Al-Quds Divided: The Politics of Hatred

Re: Sabra and Shatila massacres

Yoram Binur, a Jew who was served in the Israeli army, writes:

``Tales of torture, murder, rape, and pillage perpetrated by the Christian Phalangists against the Palestinian population were routine and were doubtless known to the Israeli Intelligence officers who supervised the Phalangists. Years later, when the committee investigating the massacres at Sabra and Shatila refugee camps interrogated Ariel Sharon, Rafeel Eytan, and others, they claimed that they had no way of knowing that the Christian Phalangists would commit such atrocities. I could only laugh in the face of such blatant lies.``


Binur, Yoram., My Enemy, My Self (New York: Doubleday, 1989) p. 37

Re: Terrorists, Terrorism and Thugs

“Yitzhak Shamir was originally a member of a Jewish terrorist group called the Irgun, which was headed by former Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Mr. Shamir later moved over to the even more radical Stern gang.
Whether Mr. Arafat ever specifically sanctioned an act of terrorism against unarmed civilians is disputed. Israel, and the US government, assume he has. PLO spokesmen say that terrorist acts committed by Palestinians or their friends and sympathizers among other Arab communities have been done by fanatical individuals or groups over which Arafat has no control.
That Shamir and Mr. Begin have been leaders of terrorist bands that committed many atrocities is beyond question. Shamir himself has defended the various assassinations committed by the Irgun and Stern gangs on the ground that ``it was the only way we could operate, because we were so small. So it was more efficient and more moral to go to selected targets.`` The selected targets in those early days of the founding of the state of Israel included Lord Moyne, British resident minister in Cairo in 1944, and the Swedish count, Folke Berndotte, on Sept. 17, 1948. Not all Begin and Shamir targets were so precise. The first act of terrorism in the long Arab-Israel wars, which involved many victims, was the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on July 2, 1946. Many women were among the 91 people killed.
On April 9, 1948, a combined force of Irgun and Stern gangs committed ``a particularly brutal massacre of some 250 Arab residents [of the village of Deir Yassin], many of them women and children,`` according to Evan M. Wilson, author of ``Decisions on Palestine.`` Accounts by Red Cross and United Nations observers who visited the scene said that the houses were first set on fire and then the residents were shot down as they came out to escape the flames.
In a book titled ``Taking Sides,`` published by William Morrow and Co., Inc., author Stephen Green tells of the ``Lavon Affair,`` which shook more than one Israeli Cabinet. The affair began in June 1954, with the planting of ``a ring of spies [``moles``]`` in Cairo, ordering it to begin sabotage operations against selected Egyptian, British, and American targets. The Alexandria post office was firebombed on July 2. On July 14, the US Information Agency offices in Cairo and Alexandria were damaged by fire started by phosphorus incendiary devices, as was a British-owned theater.
Members of the spy ring were caught, and they confessed. They had been planted by Modiin, the Israeli military intelligence organization. The purpose, presumably, was to sabotage Egyptian relations with the US and Britain. Various commissions of inquiry into the affair conducted in Israel were never able to decide whether or not Israeli Defense Minister Pinchon Lavon authorized the operation.
On Oct. 14-15, 1953, an Israeli force attacked the unarmed Arab village of Kibya, in the demilitarized zone, killing 53 civilians. The details were so gruesome that the US joined in a UN condemnation of the Israeli action and, for the first and only time, suspended US aid to Israel in reprisal.
Israeli armed forces invaded Lebanon on June 6, 1982. Arab casualties vastly outnumbered Israeli casualties. During the invasion, there were brutal massacres of Arabs at Sabra and Shatila camps for which the Israeli High Court held Israeli military officers responsible. “

Joseph C. Harsch
The Christian Science Monitor (Nov. 1988)

Immediately following the establishment of Israel, the three underground terrorist organizations established under the mandate period —the Hagana led by David Ben Gurion, the Irgun Zvei Leumi led by Menachem Begin, and the Stern Gang led by Yizhaq Shamir — all combined forces and started to dispel and drive out the Arabs. The massacre of innocent women and children at Dier Yassin speaks for itself as to how they went about accomplishing this task. The Deir Yassin savagery was later described by Menachem Begin as:
``not only justifiable but there would not have been a state of Israel without the victory at Deir Yassin.``

