Nothing Fails Like Success

London

Tuesday, April 22, 2003

Recently I listened to a BBC World Service report on the situation in Colombia where for decades FARC, a left wing faction, has waged a vicious campaign against government forces. Both sides have committed atrocities and the civilian population has suffered accordingly. No end to the conflict is in sight. In the report the BBC never once used the ‘terrorist’ word in referring to FARC fighters – guerrillas yes, militants yes, armed revolutionaries yes, terrorists no. This was not an oversight.

The FARC insurrection exceeds the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in terms of intensity, perhaps even in terms of pain and suffering. Furthermore FARC’s aims are unclear. Consequently FARC has been unable to legitimise its struggle in the way that Palestinians justify theirs. In contrast the Palestinian cause – the liberation of land from foreign occupation - is understood and considered just by objective observers. Gaza and the West Bank – the Occupied Territories – are all that remain of the territory the Palestinians have tended and farmed for centuries. The building of illegal Israeli settlements and settler roads, and the annexation of Palestinian wells and aquifers are remorselessly eroding even this rump of land. Is it not strange therefore that the BBC awards FARC fighters the sobriquet of guerrilla and Palestinians the title of terrorist? Why is it that the Palestinian and FARC cases are treated so differently? Is it because of the resistance tactics employed by the Palestinians? Israeli tactics are nothing to shout about either – firing tank shells into civilian areas, bombing crowded refugee camps from F16s and extra judicial assassinations. No media outlet calls the IDF (The Israeli Army) terrorists, yet as an occupying force, Israel has the added duty of care to civilians.

It is hard to avoid the conclusion that Palestinians are called terrorists simply because their adversary is Israel, a crucial strategic Western ally and friend. What is more the Palestinians have the misfortune to be the victims of the victims. As a consequence the Palestinians are the West’s enemies and are demonised accordingly. By association Palestinian supporters are also demonised. Syria is a case in point. The Syrians give succour to Hizbolla – a group actively engaged in resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. Worse still Hizbolla has ‘form’. If it had not been for Hizbolla the Israeli army would still be in southern Lebanon. It is the only force ever to have defeated Israel’s military might. It is hardly a surprise therefore that the Syrians are demonised along with the Palestinians and that the world is encouraged to forget that Israel still occupies the most fertile land in Syria – the Golan Heights.

In the politics of the Middle East justice seldom gets a look in; in fact it is often stood on its head. Worse still electorates in the West are not told the truth. In the UK both the government and the opposition parties have consistently failed to condemn Israeli actions – appeasement by another name! Why are we fed a diet of half-truths and lies? Could it be that the British public would object to what is done in its name if it knew the facts? Is this how democracy is supposed to function or are we to assume that the system is corrupt?

American power is paramount. The US can impose its messianic message wherever it wishes. Not to comply is heresy and is to invite economic sanctions, exclusion from the WTO, freezing of World Bank or IMF funding or in extreme cases military attack. Will this new American zeal make the world a safer place? Will living under the American political and cultural umbrella make those billions of people around the world who are without a voice, are discriminated against, hungry and humiliated, will this unilateral ‘good’ and ‘evil’ approach make them compliant?

We may shortly witness the publication of the Middle East Road Map, the latest attempt to resolve the Israeli/Palestinian impasse. Cynics will expect Israel to prevaricate and demand amendments and President Bush to lack conviction in the face of a US election in 2004. Cynics will no doubt recall Sharon’s oft-stated belief that it is necessary to inflict a devastating defeat on the Palestinians before peace can be agreed. They will also remember the words of General Moshe Ya’alon, the IDF chief of staff, when he said that the aim is to lead the Palestinians to internalise “in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people”. Is this the appropriate mindset for an equitable peace?

The danger exists that a watered down version of the much delayed Road Map may be imposed on Palestinians exhausted by fifty years of struggle and shorn of support from Iraq and Syria - a peace plan which will leave strategically important Israeli settlements in place, water resources controlled by Israel, refugees refused the right of return and the status of East Jerusalem fudged. In effect the Road Map may turn out to be a sticking plaster on a festering boil, leaving poison embedded beneath. The Palestinians must not be forced into that predicament. It would be a tragedy if the Road Map should become another example of apparent success leading to failure.