By Adrien Welsh
What did Big Brother say in 1984? "War is peace", right?
Well, today we can say "decolonization is colonization"...
It happened in secret, with little noise on June 18th. During the
election of the six committees of the General Assembly of the United Nations, a
wild political oxymoron emerged: Israel, an occupying power, was elected
vice-chair of a committee for the rights of the Palestinian people and the
occupied territories. The corresponding document, a statement to the UN, states
that, "despite the strong opposition of the Group of Arab States, Mr.
Mordechai Amohai, of Israel, was today elected Vice Chairman of the Fourth
Committee of the General Assembly on Special Political and Decolonization”.
This move was tasteless joke in the face of the Israeli criminal
operation "Protective Edge" which has left over 2,000 dead and over 10,000
wounded (08/19/14) and has brought Gaza farther towards its full destruction.
Israel's position challenged: an unprecedented event
Critics of Israel have joined with the Group of Arab States who argue
that it is illegitimate for this state to be part of this committee. For many,
Israel’s participation in the Fourth Committee was motivated by a desire to
obstruct the work of the committee. As the delegate of Lebanon stressed,
"Israel is the Member State which was the most condemned by this
organization," while Qatar reaffirmed its "categorical
rejection" of Israel’s inclusion, recalling that this state has continued
to violate international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and many of
its resolutions.
Accordingly, a few days before the formation of the committees, the
Group of Arab States sent two letters to the chairperson of the Fourth
Committee indicating their rejection of Israel's application in which they
asked to have a reelection by secret ballot. After the vote, Israel's
application was approved by 74 votes against 68 abstentions. It was an
unprecedented show of dissent in a vote that was uncontested by any another
country, much to the chagrin of countries supporting the Zionist state. The
United Kingdom who spoke on behalf of the ‘Western European and Other States’
regional group, stated that: "Contesting a candidate that was supported by
a regional group application is contrary to the standards and established
practices, and sets a dangerous precedent for future elections". We note
here that this is the same regional group that supported the candidacy of
Israel, which coincides with the fact that the EU is Israel’s main economic
partner.
Canada, meanwhile, did not lose the opportunity to add their support
for Israel expressing "deep disappointment at this unusual, unprecedented
step". But this view did not stop Canada from opposing the appointment of
Mr. Hossein Gharibi, from Iran as Vice-Chairman of the Sixth Committee dealing
with legal issues, on the grounds that the Islamic Republic blatantly violates
international law, commits abuses against religious minorities and cannot meet
its nuclear obligations. Of all the states present, only Israel joined Canada
in denouncing the appointment of Mr. Gharibi. This example further illustrates
the imperialist aims of Canada take precedence over such considerations.
Indeed, every complaint made against Iran was laughable, especially when you
unconditionally support the state of Israel and its Zionist project, which has
been repeatedly criticized by the United Nations.
How can we only call out Iran for violating international law when
Israel stubbornly refuses to recognize the right of Palestinians to
self-determination by violating several UN resolutions and triggering a deadly
operation for the sole purpose of keeping afloat an electoral coalition and
preventing the formation of a stronger Palestinian unity government? As for
abuses against religious minorities, it should be remembered that Iran
recognizes several cultural rights while Israel distinguishes Jewish citizens
from others for whom certain rights are limited or prohibited. Finally,
concerning the so-called nuclear obligations of Iran, we cannot say with
certainty whether Iran has nuclear weapons, but it is commonly accepted that
Israel is the only nuclear power in the Middle East. In 2012, while Iran agreed
to take part, Israel refused to participate in the Helsinki Conference on the
denuclearization of the Middle East. Finally, it must be added that Israel has
not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that the country allocates
5.6% of its GDP on military expenditures (against 3.8% for the United States).
Of course, the idea here is not to brag about the candidacy of the
Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran continues to hold many political prisoners, and
repress popular democratic movements, as was the case this spring with the
repression of the student movement directed especially by the youth of the
underground Tudeh Party (Communist Party). But we need to highlight the
shameful and inconsistent position of Canada, which supports Israel as one of
only two states in the world without a constitution, and able to hold prisoners
without charges. Yet, Canada chooses to declare Iran not worthy of being part
of a UN committee for Justice.
This support is more than just ideological. Canada is an imperialist
country itself, and is still colonizing Indigenous peoples. Western powers
(including Canada) are supporting Israel because it is the main ally in the
Middle East. Israel will never oppose the plans of imperialism in the region.
Indeed, the Zionist entity has always played a key role in the destabilization
of the Middle East (those who benefit are the Canadian tar sands oil producers
by increasing the price of a barrel of crude) and paves the way for a
redistribution of Middle Eastern borders in the Greater Middle East plan
promoted by the United States. It's for a reason that during the Lebanon war,
Israeli forces supported the most reactionary forces advocating the creation of
a Maronite confessional state.
In addition, under the banner of free trade, an arms trade of over 400
million dollars exists between the two countries. This includes 50 Canadian
companies supplying weapons and military equipment to the Israeli occupation
army.