On February 20, 1989, Alice F. Smith wrote in the Time Magazine:

``What manner of man would retaliate against a stone-throwing child by shooting him in the back as he ran away? What manner of government would retaliate by fining already poverty stricken parents $1000, demolishing their home, and confiscating their meager possessions? What manner of people are these arrogant settlers who think they have a God given right to commit such atrocities and still cry for more? What manner of people are we that we permit our government to give away billions of the American tax-payers’ dollars to Israel every year, enabling it to continue to subjugate the Palestinians?``

Recalling all the brutalities on the part of the Israeli government, Paul Findley, a former U.S Congressman for 22 years, says:

``As an American, I hang my head in shame, because I know that America is the pipeline without which Israel could not inflict such punishment upon those poor people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.``

Deedat, Ahmed and Findley, Paul. Is Israel Set-Up For Destruction? (Cape Town; IPCI, 1989)

The world could not understand the hatred displayed by the Palestinians against the Jews. Yoram Binur explains the hatred:

``For 20 years, the Palestinians lived among us. During the day we were the employers who profited by their cheap labor and exploited them for all they were worth; in the afternoon we were the police; in the evening we were the soldiers at the roadblock on their way home; and finally, at night, we were the security forces who entered their homes and arrested them``

Binur, Yoram., My Enemy, My Self (New York: Doubleday, 1989) p. 196

Re: Sabra and Shatila massacres

According to International Red Cross sources, the number of people massacred were around 2,750. But author Amnon Kapeliouk places the figure between 3,000 and 3,500 to include:

(1) those buried in mass graves whose number cannot be ascertained;

(2) those who were buried under the ruins of houses;

(3) those who were taken alive to an unknown destination but never returned. The bodies of some of them were found by the side of the roads leading to the south (Amnon Kapeliouk, ``Sabra and Chatila,``pp93-94).

``While the actual operation was carried out by the Lebanese Phalangists, responsibility for the massacre rests on the shoulders of the Israelis who armed and paid them, and lit the skies above the camps with flares as the killing went on through the night, and who had planned the massacre. It also rests on the United States, which undertook to guarantee the safety of the inmates of the two camps after the PLO had departed from Lebanon (Bitter Harvest). Former Under-Secretary of State George Ball commented on the subject as follows:

``In America our nation’s responsibility for the whole tragic incident has gone largely unnoticed, yet the facts are clear enough. We put our own good faith behind Israel’s word of honor, otherwise the PLO would never have agreed to leave. The PLO trusted America’s promise that the Palestinians left behind would be safe-guarded. When America promised ‘to do its utmost’ to ensure that Israel kept its commitments, they took that commitment at face value. They would never have trusted an Israeli promise, but they trusted us. We betrayed them. (George Ball, Error and Betrayal in Lebanon, p.57)

``After that the Israeli soldiers would claim that they did not know what was happening. They did not hear the screams and shouts of people being massacred. They did not see wanton murderer of innocent people through their telescopic binoculars`` (From Beirut to Jerusalem). What they saw in Sabra and Shatila camps was only nests of terrorist children and terrorist women and old men that needed to be destroyed. They did not even know that almost one quarter of the camps neighborhood was inhabited by the hapless Lebanese Shiites who bought the dismal shacks from Palestinians who were able to make it in other places.

When the United Nations adopted a resolution to condemn Israel for using the world prohibited (cluster bombs), the US representative in the Security Council used the veto three times between June and August 1982 to prevent the adoption of any resolution against Israel.

shankar #24, ``Sometimes I feel religion should be banned in this world. It is the one concept that has caused the most amount of hatred in mankind.``

I agree, ban organized religion and let individual spirituality flourish.

``But then that wont stop human nature. We`ll find other ways to hate each other. ``

I`m sure the other ways would be less cruel.

Can`t compare the evils of religious hatred (Holocaust, genocide of Muslim Bosnians, Hindu caste killings, Bin Laden terrorism etc...)

to other forms of hatred in the world.

fairdinkum

At least Israel formed an inquiry commission and her soldiers and statesmen spoke out against her alleged atrocities while others, like the late Begin, were finished politically. The Americans had a press, which you quote, that regularly lashes out at US support of Israel.

