Kol Israel’s outline of recent events in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, however accurate, does not provide a complete picture of the current situation. Sharon broke off all contact with Abbas’ government before Abbas officially took power. Sharon only re-established ties after Abbas sent hundreds of troops to stop the Qassam rockets. Sharon’s initial refusal to work with Abbas after a legitimate, democratic election was entirely uncalled for. These actions point to Sharon’s real intentions.
The Israeli government’s under-the-table annexation of anywhere from 500 acres to half of all (Palestinian owned) East Jerusalem (estimates vary) is a better illustration of Sharon’s intentions. In July, Israel implemented the Absentee Property Law of 1950 “which stipulates, among other things that an absentee is someone who at the time of the War of Independence ‘was in any part of the land of Israel that is outside the area of Israel’ – that is, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.” Absentees’ assets, then, can be transferred without compensation from the Israeli Government (Rappaport, Meron; Haaretz English Edition, Jan. 21, 2005). This decision was announced last week.
Sharon’s “defense barrier” is being used to strip Palestinians of their land in order to build the Jewish State. This racist policy of land annexation must stop immediately; peace is only possible when wrongs are addressed and corrected. Currently, they are encouraged.
While Kol Israel asserts that any movement in the region is better than none, this Israelite’s voice begs to differ.
Sharon’s plan to pull out from Gaza does not signal an end to the Occupation. Instead, it fosters the creation of a non-viable Palestinian State. A partial removal of settlements in Gaza will only strengthen the Israeli government’s hold on the West Bank, making a “temporary” occupation permanent (See “Sharon and the Future of Palestine” Henry Seigman in the New York Review of Books, Vol. 51, Number 19 for more info and the interview with Dov Weisglass in Haaretz from Oct. 8, 2004).
Finally, to all interested in learning more, my first recommendation is to turn to newspapers and books. My second recommendation is to attend Kol Israel, Students for a Free Palestine and Third Path meetings. Compare, challenge, ignite!
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