[lit-ideas] Re: Trying again Re: Assassination, etc.

I will not go into a discussion of one state vs. two
state solution at this time. As I said a few days ago,
it seems to me that such debate is pointless while
Israel maintains its occupation. In the foregoing, I
will try to avoid controversial issues as much as
possible and make some factual points.

> 
> 1. I wondered about one of Omar's statements in
> one of his posts regarding the assassination of
> Yassin and then in a related post by someone else
> regarding the role of Arafat:  Is it possible that
> Israel assassinated Yassin in order to erode
> Arafat's ability to be seen as a leader who is
> trying to find some sort of common ground? (

*This was suggested by some analysts, yes. Israel
supported the Hamas in its early years as a
counter-balance to the PLO, so it would not be a new
strategy. On the other hand, there might have been
internal political reasons for Sharon to do this: he
narrowly escaped a no-confidence vote in the Knesset
just days before the assassination, and he might be
trying to deflect attention from his bribery scandals.

> should it be "further erode" as, even though the
> thought in the post I read stated that he was
> elected by the Palestinians, there has been much
> controversy by the [growing?] fringe groups
> towards his trying to work within means other than
> violence--?)   

*Arafat was elected, yes, but that was in 1994, at the
high point of the Oslo process. A new round of
lections was supposed to take place in 1999, but by
then this was technically impossible. See:

http://www.palestinemonitor.org/mustafa/palestinian_elections.htm

Thus Arafat's regime already lacks the legitimacy that
is needed to sign a permanent status agreement. The
popularity of the Islamist organizations has risen in
the meanwhile so that, for better or worse, it is no
longer correct to refer to the Hamas as "fringes." On
the other hand, liberal organizations such as
Bargouthi's Palestinian National Initiative have also
made some inroads.
 

(snipped)
> 
> 3. My views are that, even though many in my area
> equate Israel going over their legally-given
> boundaries to how the USA took over Native
> American land (and they have no problem with
> it--the USA was stronger, after all...of course,
> they also supported the Iraqi war and any other
> imperialism that the USA will come up with...<wry
> look>...really), I would like to see a two-state
> solution (though will be pondering what Omar
> mentioned in terms of bi-governing council of
> sorts...)   I strongly support the Nation of
> Israel's right to exist and protect itself, but I
> also do think that if they were going to build a
> wall, it ought to have been done within the
> original borders...  


*Actually, even the pre-1967. "Green Line" is not a
legal border. Most states that recognized Israel on
its establishment in 1948. did so without reference to
the borders, for even the Green Line significantly
exceeded what was envisaged for Israel by the UN
partition plan. You can view a map of the Plan here:

http://www.palestinecenter.org/cpap/maps/hist_partition.html

 
> 4. I wonder what would happen if nonviolent
> protests became greater and greater in Palesting? 
> Would the nation of Israel respond with
> thoughtfulness as to its actions or would it
> merely think of the Palestinians as weak and
> believe that they can continue with the taking
> over other land...?

*As far as I know, Israel does not give a shit about
the Palestinian 'non-violent protests,' and neither
does the international public. Nobody pays any
attention when the Palestinians demonstrate within
their cities and towns, as they were doing in the
1990s. On the other hand, non-violent protestors that
come too close to the IDF positions or the settlements
get shot at as a matter of policy - sometimes
rubber-coated bullets are used, but these can also be
lethal. Gaza and the WB are not Madrid or Brussels.
There are every now and then reports of shootings of
non-violent protesters if you are attentive. One such
report received wider publicity a couple of months ago
because some Israeli Jewish peaceniks were taking part
in the protest, and one of them was shot and wounded.
(It was said later that the soldiers did not realize
he was Jewish.) See:

http://www.womenspeacepalestine.org/mashashooting.htm

I think I will stop here.

O.K.



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