Israel-Palestine a future of perpetual violence: And the world can only weep

After more than 600 days of waging war with superior destructive power, but without success in achieving the main objective – elimination of Hamas – Netanyahu’s government shows no sign of changing.

Foreword

I have never been a supporter of Israel. Within weeks of entering the House of Commons I was invited to Israel, and to become a member of Labour Friends of Israel, among whose members were Prime Minister Harold Wilson, most of the cabinet, most of the lower- level ministers and a good number of backbenchers. It was taken for granted that the Labour party was automatically on Israel’s side, without question. I declined the invitation.

In 1973, when Egypt attacked Israel, Labour, then in opposition, demanded and got an emergency debate. No one doubted that full support for Israel was what we were to vote for. The whip, Don Concannon, brought round the envelopes with instructions of how we were to vote saying “this is from the Knesset.” I wrote a note to Harold Wilson saying I would not comply.

Don Concannon was obviously not happy with the instruction, and I thought that he and I were among the few. But the debate was a surprise, not least to the leadership. Backbencher after backbencher criticised Israel, not because it existed, but for its conduct in the occupied West Bank. That was the day the Israeli lobby inside the Labour party met its match.

Not being a supporter of Israel is not the same as not recognising it as a state. Israel is a fact, a state whose existence is the result of centuries of violent persecution of Jews, with added reason in the atrocity committed against Jewish people by, not just the Nazis, but others in Europe- Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, France - during World War II.

For me, and a reason for rejecting that invitation with its implied support for Israel, there was also the terror waged against British troops and the British civil administration, by the Israeli Stern gang and Irgun; followed by the policy of the mass expulsion of the Arab population of Palestine in 1948. “We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation, and the cutting of all social services to rid Galilee of its Arab population” (David Ben-Gurion, to the Haganah General Staff – Source: Beb Gurion A Biography by Michael Ben-Zohar, Delacorte New York 1978)

Israel was born by violence, and violence aimed at the Arabs in Palestine has been a consistent practice. So, while I am not with those who line up with Hamas, an organisation whom I deplore and despise, I am what I have always been, a critic of Israel’s conduct as a member state of the United Nations, in the West Bank and Gaza.

In what follows in this essay, I have sought to be objective and dispassionate. But in fairness to the reader, I thought it only right to set out where I have stood on the Israel-Palestine issue.

Hamas and Israel: both getting what they want

Along with perpetual violence

Hamas and the Israeli government have accomplished their joint long-term aim of destroying the two-state solution. Hamas paved the way with the atrocities committed on 7^th October, and Israel’s government closed down that solution by its response of unremitting onslaught on Gaza with its civilian deaths and mutilation, topped off with the announcement of 22 more settlements in the West Bank.

The consequence is continued and future asymmetric war, which means terrorism directed at Israelis individually and collectively, destruction and death on a large scale for Palestinians. Perpetual violence.

That will not worry Hamas. In an interview some years ago with The Times, Yaha Sinwar, the planner of 7^th October, said Hamas was in for the long term even if that meant another hundred years. The conflict is already 96 years old, starting with the Arab atrocity directed at the Jews of Hebron in1929. Yaha Sinwar’s brother and successor, now also killed by the Israelis, described today’s Palestinian dead as a “blood sacrifice” for the cause, which is the elimination of Israel. It has mostly gone unnoticed, but Hamas leaders have not apologised for the barbarity and cruelty of 7^thOctober. They have said they would do it again, and again.

Hamas has been in control of Gaza for years, during which attacks on Israel and reprisals of destruction and civilian deaths have been the norm. Yet, while it has built miles of tunnels for military purposes, it has not built one single shelter for the population. Hamas has an insurgent mind. Palestinians killed fertilise the cause with martyrs’ blood; blood sacrifice anchors the cause in hatred of the enemy and produces the next generation of fighters.

The shock and horror of what the world is witnessing in Gaza has blinded us, and also perhaps the Israeli people, to the strategic success Hamas has achieved, perhaps inadvertently, by provoking Israel’s government to adopt the Amalek policy of utter destruction of people and property, in response to 7^th October. Not only has the spotlight on those atrocities dimmed, but Israel has been shedding long term supporters, while others in the global south who previously had not taken sides, seeing the Palestinian-Israel issue as a western legacy, now condemn it as genocidal, an accusation now before the international Court of Justice. These are major strategic political defeats for Israel, with long term consequences for its security.

