Anarchists Against The Wall

by C/P of Edard Said RIP. Tue Dec 30, 2003 14:42

The Only Alternative, by Edward Said

Source : http://www.mediamonitors.net/edward9.html

Professor Edward Said was the most important proponent of the one-state-solution. He died September 25, 2003. Here is his article in favor of this solution.


The Only Alternative - Edward Said

I first visited South Africa in May 1991: a dark, wet, wintry period, when Apartheid still ruled, although the ANC and Nelson Mandela had been freed. Ten years later I returned, this time to summer, in a democratic country in which Apartheid has been defeated, the ANC is in power, and a vigorous, contentious civil society is engaged in trying to complete the task of bringing equality and social justice to this still divided and economically troubled country. But, the liberation struggle that ended Apartheid and instituted the first democratically elected government on 27 April 1994, remains one of the great human achievements in recorded history. Despite the problems of the present, South Africa is an inspiring place to visit and think about, partly because for Arabs, it has a lot to teach us about struggle, originality, and perseverance.

I came here this time as a participant in a conference on values in education, organized by the Ministry of Education. Qader Asmal, the minister of education, is an old and admired friend whom I met many years ago when he was in exile in Ireland. I shall say more about him in my next article. But, as a member of the cabinet, a longtime ANC activist, and a successful lawyer and academic, he was able to persuade Nelson Mandela (now 83, in frail health, and officially retired from public life) to address the conference on the first evening. What Mandela said then made a deep impression on me, as much because of Mandela's enormous stature and profoundly affecting charisma, as for the well-crafted words he uttered. Also a lawyer by training, Mandela is an especially eloquent man who, in spite of thousands of ritual occasions and speeches, always seems to have something gripping to say.

This time it was two phrases about the past that struck me in a fine speech about education, a speech which drew unflattering attention to the depressed present state of the country's majority, "languishing in abject conditions of material and social deprivation." Hence, he reminded the audience, "our struggle is not over," even though -- here was the first phrase -- the campaign against Apartheid "was one of the great moral struggles" that "captured the world's imagination." The second phrase was in his description of the anti-Apartheid campaign not simply as a movement to end racial discrimination, but as a means "for all of us to assert our common humanity." Implied in the words "all of us" is that all of the races of South Africa, including the pro-Apartheid whites, were envisaged as participating in a struggle whose goal finally was coexistence, tolerance and "the realization of humane values."

The first phrase struck me cruelly: why did the Palestinian struggle not (yet) capture the world's imagination and why, even more to the point, does it not appear as a great moral struggle which, as Mandela said about the South African experience, received "almost universal support... from virtually all political persuasions and parties?"

True, we have received a great deal of general support, and yes, ours is a moral struggle of epic proportions. The conflict between Zionism and the Palestinian people is admittedly more complex than the battle against Apartheid, even if in both cases one people paid and the other is still paying a very heavy price in dispossession, ethnic cleansing, military occupation and massive social injustice. The Jews are a people with a tragic history of persecution and genocide. Bound by their ancient faith to the land of Palestine, their "return" to a homeland promised them by British imperialism was perceived by much of the world (but especially by a Christian West responsible for the worst excesses of anti-Semitism) as a heroic and justified restitution for what they suffered. Yet, for years, and years, few paid attention to the conquest of Palestine by Jewish forces, or to the Arab people already there who endured its exorbitant cost in the destruction of their society, the expulsion of the majority, and the hideous system of laws -- a virtual Apartheid -- that still discriminates against them inside Israel and in the occupied territories. Palestinians were the silent victims of a gross injustice, quickly shuffled offstage by a triumphalist chorus of how amazing Israel was.

After the reemergence of a genuine Palestinian liberation movement in the late '60s, the formerly colonized people of Asia, Africa and Latin America adopted the Palestinian struggle, but in the main, the strategic balance was vastly in Israel's favor; it has been backed unconditionally by the US ($5 billion in annual aid), and in the West, the media, the liberal intelligentsia, and most governments have been on Israel's side. For reasons too well known to go into here, the official Arab environment was either overtly hostile or lukewarm in its mostly verbal and financial support.