Now pray tell, who amongst the PLO and the Arabs has spoken out against Palestinian terrorism? Nor do I recall hearing too many Syrian judges condemn Assad`s destruction of Hama. May be I missed the issue of the Libyan newspaper which criticised Moammar Gaddafi`s support for global terror groups.

Imperfect as it is, Israel remains the only democracy in the Middle East. Her human rights record is not good at all. But she needs no lecture from Palestinians or most other Arabs on that issue. Where was the outrage when Assad`s army crushed mosques, homes, and people in Hama? Did you know that far more people were killed there than at Sabra and Shatila?

Condemning Israel and the Jews is a favourite pastime of pseudo-intellectuals of the Muslim world. All that righteous energy over the fifty years could have been put to much effective use in improving the conditions of the people in Pakistan,Bangladesh, and the Sudan. The money so lavishly given to terror groups in Syria and Iraq could have helped feed the starving masses in Ethiopia and Somalia. But these were not the `sexy` issues for the sheikhs. The PLO and Israel was.

And yet there have been bold leaders who have broken away from this slavish `groupthink` mentality. Jordan and Turkey and Egypt come to mind.

And, by the way, Israel has left Lebanon? When will Syria? Or is Israeli occupation of Lebanon more morally offensive than the SYrian one?

If I have a dictionary written by an Israeli, you probably don`t have one at all.

So the Israelis forced Palestinians out of their homes and took their land. Is it worth it to keep fighting, year after year? Is land worth even one life as long as you have somewhere to live? Here is an alternative vision for the Palestinians: Achieve ascendancy in the knowledge-intensive economy, and let history judge who was right and who was wrong. Land does not matter any more.

tahmed321, ``So the Israelis forced Palestinians out of their homes and took their land. Is it worth it to keep fighting, year after year?``

So what you`re saying is, it`s okay to be oppressed and not fight for what is rightfully yours? What about your identity? Should we (desis) have not fought with the Brits for our land? We should have just grinned and bore the pain of having our land snatched away?

No one likes to fight, and the Palestinians have due reason to.

``Is land worth even one life as long as you have somewhere to live?``

Yeah sure, you`ll find a place to live. Where else will oppressed people go? But will it be what they deserve?

The very creation of Israel was for the Jewish people to have land they could call their own.

IF land wasn`t so important as you say it`s not, couldn`t the Jews have lived anywhere? Why in the Middle East?

Think before you make such false ``righteous`` statements.

Scout #39

Good thinkin`. Israel is actually a humane version of `the Final Solution` that Europe had in its mind for a while.

In response to sigalph35 (Reply # 17)

Dear sigalph235:

Although I am satisfied with Fairdinkum’s rebuttal (Reply # 22), I want to react to a small part of your post.

Your statement: “Give them [Palestinians] Jerusalem and they`ll probably blow it up like they use to regularly blow up airplanes.”

Comment: Sigalph235, I feel sorry for your interpretation of human history. Your definition and application of the notion of terrorist is, my view, neither unambiguous nor just. Please consider the following from Chomsky:

“. . . after the massacre of Palestinians praying at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron by Baruch Goldstein, a still more punitive curfew was imposed – on Palestinians. The purpose was “to protect the Jewish settlers from revenge.” Ori Nir reported, describing how “the Israeli occupation redoubled the oppression” of Palestinians, destroyed the market that was the center of Hebron’s economy, and closed roads to Palestinians though not Jewish settlers, who were left free to rampage, destroy, and humiliate the Arab population at will, an “insane reality” enforced by the military that “subordinates their lives to the settlers interests.” A year later, the Arab population was again locked up under 24-hour curfew for four days so that settlers and 35,000 Jewish visitors could travel through the city undisturbed by an Arab presence during the Passover holidays, having picnics and dancing in the streets under the protection of extra military forces. The settlers and visitors used the opportunity “to insult the Palestinian imprisoned in their houses and to throw stones at them if they dared to peek out of the windows at the Jews celebrating in their city.” The celebration was brought to a close “by settlers rampaging through the Old City, destroying property, and smashing car windows . . . in a city magically cleansed . . . of Palestinians, . . . effectively jailed for days in their homes” but able to watch the “merry dances of settlers” and the “festive processions” on TV while “commerce, careers, studies, the family, love – all are immediately disrupted,” and the medical system was paralyzed” so that “many sick persons in Hebron were unable to reach hospitals during the curfew and women giving birth could not arrive in time at the clinics” (Chomsky, 1996, “World Orders Old and New,” pp. 278-79).