Israel can lose Europe: but not the United States

Losing or seeing its support eroding in the UK and Europe is a cost Israel could weather provided the United States stays at its back with weapons and hard cash, along with its veto protection at the UN Security Council, as has been the case for many years. That support is likely to remain in the short term no matter what party sits in Congress and what President occupies the White House. But how long that support will last is a question that arises from the present- day student body, who are the next generation of American political influencers and leaders. Their hostility to Israel and its conduct towards the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank is no passing fancy, but is becoming deep rooted.

Their opinions are being formed now, and as they advance in life into university positions, law firms, business, the media, political parties, political power, the future automatic support of Israel will not be the rock-solid policy of past and present times. Young people can change their minds and views as they progress from student to adult, but this generation have been exposed as no American generation before them to the brutality Israel has applied against Palestinians as a powerful occupying force, while giving two-up to the United Nations time after time on the issue of illegal settlements.

This generation of US young will in the relatively near future exercise power in relation to Israel, and if they come to the conclusion that it is reaping what it has sown, are no longer in fear of AIPAC, the American Israel Political Action Committee, and decline to continue feeding it weapons and money, then Israel will be in serious trouble.

So important is the US link for Israel’s future security that one would have thought its leaders will be giving more attention to the future implications on US policy of the anti-Israel view that is widening and deepening day by day, and adjust their Gaza and West Bank practices accordingly. But, as one worried long-life supporter of Israel noted recently, if Netanyahu has that kind of statesmanlike quality required to look ahead, he has so far manged to camouflage it.

The Clash of “Rights” and never the two shall meet

Whatever may have been said by Yasser Arafat and the PLO when acknowledging the existence of Israel, the Palestinians have never truly accepted its legitimacy. Palestinian school textbooks have, among many tropes, described Israel as a “country of gangs, born in crime,” with no right to Palestine. One post- 7^thOctober BBC interview with a Hamas member exemplified that fact. When questioned about the killing of women, babies and old people he insisted that they were “settlers.” That confused the interviewer because for her “settlers” were those zealots building illegally in the West Bank, whereas for him all Israelis are settler occupiers of Palestine, and all, including the women and babies, are legitimate targets.

It is that mentality Israelis point to when claiming that a sovereign Palestinian state made up of the West Bank and Gaza would be a launch pad for never ending attacks on Israel, and so must be rejected by them.

On the other side there is the extreme end of the Zionist view that the Palestinians never had any legitimate right to be there, because there has never been such an entity as Palestine. There never was a Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Lebanon either until the British and French created them, which makes that argument defective. It just so happens that the League of Nations in giving the mandate over “Palestine” to the British in 1922, also scuttles that proposition.

Two days after the 1967 six-day war won by Israel and followed by its occupation of the West Bank, Golda Meir the prime minister declared “There was no such thing as Palestinians.” Some years previously the legitimacy for the establishment of a Jewish state was in an assertion by Christian Zionists (there is a theological tie-up) that it was “A land without people for a people without land.” An absurdity considering that there were Arabs there under the Ottoman empire for generations, with 1,181,000 in 1947 residing under the British mandate.

You might think this is old hat, with the world having moved on from past times, as has been the case with post-1945 changes in boundaries and relations between peoples and powers as we have seen with Germany (smaller in territory than the 1939 one), the Balkans, Poland (lost territory to USSR and gained from Germany), China a previous ally now an adversary, with Japan an enemy now an ally, Pakistan no longer holds Bangladesh. But in what we call the Holy Land the past, and its interpretations of its past, has a continued grip on the present.

Sir Ephraim Mirvas, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth had an article in The Daily Telegraph on 23 May this year. He cited as a “lie and an assault on Jewish identify” a video that defined Zionism as “the idea of giving exclusive rights to one group of people, at the expense of another.” Instead of what he states as a lie, he explains that “Zionism is the movement for Jewish self-determination in our ancestral homeland. It is the belief, rooted in millennia of longing, prayer and historical connection, that Jewish people – like any other people on earth – have the right to live in safety and sovereignty in the land of their origin.” He went on “Zionism we are told is a colonial project. But how can a people be colonisers in their homeland? The Jewish connection to the land of Israel is a 3,000 -year old bond embedded in our scriptures, liturgy, and language.”

