insignificances » Palestine

Israel: An impossible love affair

Jarle Petterson — Mon, 31 May 2010 09:19:12 +0000

I know that I have touched on this subject on numerous occasions, but find it increasingly hard to understand the Israelis’ disbelief when facing foreign criticism. With last year’s Israeli new year offensive still fresh in mind, and Israel’s subsequent offence, and astonishment even, in the international community’s disapproval, you have to wonder.

Our support of Israel’s right to exist does not pave the way to act as if the nation owns the entire Middle East, which would make our support unconditional. Well, Mr. Nethanyahu, it is not.

Today’s Israeli raid on the six-ship large flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza strip, has appalled the civilised world to such an extent that it will be extremely hard to restore what ever support we originally harboured.

Granted, atrocities take place all over the world, on a daily basis, but rarely committed by countries or powers seeking our approval and support – which is a concept of which the Israelis appear to have no understanding whatsoever.

Surely, they cannot expect us to approve or continue our support upon discarding the international community’s views. It’s most certainly of little help that the six ships transport aid workers from countries all over the world, among them my own country.

You’re in way too deep this time, prime minister Netanyahu.

Palestinian blog turned newspaper

Jarle Petterson — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:55:00 +0000

About a week after New Year’s Eve, amid Israeli warfare in Gaza, I wrote a post on Palestinian blogger Sameh Akram Habeeb, whose life was in immediate peril as he remained at home to report on the Israeli advances.

Palestinian blogger Sameh Akram Habeeb (photo from Gaza today)

Needless to say, we were all severely shocked by the atrocities the Palestinians were forced to endure, even though most fled their homes to take shelter. Unlike Sameh Akram Habeeb, who provided us with the latest developments – a true and passionate journalist at heart.

Good news

I must admit that I’d almost forgot all about him, until two of my overseas readers, Tom Charles and Dana, reminded me of my blog post the other day, that is, bringing happy tidings of Mr. Habeeb’s whereabouts and further endeavours:

Tom Charles:

Sameh is alive and well and spoke at the UK House of Commons, see his blog http://www.gazatoday.blogspot.com

Dana:

[…] Thank God- Sameh is alive, launched The Palestinian Telegraph and is out doing what he does best, advocating for the Palestinian people who have NO voice. He is a brave man.

Peace, Dana

The Palestinian Telegraph, huh? I wouldn’t be a journalist if that didn’t spark my curiosity, so I set out to find out more about it. Turned out its name is The Palestine Telegraph, embellished with the pay off “We change our world”, an advanced blog cum online newspaper, with an impressive level of reporting, considering the (fairly recent – and humble) starting point (post continued after screendump).

Screendump from The Palestine Telegraph, Monday 27 April 2009.

Truth be told, I’m left in awe, overwhelmed with an intense desire to congratulate Sameh Akram Habeeb, whose life and whereabouts were most uncertain, only a couple of months ago.

International acknowledgement

Not only that: During its short life, The Palestine Telegraph has been source to international news, cited by renowned news outlets, such as BBC News, to mention but one.

Undoubtedly, the world needs an independent source from within the Gaza strip and the Palestinian territories on the whole, which makes The Palestine Telegraph’s entrance on the news scene all the more welcome. And to think it’s all done with a humble piece of blog software (WordPress, by the looks of it, but I wouldn’t bet) – while yesterday’s press crumbles all around. I have to say they’ve succeeded far better than we ever did with Nordic iNorden, though, even if the latter has been severely abated over the last months, both in form and content (then again, who would want to read about Scandinavian affairs?).

Please give your support to these good people, by spreading the link, blogging about them – or even by contributing to “The Pal Telegraph” yourself. Visit The Palestine Telegraph today.

From today’s reading:

There’s even a story on Norwegian lawyers setting out to accuse Israeli leaders of war crimes, which of course holds particular interest to Norwegians, such as I. As for Norwegian-Israeli relations in an overall perspective, please read Norway: Maybe a little too pro Israel?

Top photo: Screendump from “Gaza Today” from Palestinian blogger Sameh Akram Habeeb (23).

Sweden, U.S. to boycott UN conference

Jarle Petterson — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:33:34 +0000

The five-day Durban Review Conference on racism is due to open in Geneva on Monday, but several countries, among them Sweden and the United States, have decided not to attend. U.S. state department officials explain the American boycott with differences over Israel and the right to free speech.

According to the BBC, EU diplomats are still debating whether to attend or not, whereas the Canadians and the Israelis have decided not to.

While U.S. concerns are related to the Durban II text singling out Israel, as well as continued limitations in the freedom of expression, the Swedes have reasons of their own:

[...] In the last week, the negotiations have led to the drafting of a document that has been seen by the conference as a success, according to [Sweden's Integration Minister Nyamko] Sabuni. But nevertheless, Sweden refuses to participate in a meeting where individuals such as the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has taken controversial stances on many of the issues, will be present. This is due to worry that it will be a repeat of the last conference on racism – which was chaotic – eight years ago.

— The Local

Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre, on the other hand, is attending, as are Danish officials.

The American stance goes to show how the U.S. authorities’ hands are tied by the simple fact that a substantial share of American voters subscribe to Judaism, which of course explains U.S. military, political and financial support of Israel, too.

