Israel's State Terrorism

Washington Report on Middle Eastern Affairs ^ | 6/2/02 | Lev Grinberg

[Seti 1]

ISRAEL'S STATE TERRORISM

By Lev Grinberg*

What is the difference between State terrorism and individual terrorist acts? If we understand this difference we'll understand also the evilness of the US policies in the Middle East and the forthcoming disasters. When Yassir Arafat was put under siege in his offices and kept hostage by the Israeli occupation forces, he was constantly pressed into condemning terror and combatting terrorism. Israel's state terrorism is defined by US officials as "self-defense", while individual suicide bombers are called terrorists.

The only 'small' difference is that Israeli aggression is the direct responsibility of Ariel Sharon, Benjamin Ben Eliezer, Shimon Peres and Shaul Mofaz, while the individual terrorist acts are done by individuals in despair, usually against Arafat's will. One hour after Arafat declared his support of a cease fire and wished the Jews a Happy Passover feast, a suicide bomber exploded himself in an hotel in Netanya, killing 22 innocent Jews celebrating Passover. Arafat was blamed as responsible for this act, and the present IDF offensive has been justified through this accusation.

At the same time, Sharon's responsibility for Israeli war crimes is being completely ignored. Who should be arrested for the targeted killing of almost 100 Palestinians? Who will be sent to jail for the killing of more than 120 Palestinian paramedics? Who will be sentenced for the killing of more than 1,200 Palestinians and for the collective punishment of more than 3,000,000 civilians during the last 18 months? And who will face the International Tribunal for the illegal settlement of occupied Palestinian Lands, and the disobedience of UN decisions for more than 35 years?

Suicide bombs killing innocent citizens must be unequivocally condemned; they are immoral acts, and their perpetrators should be sent to jail. But they cannot be compared to State terrorism carried out by the Israeli Government. The former are individual acts of despair of a people that sees no future, vastly ignored by an unfair and distorted international public opinion. The latter are cold and "rational" decisions of a State and a military apparatus of occupation, well equipped, financed and backed by the only superpower in the world.

Yet in the public debate, State terrorism and individual suicide bombs are not even considered as comparable cases of terrorism. The State terror and war crimes perpetrated by the Israeli Government are legitimized as "self-defense", while Arafat, even under siege, is demanded to arrest "terrorists."

I want to ask: Who will arrest Sharon, the person directly responsible for the orders to kill Palestinians? When is he going to be defined a terrorist too? How long will the world ignore the Palestinian cry that all they want is freedom and independence? When will it stop neglecting the fact that the goal of the Israeli Government is not security, but the continued occupation and subjugation of the Palestinian people?

As Israelis in the opposition, we are fighting against our government, but the international support that Sharon receives is constantly jeopardizing our struggle. The whole international public opinion must be reverted, and the UN must deploy intervention forces in order to stop the bloodshed and the imminent deterioration. Israelis and Palestinians desperately need the awakening of the international community's public opinion and a reversal in the global attitude. These are needed both in order to save our lives (literally), and preserve our hope in a better future.

* Dr. Lev Grinberg is a political sociologist, and Director of the Humphrey Institute for Social Research at Ben Gurion University

[goldstategop]

Idiocy from a Marxist Tenured Red. Notice the moral equivalence and especially the BS line, "against Arafat's will. That's a turkey. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[aimhigh]

Liberals. They never understand a "police action". They hate God, and in actuality all authority.

[northernwilson]

Who will arrest Sharon, the person directly responsible for the orders to kill Palestinians?

I don't know if they'll arrest him, but a Belgian court is suppose to rule later this month if they have jurisdiction over indicting him for war crimes commited in Lebanon. Should be interesting.

[swarthyguy]

the individual terrorist acts are done by individuals in despair, PuhLease! Yes, just go to your local JihadisRUs and pick up a suicide belt; all sizes available, teenager, missy, youth, young man, womens. Scope out and choose a target, manueuver to the target, avoid security using our user's manual that comes with the belt.

[Ajnin]

Don't forget the use of mom's home recipe for making plastic explosives.

[northernwilson]

Liberals. They never understand a "police action". They hate God, and in actuality all authority.

I hope you're not including William F. Buckley Jr. in that group. He has gone on record against Sharon's military actions.

