsibility as individuals
in our society to try to shape the coming confrontation so that it is not
catastrophically violent (i.e. less "military might makes right" and more
"people power"). Our future as humans depends on us working together to
change our circumstances. Those who think they can afford to sit and wait
(and watch TV news) will miss the moving train of justice and will regret
their apathy. We Palestinians must carry the bulk of the weight (I remember
the image of the old man carrying Jerusalem and Palestine on his back). But
we humans are all responsible. We cannot be lulled by "humanitarian aid" or
by "state" and non-state structures that give the illusions of safety and
security whether in the US, Europe, Australia, the apartheid state of
Israel, or in the bantustans called a Palestinian state. Everyone knows
that that old system merely makes the rich richer, the poor poorer, destroys
our environment, and lets us have fake elections between waves of certain
economic downturns and the occasional war or terror attack that aims to
distract us.
For those of you in Palestine, you may want to join us for a workshop this
Saturday, 18 June, at 11 Am in the Bethlehem area that will bring dozens of
activists from throughout Palestine and some internationals to help organize
us better for the week of activities in July and beyond (email me for
workshop location if you like to join.) We also just updated our website
with new answers to frequently asked questions on this (see
http://palestinejn.org/section-blog). For those of you abroad, you could
intensify your efforts to challenge the status quo. We are one world and
our struggles are one.
Freedom Flotilla 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXyR2_H0jXE
Calls for sanctions against Israel rise in EU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32t2bUzKmjE
People Power By Erica Chenoweth
>From Cairo, Egypt, to Madison, Wisconsin, civil society is fighting back
through massive nonviolent resistance. But what makes for a successful
campaign? The data is in.
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article
Palestine Writing Workshop in Bethlehem July 2011: additional information
and registration at www.palestineworkshop.org
Action: 51,000 people signed asking TIAA-CREF to divest from apartheid. We
must insist that they respond to investor demand for a vote on the issue.
Their meeting is in Charlotte NC, USA July 19. There is a campaign where
you can help from anywhere: http://wedivest.org/
[there are also other actions - email me for details]
Bienvenue en Palestine 2011 (French)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpVQIBpzsTI
Mazin Qumsiyeh,
http://qumsiyeh.org
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