Israel, a colonial project
In a statement in support of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike
(but force-fed by the Israeli authorities) dated June 10, the World Federation
of Democratic Youth (WFDY) sums up the imperialist role of Israel in the
Middle-East: "We can think of no better description of imperialism than
through the actions of the Zionist entity: occupation, displacement, attacks,
settlements, wars and economic sanctions against the Palestinians,
interventions throughout the Middle East, mainly in Lebanon and Syria in
addition to their control of the region."
From the outset, the Zionist project grew at the expense the
Palestinian right to self-determination. Far from trying to solve the problem,
the Oslo Accords of 1993 actually helped to "normalize" the situation
in favor of the Zionist state. We need to return to the context of the early
1990s: in 1991, Arafat and the Palestinian Authority were weaker than ever
after their support for Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq War and, with the
temporary victory of counter-revolution in the USSR and Eastern Europe.
Palestine found itself dramatically isolated on the international scene. All
Arab allies from 1967 had made peace with Israel, with the notable exception of
Lebanon (rebuilding after a bloody civil war) and Syria.
Thus, during the negotiations, Palestine ironically only played a
limited role, which enabled Israel to enjoy a tailor-made agreement and can
constantly reject the creation of a Palestinian state on the grounds that their
safety is not guaranteed (although law enforcement under the Palestinian
Authority, directed at its own population, is probably the best equipped and
trained in the world). Israel has been able to consolidate its hold, including
its economic grip, on the occupied territories in an even more direct way while
delegating some of the costs of occupation such as security functions to the
Palestinian Authority. Meanwhile, Israel had been signing trade agreements,
establishing diplomatic relations with many countries, including China and
India, and has therefore embedded itself into the world economy. Foreign
investment increased from $17 million in 1993 to $584 million three years
later.
As part of the Oslo Accords, it was expected that after five years, in
1999, the final status of the West Bank would be resolved. From the beginning,
the plan was not followed. Then, after Israeli Prime Minister Rabin's
assassination in 1996, all Israeli governments have been content to undertake
new negotiations. We remember when Netanyahu, the current prime minister, came
to power after the 1996 election, he publicly expressed his refusal to see a
Palestinian state form, surrender the Golan region to Syria, or to negotiate
the status of Jerusalem.
The colonial settlements don’t stop proliferating, while living
conditions don’t stop deteriorating, with an unemployment rate of 40% in the
Gaza Strip (note that the unemployment rate went from 11% in 1993 to 23% in
1995 for all of Palestine). Faced with the impossibility of the Palestinian
Authority solving these problems, it is hardly surprising that a part of the
population has become disillusioned, believes that only struggle wins gains and
moved towards an Islamist political group; Hamas (initially funded by Saudi
Arabia as the ‘Islamic Centre of Gaza’ under the watchful gaze of Israel). The
tension on the ground hit its peak in 2000, leading to the second intifada, and
then the construction of the ‘separation’ or ‘apartheid’ wall in 2002.
The apartheid wall is 3-8 meters high and designed to cut off the
Israeli population from the Palestinian population in the West Bank. It more or
less follows the route of the Green Line while including Israeli settlements.
It therefore consumes between 10 and 15% of the West Bank. Colonization
continues to worsen (there were 375 000 settlers in 2013, an increase of 2,534,
compared to a 1,133 settler increase in 2012). It is estimated that the wall
affects about 875,000 people in ways such as preventing some movement within
the territory, and isolates some communities (eg, Qalqiliya). For Palestinians
residing in annexed areas, the situation is even more delicate. While being
physically cut off from the West Bank, they do not officially have the right of
residence in Israel, so they cannot use any social services and do not have the
opportunity to travel.
In short, while the Palestinian situation continues to deteriorate,
Israel has every interest in maintaining the status quo. In the current
situation, with the Palestinian Authority discredited and very isolated, it
would be illusory to believe that negotiation attempts such as those arranged
by the United States in 2013 - currently on hold - can lead to ending the
conflict.
The appointment of Israel as the Vice-Chair of a committee responsible
for matters of decolonization, is shameful. This is from the United Nations, an
organization created to ensure peace in the world. How can we claim to
guarantee peace in the world by giving a committee to a state that, in the last
decade, has conducted four military operations against neighbouring
populations: Operation Cast Lead in 2008 and Operation Pillar of Defense in
2010 against Palestine, the war against Lebanon in 2006, and the current
massacre that is unfolding before our eyes now?
For communists, the answer is clear: Israel is part of the global
imperialist system, which is destabilizing the region by fanning conflict. The
formation of strong sovereign states that may hamper the plans of the Western
powers in the region is rendered impossible by Israel. This is part of the new division
of the world under the "New Middle East" plan that is so dear to NATO
diplomacy.
It is not so much because of support for Israel that European states supported its candidacy, but to guarantee the interests of a system that is sinking quickly with the deepening of the economic crisis. However, it is the 1.8 million Gazans who pay the heavy price today.
****
This article is published in Issue 17 of the new Rebel Youth!
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