Terrorism is a socially constructed concept. A discourse on terrorism needs to be grounded in a universally accepted set of values. Are you sure that you apply the concept of terrorism consistently across the board – people, places, and periods?

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

sigalph235 #38
Dear Sigalph,
On the issue of terrorism, I think the facts are there for you to see. Bilal has quite eloquently summarized the whole matter in his following statement:

“Terrorism is a socially constructed concept. A discourse on terrorism needs to be grounded in a universally accepted set of values. Are you sure that you apply the concept of terrorism consistently across the board – people, places, and periods?” ahmadb #41

I, however, would briefly comment on some of your statements. Also, if you wish, I am happy to discuss the Syrian involvement in the Middle East crisis with special emphasis on Syria’s role in Lebanon.

You say:

“Imperfect as it is, Israel remains the only democracy in the Middle East. Her human rights record is not good at all. But she needs no lecture from Palestinians or most other Arabs on that issue…”

That Arab/Muslims nations of Middle East are not democratic, and whether or not Israel is a true liberal democracy is an entirely different issue. You maintain that the human rights record of Israel is not good at all…and yet we shouldn’t condemn her on crimes against humanity because Israel is a democracy? I am afraid you are confusing the two issues here.

You say:

“Condemning Israel and the Jews is a favourite pastime of pseudo-intellectuals of the Muslim world. All that righteous energy over the fifty years could have been put to much effective use in improving the conditions of the people in Pakistan,Bangladesh, and the Sudan. The money so lavishly given to terror groups in Syria and Iraq could have helped feed the starving masses in Ethiopia and Somalia. But these were not the `sexy` issues for the sheikhs. The PLO and Israel was.”

If you are interested in debating the matter you brought up in your post #17, I urge you to remain focused on the issue at hand. Avoid making gross generalizations, and blanket statements. Substantiate your statements with facts and references. Speculative statements must, at least, be backed with sound and reasoned arguments.

My heart goes out to the Palestenians, who have to fight against a superior Israeli army with stones. The fact that these young Palestinians continue to persist by hurling stones against guys armed with Uzi submachine guns only highlights their frustration & determination to fight a just cause with violence, with no hopes of ever winning.

If we step back for a moment & consider some realism, there is no way these poor Palestinians can ever hope to win by this strategy--no matter how noble their cause. In fact, it only hardens the determination of the opponent. Barakh, who is perhaps a lot more commited to genuine peace than , say, Nathanyahu or Sharon , responded by giving a two day ultimatum.

If there is a dispute between 2 parties, BOTH contribute to the problem. There is no point in arguing who`s fault is greater because then the problem will never be solved. Each side then becomes more hurt, self righteous & intansigent. In that respect Kashmir & Palestine are very analogous.

The only hope that the weaker party has to win against a superior adversary, is to recognise some stark realities of the ``laws of fighting against oppressors``. Mind you, ``laws`` can be unfair or unjust (eg, I dont like the way my taxes are being spent). But whether we like it or not, we cause greater hardship on ourselves if we disobey them.

So, to apply the above para to the Palestinian problem, the Palestinians should first recognise the following realities or ``laws``:

1)There is NO way they can hope to vanquish the Israelis by violence, whether that is by throwing stones or performing acts of terrorism. I will argue that the combined military might of the Arab world wont vanquish the Israelis. They`ve tried it before & havent won.

2) The US will NOT stop supporting Israel. There is no point crying about US hypocracy because that wont make a damn bit of difference in the US foreign policy, not matter whether Gore or Bush wins. As long as the Israelis make a claim that they have a right to defend themselves (even against stones), the US will support them.

3)Jerusalem HAS to be shared by all 3 religions because all 3 have some of their most sacred sites there.

So do the Palestinians have ANY hope of winning? I will propose a solution, eventhough many will jump at it & denounce it as ``corny`` or ridiculous. IMHO, that is the only hope Palestinians have to prevail.

Firstly, Arafat should denounce ALL forms of violence, including stone throwing. Secondly , all Palestinians should cease that form of protest. Then continue to provoke the Israelis relentlessly with civil nonviolent disobedience. There is not a damn thing Israel could do in such an event. They dont have that many jail cells to incarcerate all the Palestinians. The world press will only be too happy to show the Israeli army beating or shooting at Palestinians who wont resort to violence. Nothing will ``terrorise`` the Israelis more! Even American Jews will pressure the Israeli govt to back down.

