Since Annapolis in November 2007, about 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza and West Bank and still the killing spree is going on. Since Bush’s tour to the region last month Israeli aggression against Palestinians have grown in both magnitude and intensity. Adding insult to the injury Israel at all world forums is blaming Palestinians for their plight.

The prospects, if any, of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that Bush inaugurated in Annapolis have been swallowed by his new regional strategy. Even before moving out of Washington Bush had made clear that he ‘intended to use the trip to push Israeli-Arab talks forward and bolster the would-be alliance against Iran.’

Humanitarian aspect of the Palestinian crisis was never in focus hence no quick  progress was ever planned or expected. Abu Mazan was used as a pawn to exploit Bush’s visit for a bigger gain: encirclement of Iran by sowing seeds of suspicion and distrust over Iran’s nuclear programme. Bush spoke harshly about it shrouding it in all kinds of lies and slander but got few buyers.

Since Bush’s visit, Gaza has been turned into a virtual jail. All outlets have been  sealed and even humanitarian aid is not allowed to enter Gaza. It is under  complete Israeli blockade. Its sick and injured are dying at hospitals and homes.  Food supplies have dried up. Electricity is so rare that essential life supporting  machines can’t be operated and even potable water can’t be pumped out. Gaza is under the effective control of  Israel and is chocked on all exit and entry 
points.

The whole civilian population is made to suffer for no faults of its own  only  because of the fact that they belong to an occupied territory whose Liberation  some freedom fighters amongst them are fighting for with their acts of resilience to subdue Israeli intransigence, obduracy and its blatant refusal to Palestinians’ birth right to freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Israel is good at 
propaganda warfare.

So far, it has successfully exploited the ‘Holocaust’ and gained sympathies of the main Western capitals. It got itself well trenched in the heart of the land of Islam. And exploited it further to expand its territory through deception and lies until this trend was checked by a home-grown resistance movement for Liberation called ‘Intifada’,  which at times turns violent depending upon the response it receives from the world capitals as well as Israelis who are hell bent to crush this movement.

All along Israel is insistent on squarely laying the blame on Palestinians for all their plights. Citing Gaza is their famous line of argument.  ‘Look we left Gaza so many years ago. We have nothing to do with Gaza. Even then, we are not left alone. Rockets are still being fired upon us and terrorists in Gaza are killing our innocent, non-combatant civilians. Palestinian authority in Gaza is conspiring with Terrorists.

We have not achieved security after trading Gaza. What will happen once we have handed over the West Bank. Who can guarantee our security from such a terrorist and extremist neighbours with hives of terrorist organisations and extremist outfits among them with no ethics of warfare.’

America and its allies on ‘war on terror’ along with Abu Mazan with his secular politicians holding on in the West Bank have bought it for different reasons exclusive to each interest group.

All Israeli propaganda campaign rests on lies. Israel left Gaza as it could not handle the policing cost of 100 percent hostile population. Further it never left Gazans behind to lead their lives peacefully. It always had effective control over all its entry and exit points and continued with its policy of targeted killings in the name of fight against terror.

It never helped the Palestinian authority in Gaza to provided humanitarian  services to the impoverished population so that antagonism against the occupiers could be mitigated. It rather fuelled it by frequent border chocks refusing even to let in humanitarian aids.

All famous resistant leaders including Sheikh Yasin, who had spent almost whole of his productive life in Israeli prison, was killed during the time Israeli claim they had nothing to do with Gaza. It was a strategic move. Israel withdrew its forces from Gaza so that its could punish the whole population for resisting to Israeli occupation. It was also able to sow seeds of discord among different Palestinian political groups so that united resistance to Israeli occupation could be marginalised. Israel has largely succeeded on both counts.

Bush’s twisted logic of his fight against terrorism can largely be blamed for Palesti-nians’ growing frustration and their resort to violence. One fails to understand the raison d'être behind Bush’s declaring the whole lot of population as terrorists whereas they are under occupation and they have the right to resist the occupation through all means at their disposal: history is witness that freedom fighters have always been heroes to their nations; they are branded as terrorists by the occupiers.

Israel’s frequents attacks on Gaza are not helping a bit; they rather are aggravating the situation. Almost daily homemade rockets are fired from Gaza and as long as Palestine is under occupation, they will continue to be fired. Israel will have to live with this reality or abandon the occupation altogether and reach a comprehensive peace with Palestinians.

The Resistance rockets create, to some extent, a sort of inconvenience to Israeli civilians in the bordering areas. They are not as deadly, devastating and lethal as those rockets that are fired from US provided Israeli F-16 missiles.

The ratio of loss in men and material is one to hundred; quite heavily imbalanced against Palestinians. But then Palestinians are fighting for their independence. Their survival, dignity and humanity is at stake and no cost is higher than their objectives. Will the ‘wise men’ of the West and Israel understand this?

The only course out of this quagmire for Israelites, to bring peace, stability and progress to the region, as well as to the whole world to certain extent, is to respect Palestinians’ right to freedom, sovereignty and human dignity. The  Resistance rockets are not the problem to peace; the occupation is.



Information

The prospects, if any,  of  Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that Bush inaugurated in Annapolis   have been     swallowed by his new regional strategy. Even   before moving out of Washington Bush had made  clear that he 

‘intended to use the trip to   push Israeli-Arab talks forward and bolster  the would-be 
alliance against Iran.’

First appeared in Pakistan Observer on January 29, 2008