Because, however, the shifting strategic goals of the PLO were always clouded by useless terrorist actions, were never addressed or articulated eloquently, and because the preponderance of cultural discourse in the West was either unknown to or misunderstood by Palestinian policymakers and intellectuals, we have never been able to claim the moral high ground effectively. Israeli information could always both appeal to (and exploit) the Holocaust as well as the unstudied and politically untimely acts of Palestinian terror, thereby neutralizing or obscuring our message, such as it was. We never concentrated as a people on cultural struggle in the West (which the ANC early on had realized was the key to undermining Apartheid) and we simply did not highlight in a humane, consistent way the immense depredations and discriminations directed at us by Israel. Most television viewers today have no idea about Israel's racist land policies, or its spoliations, tortures, systematic deprivation of the Palestinians just because they are not Jews. As a black South African reporter wrote in one of the local newspapers here while on a visit to Gaza, Apartheid was never as vicious and as inhumane as Zionism: ethnic cleansing, daily humiliations, collective punishment on a vast scale, land appropriation, etc., etc.

But, even these facts, were they known better as a weapon in the battle over values between Zionism and the Palestinians, would not have been enough. What we never concentrated on enough was the fact that to counteract Zionist exclusivism, we would have to provide a solution to the conflict that, in Mandela's second phrase, would assert our common humanity as Jews and Arabs. Most of us still cannot accept the idea that Israeli Jews are here to stay, that they will not go away, any more than Palestinians will go away. This is understandably very hard for Palestinians to accept, since they are still in the process of losing their land and being persecuted on a daily basis. But, with our irresponsible and unreflective suggestion in what we have said that they will be forced to leave (like the Crusades), we did not focus enough on ending the military occupation as a moral imperative or on providing a form for their security and self-determinism that did not abrogate ours. This, and not the preposterous hope that a volatile American president would give us a state, ought to have been the basis of a mass campaign everywhere. Two people in one land. Or, equality for all. Or, one person one vote. Or, a common humanity asserted in a binational state.

I know we are the victims of a terrible conquest, a vicious military occupation, a Zionist lobby that has consistently lied in order to turn us either into non-people or into terrorists -- but what is the real alternative to what I've been suggesting? A military campaign? A dream. More Oslo negotiations? Clearly not. More loss of life by our valiant young people, whose leader gives them no help or direction? A pity, but no. Reliance on the Arab states who have reneged even on their promise to provide emergency assistance now? Come on, be serious.

Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs are locked in Sartre's vision of hell, that of "other people." There is escape. Separation can't work in so tiny a land, any more than Apartheid did. Israeli military and economic power insulates them from having to face reality. This is the meaning of Sharon's election, an antediluvian war criminal summoned out of the mists of time to do what: put the Arabs in their place? Hopeless. Therefore, it is up to us to provide the answer that power and paranoia cannot. It isn't enough to speak generally of peace. One must provide the concrete grounds for it, and those can only come from moral vision, and neither from "pragmatism" nor "practicality." If we are all to live -- this is our imperative -- we must capture the imagination not just of our people, but that of our oppressors. And, we have to abide by humane democratic values.

Is the current Palestinian leadership listening? Can it suggest anything better than this, given its abysmal record in a "peace process" that has led to the present horrors?

Source: by courtesy & © 2001 Al-Ahram Weekly & Edward Said
by the same author:
The Tragedy Deepens
American Elections: System or Farce?
One More Chance
Palestinians under Siege
Too Much Work
The Right of Return, At Last

Source : http://www.mediamonitors.net/edward9.html

by avi H Wed Dec 31, 2003 02:09

is a traitor. All nations have them. Apartheid wall - what a lovely soundbite; total rubbish, of course- but what a great soundbite for those who never think deeper than in slogans.

by the spook Wed Dec 31, 2003 02:38

So Mr. Avi Harari, is he an anti-semite or just a plain old fashioned self-hating jew ?

by B Wed Dec 31, 2003 02:43

Selling the sons and daughters of Israel into what promises to be a lifetime of war, all in pursuit of a fanatical, supremacist and deranged ideology. Sneering at the near murder of his braver brother who had the courage to stand up for the people of Israel and cry 'stop the madness'.

