The tragedy of Palestine
On Monday, May 10, clashes between Palestinians and Israelis erupted once again.
The reason for the clashes this time was due to the fact that the Israeli regime has moved to expel Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem, to make way for new Israeli settlers. They are people who were not just born in East Jerusalem but whose ancestors have been living there since time immemorial.
Naturally, the people are resisting, fighting to protect what little they are allowed to have in that tragic Israeli Apartheid state.
What is even sadder is that the repressive, racist Israeli regime is being supported by some of the most powerful countries in the world, including the United States, which is the most powerful. These are the same countries that are most vociferous in speaking about Human Rights. Yet, in the issue of Israel and Palestine, they are fully on the side of the Apartheid Israeli State. It is that support that has allowed the Israeli regime to act with such impunity.
To justify this inhuman position, they have been manipulating the news. On Tuesday, May 11, the BBC reported that the Israelis were bombing “military targets” in the Gaza Strip. Aljazeera is more or less saying the same thing.
What is the reality? Israel is a nuclear power. It has one of the strongest armies in the world. It is also generously supplied with the most modern weapons, airplanes, tanks, drones, etc. It is a producer of modern sophisticated weapons. It has its military-industrial complex.
The Palestinians, on the other hand, have been made into one of the poorest people in history. It has no army, no factories, no airplanes, no tanks, and limited amounts of light weapons. They fight mainly with stones and slingshots. What military targets are they speaking about?
The rockets that are spoken about being fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel are probably the only weapons they have. Yet it is almost nothing compared to what Israel has. Indeed, there are locally produced in some kitchens in someone’s home.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, international support for the Palestinians has been drastically reduced. All of these powerful states in the world have diplomatic relations with Israel and have become conspicuously silent to the plight of the unfortunate people of Palestine. The strongest statement that they have made is that both sides must show restraint. As the slaughter continues, Palestinians are losing their lives and limbs at an accelerating rate. As of May 11, thirty-two Palestinians have died, about a dozen children among them, and hundreds seriously injured. Only three Israelis lost their lives.
This is the most unequal struggle in history. It is also the most injustice being perpetrated anywhere in the world. Yet the Palestinians are being equated with Israel and are being told to show restraint. This is while they are being forcibly evicted from their humble homes.
The Arab world has become so compromised that they have been reduced to making meek statements but unwilling to take any action. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and others make feeble statements because they have become dependent on Israel.
Even many Muslim Organizations, for example, those in Guyana, are deafeningly silent. They seem more afraid of losing their US visas than standing up against the injustice and genocide that have been constantly visiting the Palestinian people.
It is time that democratic states take a firm stand on this matter. They can make a big difference if they do.
Let us recall that before the Apartheid Regime in South Africa fell it was the powerful countries, that refused to sanction that hated regime. Recall too that Israel was Apartheid South Africa’s main ally.
It was the stirring of the masses, the people in the street, and small states that made the difference. That movement eventually forced the large countries to take a stand. Today, the same states that collaborated and supported the racist South African regime, the very same forces that described Nelson Mandela and his comrades in the ANC as terrorists became the loudest in extolling the virtues of Mandela.
Well, the Israeli Apartheid regime is much worse than what existed in South Africa. To change this, we must stand up with the oppressed people of Palestine, we must force the leading countries in the world to condemn the murderous actions of
Israel.
We in the Caribbean should take the lead and, as a first step, break diplomatic relations with the racist, apartheid regime in Israel. We must work to uphold human rights wherever it is being trampled upon.
Failing that, the blood of the people of Palestine will continue to be shed and they could lose everything, including their lives. Let us show some humanity. Let your voices be heard!!
respectfully
Donald Ramotar
Former President
