By Mahmoud al-Zahar
GAZA -- President Jimmy Carter's sensible plan to visit the Hamas
leadership this week brings honesty and pragmatism to the Middle East
while underscoring the fact that American policy has reached its dead end.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acts as if a few alterations here and
there would make the hideous straitjacket of apartheid fit better. While
Rice persuades Israeli occupation forces to cut a few dozen meaningless
roadblocks from among the more than 500 West Bank control points,
these forces simultaneously choke off fuel supplies to Gaza; blockade
its 1.5 million people; approve illegal housing projects on West Bank
land; and attack Gaza City with F-16s, killing men, women and children.
Sadly, this is "business as usual" for the Palestinians.
leadership this week brings honesty and pragmatism to the Middle East
while underscoring the fact that American policy has reached its dead end.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acts as if a few alterations here and
there would make the hideous straitjacket of apartheid fit better. While
Rice persuades Israeli occupation forces to cut a few dozen meaningless
roadblocks from among the more than 500 West Bank control points,
these forces simultaneously choke off fuel supplies to Gaza; blockade
its 1.5 million people; approve illegal housing projects on West Bank
land; and attack Gaza City with F-16s, killing men, women and children.
Sadly, this is "business as usual" for the Palestinians.
Last week's attack on the Nahal Oz fuel depot should not surprise critics
in the West. Palestinians are fighting a total war waged on us by a nation
that mobilizes against our people with every means at its disposal --
from its high-tech military to its economic stranglehold, from its
falsified history to its judiciary that "legalizes" the infrastructure of
apartheid. Resistance remains our only option. Sixty-five years ago,
the courageous Jews of the Warsaw ghetto rose in defense of their
people. We Gazans, living in the world's largest open-air prison,
can do no less.
in the West. Palestinians are fighting a total war waged on us by a nation
that mobilizes against our people with every means at its disposal --
from its high-tech military to its economic stranglehold, from its
falsified history to its judiciary that "legalizes" the infrastructure of
apartheid. Resistance remains our only option. Sixty-five years ago,
the courageous Jews of the Warsaw ghetto rose in defense of their
people. We Gazans, living in the world's largest open-air prison,
can do no less.
The U.S.-Israeli alliance has sought to negate the results of the January
2006 elections, when the Palestinian people handed our party a mandate
to rule. Hundreds of independent monitors, Carter among them, declared
this the fairest election ever held in the Arab Middle East. Yet efforts to
subvert our democratic experience include the American coup d'etat that
created the new sectarian paradigm with Fatah and the continuing
warfare against and enforced isolation of Gazans.
2006 elections, when the Palestinian people handed our party a mandate
to rule. Hundreds of independent monitors, Carter among them, declared
this the fairest election ever held in the Arab Middle East. Yet efforts to
subvert our democratic experience include the American coup d'etat that
created the new sectarian paradigm with Fatah and the continuing
warfare against and enforced isolation of Gazans.
Now, finally, we have the welcome tonic of Carter saying what any
independent, uncorrupted thinker should conclude: that no "peace plan,"
"road map" or "legacy" can succeed unless we are sitting at the
negotiating table and without any preconditions.
independent, uncorrupted thinker should conclude: that no "peace plan,"
"road map" or "legacy" can succeed unless we are sitting at the
negotiating table and without any preconditions.
Israel's escalation of violence since the staged Annapolis "peace conference"
in November has been consistent with its policy of illegal, often deadly
collective punishment -- in violation of international conventions. Israeli
military strikes on Gaza have killed hundreds of Palestinians since then
with unwavering White House approval; in 2007 alone the ratio of Palestinians
to Israelis killed was 40 to 1, up from 4 to 1 during the period from 2000 to 2005.
in November has been consistent with its policy of illegal, often deadly
collective punishment -- in violation of international conventions. Israeli
military strikes on Gaza have killed hundreds of Palestinians since then
with unwavering White House approval; in 2007 alone the ratio of Palestinians
to Israelis killed was 40 to 1, up from 4 to 1 during the period from 2000 to 2005.