That is a brilliant piece of sophistry. He rejects as libel that Israel basis its legitimacy on a God given exclusive right to what we know as Israel plus the West Bank, while quoting scripture, with no actual quotes, as though it was ancillary to the main thrust of his argument – origin. No doubt he did not expect the average Daily Telegraph reader to check scripture. A pity if that is so, because according to the web site My Jewish Learning “The entire narrative of the Hebrew Bible is built around God’s promise of the land to Abraham’s descendants.” Or, as the Jewish Virtual Library puts it: “The land where the modern state of Israel now sits is mentioned repeatedly throughout the Torah and later sacred Jewish texts.”

Perhaps Sir Ephraim didn’t feel it politic to say openly what those settlers in the West Bank proclaim without embarrassment, that they are taking land from the Palestinians because it is the land promised to them, and them alone, by God.

You have to ask if Sir Ephraim really expects us to take his case of “origin” seriously. In the last three thousand years he cites there have been waves of human movement, with one group or nation displacing another one, in all continents. In that context a 3,000 year old claim for one specific group is a tall order for the rest of us to accept. It is the “scripture” bit in his article that is really the basis for his claim of Israeli legitimacy.

I have no doubt the Zionist zealots do believe that their God gifted the land to them. But there is a problem: the existence of the Biblical God is contentious, a matter of faith not proven; and one that is not shared by the majority of the world population.

Melanie is more honest

He and the settlers are not alone. Netanyahu is in their camp as are his ministers. Then we have Melanie Philips - British journalist, columnist in top newspapers, broadcaster including BBC, author, with her own web site. Influential with a large following here and the USA.

Unlike Sir Ephraim she doesn’t go in for obfuscation. Her words flay those Jews in the UK and America who are critical of what is being done to the people of Gaza, directing her scorn also at the UN, the ICC, ICJ, NGOs, Britain, Canada and Australia, with the latter states singled out for being “the most viciously hostile to Israel.” Accusing them of “rank murderous, racist bigotry, all in the name of conscience and justice. “

US and UK Jews, instead of being critical “should be saying loudly that everything Israel does is in accordance with international law, and that the Jews alone have the legal and historical right to the land many times over. That the Jews are the indigenous people of the land; the Arabs are the colonisers, and Zionism is a supreme decolonialisation movement.”

She repeats the Golda Meir claim by writing “There is no such thing as a Palestinian people. Palestinianism was invented purely to destroy Israel and to steal the Jews’ own history in the land from them. The Palestinian cause is a glaring example of cultural appropriation.”

Were Mellanie Philips, an intelligent person, a writer of note on many subjects, just giving an individual opinion that erases the developments of history in a region where empires have risen and fallen, during which Palestinians acquired legal title to land and had it taken from them by force in 1948, it would matter little. But she is not alone, and her words could come from any of the settlers evicting Palestinians, or from those who elected the present Israeli government.

Nothing has changed. It has only got worse

Impasse doesn’t come near to describing the present situation. The well into which both sides have poured their intense dislike of each other, has become an ocean of hatred in which the only rational solution, two states, has been drowned.

What Hamas did on 7^th October was atrocious. What Israel has done in reply is atrocious, in the West Bank as well as in Gaza. Hamas is no nearer eliminating Israel, and Israel is no more secure against its enemies than before the first bomb hit a building in Gaza.

Some who support Israel in what it has done, claim it has seriously weakened Hezbollah in Lebanon, taught Iran a harsh military lesson, given a sharp warning to the new Syrian regime to stay out of its affairs, and cut off the flow of arms and cash to Hamas. All that is true, but Hezbollah is already recovering in Lebanon (and still has thousands of modern rockets), and if Israel stays on the Syrian territory it has recently taken, and continues to attack Syrian military bases, it is creating another opponent in due course. Hamas is not the fighting force it was on 8^th October, but is not defeated; and with its network across the Middle East Iran will find ways to rearm and refinance Israel’s opponents. Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear capacity on Thursday makes that a certainty.

In the short- term Israel has weakened its enemies’ capabilities, but not broken their will. That matters in the coming long term. Israel will continue to be surrounded by them, and they will grow from weak to strong again. But their idea of eliminating Israel, a nuclear power, is for the fairies. What its enemies can impose on Israel is permanent insecurity by threatening its citizens with terrorism.. What Israel can inflict upon the Palestinians and its supporters is more death and destruction.

Is there no hope?