Sharon's contribution

My vote is that Ariel Sharon's offensive is the stupidest campaign in recent memory. Defined here as a campaign that has solved nothing, increased Israel's problems, intensified Palestinian hatred of Israel, estranged many Europeans and Americans, and fanned Islamic hostility. What is General Sharon up to?the rest of the article here

[kazatzkeh]

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Issac) the greatest of all jewish commentators on the Torah, in his very first commentary on the very first verse writes as follows:
R. Yitzchok said: The Torah should have begun with [the verse] "This month shall be [your first month]," it being the first precept that the Israelites were commanded. Then why does it [the Torah] begin with "In the beginning"? This is because [of the concept contained in the verse,] "He declared the power of His works to His people in order to give to them the inheritance of nations." Thus, should the nations of the world say to Israel, "You are robbers, for you have taken by force the lands of the Seven Nations," they [Israel] will say to them: "All the earth belongs to G-d. He created it and gave it to whomever He saw fit. It was His will to give it to them (the Nations) and it was His will to take it from them and give it to us (the Jews).

[spqrzilla9]

This is quite a sick little screed.

[Drumbo]

I don't know if they'll arrest him, but a Belgian court is suppose to rule later this month if they have jurisdiction over indicting him for war crimes commited in Lebanon. Should be interesting.

"As Israel once again battles for its very survival, the world's anti-Semites are yet again crawling out from under their rocks to spread lies and disinformation . . .

". . . Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is also being investigated for alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity under the same Belgian law in a case brought forward in November by victims of Palestinian terrorism. Also being probed under this law, are, among others, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and Iran's former president, Ali Akbar Rafsanjani. . ."

Mideast Lies

Should be interesting.

[axxmann]

Nonsense. One side wants to live in peace (Israel), the other wants Israel to cease to exist.

Funny how people find these positions morally equivalent...they're not!

[axxmann]

I thought Israel should have arrested Arafat and extradited him to the Hague....THAT would have been interesting.

[Deathmonger]

I didn't realize that God put asterisks by the Commandments,

"Thou shalt not steal" and "Though shalt not covet thy neighbor's property",

that read:

"*Unless you are a Jew and thy neighbor is a Gentile, in which case these Commandments may be disregarded."

Must be a part of the Torah that didn't make it into the Christian bible.

[northernwilson]

I thought Israel should have arrested Arafat and extradited him to the Hague....THAT would have been interesting.

How about they arrest both of them and send them both to the Hague....That might make it the most interesting of all.

[ex-snook]

"What is the difference between State terrorism and individual terrorist acts? "

Obviously it's miliary aid. If the USA supplied enough military aid so people would be able to buy missiles, tanks, and gunships then they would not use cars, themselves, or even our own planes. You see if we provided military aid, then it would be 'collateral damage' and would end 'terrorism'. (/sarcasm)

[BuckeyeForever]

Buckley is absolutely correct. Sharon's thugs haven't helped Israel's cause at all, and have only exacerbated the situation. I find it interesting that humans, by their nature, always feel obliged to take sides in a conflict. In many parts of the world, you can find longstanding disputes among tribes who are happy to commit savage acts upon each other. IMO, rather than force ourselves to find one side righteous and the other evil, we should face the truth that both sides are guilty of atrocities, and we should condone neither sides' actions.

[BuckeyeForever]

I agree. Arrest both. And we shouldn't support any group that commits atrocities like those committed by both Palestinians and Israelis.

[1bigdictator]

More Palistinian Propaganda regarding Sharon "war crimes" in Pali camps in the early 1980's. Christian Malitia, who were allied with Israel at the time, invaded the camps and engaged armed combatants. These Lebanese malitia were not under Sharon's control any more than Arrafat claims he can't control Hammas or Hezzbolah.

Moreover the Palistinians have demonstrated thier willingness to allege false "masacres" i.e. Jenin, in spite of all evidence showing a legitimate military conflict. Palistinians lack credibility to claim any masacre after digging up cemeteries and planting stale corpses in an effort to fabricate evidence of an Israeli massacre.

[onedoug]

"Yes, just go to your local JihadisRUs...."

By all means, just go. See if he even gets there before he gets his throat cut.