But the question remains: Is the conference any use without the participation of important countries, such as the USA, Canada, Australia – and Israel itself?

Of course not. On the other hand, the rest can’t afford not to attend, lest they’d appear unwilling to move forward on the matter.

Read also: Freedom of speech – within “reason” – 12 March 2009

Late edit: It became clear Sunday afternoon that the Netherlands have withdrawn from the conference as well. It should be specified, though, that Sweden will attend, but not on a ministerial level.

Scandinavian news on the matter:

USA boikotter FNs rasismekonferanse – db.no
Svenskt nej till FN-konferens – svd.se
Sverige bojkottar FN-konferens om rasism – dn.se
USA boykotter racismekonference – politiken.dk
Nära fiasko för FN-möte om rasism – svd.se
Västvärlden splittrad om FN-möte i Genève – dn.se
EU er splittet om racismekonference – politiken.dk
Västvärlden splittrad om FN-möte – svd.se
Västvärlden splittrad om FN-möte i Genève – dn.se
Pia K.: Jeg er dybt skuffet over regeringen – politiken.dk
FN-konferensen om rasism öppnar i hetluft – dn.se

Photo: People protest against racism in the Kensington community of Calgary, Alberta. Photographer: Robert Thivierge/Wikimedia Commons

Is Sameh still alive?

Jarle Petterson — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:33:56 +0000

Note: I migt stop reporting either if I die or I flee my home. Shells rain down beside my house now. Pray for me…Pray for Me….

Such are the last words of Palestinian blogger Sameh Akram Habeeb (23) yesterday, blogging from the very heart of Gaza City. We haven’t heard from him since, and I can’t help wondering whether or not he’s still alive or if he fled his home amid the raining shells, but I can tell you this much:

Blogs – from both sides of the ongoing calamities – provide very up close and personal accounts of the havoc which struck Gaza almost a fortnight ago.

In Gaza is yet another, also silent since yesterday, and I wonder… If the blogger is still alive. I wonder what awaits the inhabitants of history’s largest concentration camp – which in effect the entire Gaza strip is. How could Jews, of all the people in the world, construct such an abomination in their very midst?

I’m at a loss for words, even if I already knew that the Israeli government’s cruelty knew no limits.

Update: It would appear both of the above mentioned blogs were updated Tuesday night, but I’m still keeping my fingers crossed.

Israel: A call for intervention

Jarle Petterson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 11:59:20 +0000

Here we go again, then, with Israeli forces invading Palestine territories on the Gaza strip Saturday night – Live, as it were– following a week’s devastating air raids. Business as usual, really, while the international society keeps protesting, as if it’s any use at all. If Israeli territories territories were under Arab control, however, there’s every reason to suspect a different outcome.

Just give it a thought, if you please: Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Israel was Iraq, in the hands of a president named Saddam Hussein, renowned for cruelties against Kurds – or Palestinians, for that matter – and the destabilisation of an entire region. How would you estimate the chances of a, say, American intervention?

Highly likely, no?

Unfortunately, however, Israel’s name is not Iraq, the president’s name is Shimon Peres and their Kurds are Palestinians. Too bad for them.

All about religion?

Of course, the picture isn’t quite that black and white. There are shades of grey – as well as other factors, too, but most people would agree that the issue of a two-state solution in what up until around 1950 was known as Palestine, isn’t very likely to materialise in our lifetime. I put it to you that future generation won’t see it happen either. The conflict is much too deep-rooted for that.

For one, there’s the matter that I’ve tried to point out for years on end: The Temple Mount, to which both Muslims, Jews and Christian – even Mandaeans – have a claim. So long as religion is a factor – which, unfortunately, it is – neither (Jewish or Muslim) party is likely to give up their claim to Jerusalem.

Also, the conflict isn’t quite as obvious as one would think, or, as The Washington Post’s Anthony Shadid puts it:

From Egypt to Saudi Arabia, longtime leaders of the Arab world, the attacks illustrated a yawning divide between the policies of rulers and the sentiments of those they rule. Although the Palestinian cause is cherished on the street, the region’s leaders are viewed as paying only lip service to it.

In other words, this isn’t just a matter of the Arab versus the Western world (keep in mind that there are Christian Palestinians, too).

Spiralling conflict

Up until the declaration of Israel as an independent state in 1948, Muslims, Jews and Christians co-existed quite amicably on Palestinian territory, which, no more than 60 years later seems an inconceivable scenario. Unfortunately 60 years is ample time to form permanent antagonism on both sides.

Two to three generations of Palestinian and Israeli children have grown up to fear and hate aggressors on the other side, and have every reason to. Palestinian children losing their siblings, parents and other relatives in Israeli air raids are likely to retaliate when they grow up. So are Israeli children struck by Hamas artillery.

This conflict is perpetual.

I’m afraid the international society’s call for a ceasefire is futile. As I see it, only an international intervention will do. Israel should be put under UN (the body which once facilitated the creation of the Israeli state) administration. Which, unfortunately, isn’t about to happen.

Unless Obama… I wouldn’t hold my breath.

No international intervention, then. Well, in that case, there’s really very little to be done. Or, as already mentioned: Business as usual.

Speaking of business: Without the presence of wars I’m afraid the American economy would be in a far worse state than it already is.

Top photo: Israeli tanks on manoeuvres. Photographer: Flickr/Chatsworth Larry