Only three months ago I buried my son Hussam, who studied finance at
college and wanted to be an accountant; he was killed by an Israeli
airstrike. In 2003, I buried Khaled -- my first- born -- after an Israeli
F-16 targeting me wounded my daughter and my wife and flattened
the apartment building where we lived, injuring and killing many of
our neighbors. Last year, my son-in-law was killed.
college and wanted to be an accountant; he was killed by an Israeli
airstrike. In 2003, I buried Khaled -- my first- born -- after an Israeli
F-16 targeting me wounded my daughter and my wife and flattened
the apartment building where we lived, injuring and killing many of
our neighbors. Last year, my son-in-law was killed.
Hussam was only 21, but like most young men in Gaza he had grown up
fast out of necessity. When I was his age, I wanted to be a surgeon; in
the 1960s, we were already refugees, but there was no humiliating blockade
then. But now, after decades of imprisonment, killing, statelessness and
impoverishment, we ask: What peace can there be if there is no dignity first?
And where does dignity come from if not from justice?
fast out of necessity. When I was his age, I wanted to be a surgeon; in
the 1960s, we were already refugees, but there was no humiliating blockade
then. But now, after decades of imprisonment, killing, statelessness and
impoverishment, we ask: What peace can there be if there is no dignity first?
And where does dignity come from if not from justice?
Our movement fights on because we cannot allow the foundational crime
at the core of the Jewish state -- the violent expulsion from our lands and
villages that made us refugees -- to slip out of world consciousness, forgotten
or negotiated away. Judaism -- which gave so much to human culture in the
contributions of its ancient lawgivers and modern proponents of tikkun olam
-- has corrupted itself in the detour into Zionism, nationalism and apartheid.
at the core of the Jewish state -- the violent expulsion from our lands and
villages that made us refugees -- to slip out of world consciousness, forgotten
or negotiated away. Judaism -- which gave so much to human culture in the
contributions of its ancient lawgivers and modern proponents of tikkun olam
-- has corrupted itself in the detour into Zionism, nationalism and apartheid.
A "peace process" with Palestinians cannot take even its first tiny step until
Israel first withdraws to the borders of 1967; dismantles all settlements;
removes all soldiers from Gaza and the West Bank; repudiates its illegal
annexation of Jerusalem; releases all prisoners; and ends its blockade of our
international borders, our coastline and our airspace permanently. This would
provide the starting point for just negotiations and would lay the groundwork
for the return of millions of refugees. Given what we have lost, it is the only
basis by which we can start to be whole again.
Israel first withdraws to the borders of 1967; dismantles all settlements;
removes all soldiers from Gaza and the West Bank; repudiates its illegal
annexation of Jerusalem; releases all prisoners; and ends its blockade of our
international borders, our coastline and our airspace permanently. This would
provide the starting point for just negotiations and would lay the groundwork
for the return of millions of refugees. Given what we have lost, it is the only
basis by which we can start to be whole again.
I am eternally proud of my sons and miss them every day. I think of them as
fathers everywhere, even in Israel, think of their sons -- as innocent boys, as
curious students, as young men with limitless potential -- not as "gunmen"
or "militants." But better that they were defenders of their people than parties
to their ultimate dispossession; better that they were active in the Palestinian
struggle for survival than passive witnesses to our subjugation.
fathers everywhere, even in Israel, think of their sons -- as innocent boys, as
curious students, as young men with limitless potential -- not as "gunmen"
or "militants." But better that they were defenders of their people than parties
to their ultimate dispossession; better that they were active in the Palestinian
struggle for survival than passive witnesses to our subjugation.
History teaches us that everything is in flux. Our fight to redress the material
crimes of 1948 is scarcely begun, and adversity has taught us patience. As
for the Israeli state and its Spartan culture of permanent war, it is all too
vulnerable to time, fatigue and demographics: In the end, it is always a
question of our children and those who come after us.
crimes of 1948 is scarcely begun, and adversity has taught us patience. As
for the Israeli state and its Spartan culture of permanent war, it is all too
vulnerable to time, fatigue and demographics: In the end, it is always a
question of our children and those who come after us.
Mahmoud al-Zahar, a surgeon, is a founder of Hamas. He is foreign
minister in the government of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, which
was elected in January 2006.
minister in the government of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, which
was elected in January 2006.
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