Fair fucks to the israeli anarchists, you give us all courage to go on.

by Ilan Mon Jan 05, 2004 14:25

In addition to direct action against the wall and its building demonstrations with with local Palestinians and Israel extreme radicals were carried this Saturday. Few of the initiative and about 50 other Israelis and internationalists converged with locals to a big demonstration at a road block near Dir-Balut. Few hundreds from the main cities who responded to the Call for action by the Anarchists Against The Wall - WITH OUR BODIES AND YELLS WE WILL BLOCK THE WALL! http://www.ainfos.ca/04/jan/ainfos00014.html converged in Cfar Kasem village. Around noon on the way to join the demo in Dir-Balut - few hundreds meters from the green line separating Israel and the occupied territories, the police blocked our way.

We got down from the busses ad blocked the road which is a main artery to the central part of Israeli settlements in the occupied zone. After the water cannon failed to affect us the police started to arrest people we did not hold strong enough.

After they arrested 28 activists and we still did not give in, the police cleaned a narrow path in the road for cars by dragging people to the sides. And there was a stand still for a while.

As power relation prevented us from blocking completely the road and as political consideration prevented police from arresting more of us or using tear gas, the police initiated negotiation with two lawyers of our contingent.

It took about two hours to reach agreement and decision it by vote among our people. At the end the majority accepted the police commitment to release all 28 people after 2 hours of interrogations. As not to let the police renegade on the agreement, we regrouped back to Cfar Kasem village, waiting to the release of the arrested.

The police tried to renegade and do hold for deportation three internationalist who were among the arrest's. But, solidarity of the other 25 and the threat of our blocking other roads made them think again.

With two hours delay all detainees were released and we went home exhausted but satisfied... as the media coverage and the constant communication with the ongoing demo was as if we were there in our bodies. Ilan

by @ Mon Feb 23, 2004 19:56

Israel has come under a lot of pressure and is now going to begin playing the
"taking the wall down game".
This is rather similar to the earlier "building the wall" game, but will cost less, and once you begin taking down a wall, it is really cool how quickly it doth come tumbling adown.

The Iraqi occupation and war have changed the military backdrop somewhat, it is rather difficult for Avi. H (our resident Israeli Likud apologist) to continue arguing the military neccesity in purely defence terms of the heights, and we have seen Sharon's other move on Gaza. The next game will thus be different. But nice start.

the U$ deficit has grown somewhat, accordingly the Israel support kitty will be iin real terms smaller after longterm interest rates and the depreciation of the dollar are acounted for, each Israeli settler being withdrawn from Gaza costing more to the Israeli state (than for example the average each arrestee at that rts thing on Mayday years back cost the Irish state).
and the wall was really "expensive" anyway.

But Ireland has done relatively well with it's EU statements and is trundling around the table nicely. Big Sloppy Hugs on that one Bertie.

The really interesting group "Jews against Zionism" has now brought three of the orthodox rabies of the Netherlands unto the street in support of a variety of statements which steadily become more and more interesting as time has gone by.

check their site:-
http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/
irgendwann fällt jeder mauer - some day every wall shall fall

irgendwann fällt jeder mauer - some day every wall shall fall

by shootem! Mon Feb 23, 2004 20:16

Is it just me or have I heard 'Anarchists Agianst the Wall!' somewhere else??

by ec Mon Feb 23, 2004 20:45

Owned by the lovely uncorrupt insiders at Cement Roadstone Holdings. More info coming soon to IMC IRL from some Israeli Insiders.

by oh dear... Mon Feb 23, 2004 23:23

I'm lost in reflection, sitting watching a video of a Cuban animation film "the vampres of Havana", about european vampires who goto Cuba in the thirties to get the formula to solve the tricky skin/sun thing they have, and they clash with the chicago gangster blood smugglers. Really cool, thinking about today, february 23.
This day 23 years ago, a sergeant of the Guardia Civil accompanied by a general of the Valencia command and several others held the Democratically elected parliament of the then quite new Spanish State to gunpoint. The coup d'etat attempt lasted till the King Juan Carlos Bourbon went unto TV and declared for democracy. A lot of people appreciate that, and a lot of people don't.


February 23 1981 was the last Fascist coup d'etat attempt in Europe.