This Gandhian method has proven itself not just in British India, but was used very effectively by Martin Luther King himself. By doing so, world opinion turns against the superior force & shows them to be the evil bully that they are. I will argue that if Kashmiris also adopt that method, it will give their cause much more success than a million mujahadeen.

OK, now throw all the stones at me ,if you want:)

Well one more time despite the fact that who started this bloodshed, all US politicians and media pundits are trying to save Israel`s face and blaming it entirely on Arafat. Barak is going to every cable and network station to give head job and propagate lies. Things are hopeless for palestinians, the ultimatum will not be accepted by them - which means more bloodshed for them.

If only US like many other countries of UN tried

to be fair, we would have chance.

Ordinary people will believe whatever media says unless it effects them personaly. I think greatest weapon arabs have is their oil,

with it they can crash markets and send their message to ordinary people.

fairdinkum: You quoted the standard line on most media outlets in the USA.

[“Imperfect as it is, Israel remains the only democracy in the Middle East. Her human rights record is not good at all. But she needs no lecture from Palestinians or most other Arabs on that issue…”]

The democracy in Israel is undeniable and actually does not need any discussion here. One should condemn violence by democratic/ undemocratic, Israelis or Arabs like Hafez Al-Asad or Saddam Hussain. But I will strongly criticize Israel here because roughly 50 cents of every 1000 dollars I earn go to Israel as aid which is not a loan. I never gave any money to most Arabs directly or indirectly (except Egypt who also gets 30 cents of my every 1000 dollar earning).

In the case of Israel, the problem is more or less old-style colonialism. While many Arab rulers have been ruthless using brute force, the western colonizers in the past and Israel go about doing it systematically, over time, marketing democracy and constant comparison with other dictators in the area. The question one asks is why have they chosen to live in a bad neighborhood. They were Europeans, descendants of Europeans, used their own mythology to claim and successfully acquire a piece of land in the bad neighborhood.

Having said all this, they have done relatively decent job in turning that piece of land into a modern country which not only threatens its weak neighbors but also spreads jealousy among non-Jews. Although the current prosperity and modern state is in large part subsidized by US and German money but still it is remarkable achievement. Moreover, Jewish people have done excellent job for USA in business, government, education, arts and culture and US support for Israel is, in part, a reflection of it. But still the violence perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians must be condemned and US government must use her leverage vis-s-vis Israel, to stop violence against Palestinians.

I believe, this will continue for 5-10 generation more. Israel is a kind of artificial country, and can not sustain another 100-150 years. Their population is at a stand still and water resources scarce. I think it was a mistake by zionists to put all their eggs in one basket. Any natural disaster or prolong wars against its neighbors will ruin any chances for long-term survival. Ultimately, the remaining (mostly sephardics) will mix up and learn to live with their neighbors while rest will move on to greener pastures of the west, Australia and New Zealand.

scout #39 Fighting for freedom is one thing, fighting for land is another. To win the fight for freedom, you must know what is freedom and you must know who the enemy is. In the fight for freedom, in Pogo`s eternal words, ``we have met the enemy, and he is us``. In the fight for land, as in the fight for toys as children, the enemy is your own sweet brother or sister.

Now put this in your pipe as you execute battlefield maneuvers from your armchair, and smoke it.

P.S. and excuse me for posting an incomplete copy of this post earlier, if that happened.

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SameerJB #46

Sameer,

I did not quote that line...it was sigalph235 who tried ``the only democracy in Middle East`` trick on me :) True it’s an old, and much used line in western media to shift the attention of American people/world from Israel’s crimes against humanity to ``democratic Israel in the midst of savage Arabs.`` In the past it sold like hot cake...but I think times have changed. People are sick and tired of Israel’s ‘spoilt child of the west’ status. US instead of using veto merely abstained from voting when UN Security Council adopted a resolution to condemn Israel for using excessive force against Palestinian population.

As for the long-term viability of the state of Israel, well, you make some good points.... I haven`t thought along these lines... Progress and prosperity of Israel is not only subsidized by US taxpayers, in large part, it is also subsidized by the sweat and blood of Palestinians.