On the Palestinian side the picture is bleak. It can produce military leaders to replace those Israel can kill. But on the political field, it is barren. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, will be 90 years of age in November, and heads an organisation that is corrupt. All know that if Marwan Barghouti was released from Israeli jail, where he is serving five life sentences, he would win an election for President of the PNA. Some hope that he, with the legitimacy of serving long prison time, could give the necessary realistic leadership. But the Israelis don’t want to be faced with a corrupt free, competent, realistic, Palestinian leadership. A useless leadership suits them. So he is staying where he is. There is no agitation for his freedom from the Palestine National Authority, who don’t want him free either, as he would clean them out. As Barghouti’s wife noted wryly, although his name does appear on the list of those to be released in hostage swaps, somehow he never comes out.

In Israel there have been demonstrations against the continuing war in Gaza, with women holding up photographs of Arab children slain by the IDF. Over 300 IDF soldiers have refused to serve in Gaza, and are prepared to go to jail. The IDF, especially its reservist component, is tired. IDF women are, for the first time, being placed in combat. Israeli intelligence reckons that Hamas’s underground tunnels are still 75% intact, and the physical destruction of Gaza has created a battleground that does not suit a conventional army. The Germans learnt that at Stalingrad, and the Allies at Monte Casino.

After more than 600 days of waging war with superior destructive power, but without success in achieving the main objective – elimination of Hamas – Netanyahu’s government shows no sign of changing. They can rely on deep animosity towards the Palestinians by Israelis as justification.

Two polls are instructive, and deeply depressing. The Hebrew University aChord Center poll found 64% of Israelis believe “there are no innocent people” in Gaza. Another poll recorded 82% in favour of expelling every Palestinian from Gaza, and, more concerning, 56% would expel the Arabs who make up 20% of Israel’s population, who are in fact citizens.

Western leaders are impotent. But so are all the others

As things get worse for the people in Gaza, and the West Bank, and more horrors unfold daily, public anguish and anger in Europe is demanding action to make Israel stop. So, we have had strong words from Keir Starmer and others, echoing the feelings of the people. Sanctions have been applied to easy targets of deeply unpleasant Israeli ministers, at no cost to the sanctioning states.

But suppose Europe seriously considered, just considered, just talked openly about, applying full economic sanctions against Israel as a state, as some people are calling for. Reaction from Israel wouldn’t be the problem, it would be Trump in the White House. With both UK and EU engaged in difficult trade negotiations, he wouldn’t take kindly to sanctions against his principal ally in the Middle East, whom he continues to back with cash and weapons. The trade talks would be his lever to prevent any economic sanctions.

Stephen Flynn SNP MP, leader of the Westminster Parliamentary group, demanded that the UK cut diplomatic relations with Israel. That wouldn’t go down well with Trump either, just before a Nato summit, with European states worried that the US might pull out, as some are hinting in the administration in Washington.

President Macron has floated the idea of showing anger with Israel by more countries recognising Palestine as a state covering Gaza and the West Bank, and so endorsing the declaration the POLO made way back in 1988. But that has already been done by 165 UN member states, 75% of the UN total membership. In addition Palestine as a state has observer status at the UN with the right to participate in the General Assembly, without a vote, and to address the Security Council. Among that 165 ten are members of the G20, big hitters in the world such as China, India, Turkey, Brazil. The UK joining in recognition would be symbolically important, but while it would make us feel better, it would not alter reality.

That reality is that Israel has a veto over the actual coming into existence of a real sovereign Palestine state on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank, because not one of the 165, or anyone who joins them, is in a position to impose what it claims to recognise.

Gospel of despair?

What I have written is known to every government in Europe and the rest of the world. But they cannot in public acknowledge the hard harsh uncomfortable facts, that render them impotent. They will fill the air with calls for a cease-fire, some as they are doing will haul Israel before international courts to shame Netanyahu into a change of policy, knowing he will not budge as long as he has the USA on his side.

That is governments. We people outside of government will continue to protest against Israeli actions. Some will equate all Jews wherever they live outside of Israel as direct supporters of the Israeli government, anti-Semitism will continue to raise, and the evil disgrace of centuries of Jew-hate will continue to come out of the shadows into the public square.

Neither in Hamas, the PLO or the Israeli government are there people of stature. There are no statesmen to be seen. Having exercised violence, followed by violence, followed by more violence over many years, they all qualify for Einstein’s definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Look upon them, despair and weep for those alive today who are going to die in the tomorrows.