For some reason my telefonica heap of shte mobile doesn't work, but they're no tanks on the street, the internet is clicking away on the digital and outside the world is 21st century shiny, new and tippytoppy contented in it's sheer security, happiness and above all good good food. Did I forget the water?

by Joe Wed Feb 25, 2004 13:18

The Anarchists Are Once Again Free Dear All,

First of all, the good news: the 13 anarchists arrested yesterday were
released at noon today, after spending a night in jail at Abu Khabir in Jafa.
Secondly: The Israeli government and Israelis in general pride themselves
on Israel being a democratic country. If it were, it would not try to silence
protest. Freedom of speech would be a value not dispensed with and not
restricted to one side. Please write letters to the addresses at the conclusion
of this report demanding that freedom of speech not be squelched.
The events that led up to the arrest of the 13 read like a spy story--the spies
being the Israeli military and police.

It all began yesterday morning, Monday, February 23, in Tel Aviv
at 8:00 AM at Habima (the National Theater). This was the day
that the International Court of Justice at the Hague had begun
deliberations on the legality of the location of the ?Wall?
(or ?separation fence?). The Palestinians had dedicated
the day to national mobilization against the wall. Throughout the
West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem Palestinians and
Israelis protested the wall. Several of these protests were to have
been joint Israeli-Palestinian ones. The Anarchists--a movement
of young, principled, highly motivated persons--were headed for
one such.

But even before they got under way others began to thwart their
plans. The bus driver, who arrived at Habima in Tel Aviv about
½ an hour before the time set, was surprised to have a man in
civilian dress approach and ask him about his plans and where he
was headed for. The driver responded evasively, stating that he
had been hired to go somewhere in the north. The interrogator
pressed on for more specific details, but the driver refused to
respond. At this point the inquisitor pulled out his ID, revealing
that he was a policeman, albeit in plain dress. The policeman
advised the driver that he was calling a police van to follow him,
and that he should abandon his plans (whatever they might be)
and to return home.

The Anarchists, upon hearing what had happened, decided on a
second meeting point to board the bus, now at 9:00 AM. From
the time they boarded the bus, till they were stopped on Road 5,
they were followed, first by the plain clothes policeman on his
motorcycle, after by others as they headed for their destination.

Road 5 is a settlers? road it going east-west. It was built for
settlers, and is used primarily by them. Their cars continued to
whiz by, but the bus was stopped about 20 kilometers over the
so-called green line, even though the bus had Israeli license
plates. The police took the driver?s driver license and also
demanded the keys to the bus. When the driver refused giving up
his keys, stating that he needed then to let the motor cool off, the
police did not argue, but ordered him to turn around and return to
Israel, advising that he was in a closed military area. But all other
vehicles with Israeli license plates continued undisturbed down
the road?; it therefore became readily apparent that the road
was a closed military zone solely for anti-wall and pro peace
activists.

The driver received his license back at the checkpoint near the
green line (near the turn off to Mas?ha); he was advised to
stay out of the Territories.

Following this, the group decided to try to reach their destination
by a different road, but with no greater success than before. Near
Qalqilya the bus was again stopped at the checkpoint. This time
the driver was informed that were he caught again, even one more
time, in the Territories, his license would be taken away for 30
days. All this, mind you, while other cars with Israeli plates
continued to drive by freely. Of course the fact that most of these
were settlers explains why; to the military and the police, at least,
settlers have rights denied to ?leftists?

The Anarchists finally realized that they would not get to where
they had been headed, and so decided to change plans. If they
could not get into the Occupied Territories, they could
nevertheless demonstrate. They decided to meet in the Kiriya on
Kaplan across the street from the Defense ministry. There they
simulated a wall by blocking the road, sitting on it to stop Israeli
drivers from proceeding. There 13 of them were arrested.

At their hearing, the police agreed to release them on condition
that the 13 be 5 days under house arrest and refrain for the next
30 days to come within a kilometer of the Kiriya, where they had
demonstrated. But their lawyer, Gaby Lasky argued that these
conditions were unreasonable, that they contradicted freedom of
speech. Judge Muki Lansman agreed with Gaby, and released the
13 on the condition that they refrain for 10 days from coming
within 200 meters from the Kiriya and that each sign a guarantee
to that effect, with a 2nd person signing for each within 24 hours.
Thanks to Gaby and the Judge, the Anarchists are once again free
to raise their voices in protest, except that one of them still had to
appear for questioning. If your help is needed, will advise.
D.