Alternative Information Center, Jerusalem
S policies in the Middle East on basis of the lack of US criticism against Israeli occupation policies nor in the context of the historical support the US administration supplies to Israel. Today they have to be seen in the framework of the war on terrorism.
In the US administration's vision, this war is above politics and above Congressional party bargaining. As President Bush says: "It's important for our war on terror that they do not play politics with the defence appropriations bills."
Bush also personalises the protection of the citizens and their rights. In his Milwaukee Wisconsin speech in August he said: "My most important job, I think, is to make sure that I protect - do everything I can to protect - the homeland and make sure that an enemy which hates freedom doesn't hit us again."
In the name of the protection of freedom and civil liberties, the first victims are actually freedom, civil liberties and human rights. The detainees in Guantanamo are a frightening example of this new conception of human rights. Now the freedom to disagree and to have political ideas that do not conform with the ruling party may be labeled support for terrorism.
Arial Sharon came to power in 200l with an old megalomaniac vision of the Middle East. For him Israel has the power, and ultimately the right, to re-shift regional power in order to secure its interests. emergency. We can see how the US administration has adopted Sharon's megalomaniac vision that is it possible to reorganise the Middle East by force. The next step is the attack on Iraq.
There is also a Palestinian chapter in the war on Iraq. It is quite possible that Israel will exploit an attack on Iraq in order to achieve a terminal solution to the Palestinian uprising. This attempt might take the form of the elimination of the current Palestinian leadership followed by ethnic cleansing in the West Bank - possibly driving the Palestinians into neighbouring Arab countries.
In reality, military analysts in the Israeli press deal daily with both topics: ethnic cleansing and the use of nuclear weapons. The Israeli security establishment says that it is considering using nuclear weapons in case of an attack. Israel could be attacked by Iraq in the context of a war in the Gulf, and may also be attacked by an Arab coalition in case of ethnic deansing in the occupied territories.
The threat to use nukes is to intimidate the Arab regimes.
It is possible to foresee the beginning of a war, but never how a war ends. There is a lot of room for speculation about possible agreements and disasters in the coming war with Iraq. That speculation ranges from the creation of a Palestinian state up to a nuclear disaster. But rather than speculate we should focus on stopping a war which would result in a major humanitarian disaster for the Iraqi people and the Palestinians.
ago a war crime of unspeakable brucalicy was ainst the Palestinian people. The Sabra and Shorilla still ranks amongst the since the accupation began in 1948. While hter, which lasted over 40 hours and resulted nd 3000 deaths was carried out by Lebanese
halange, they were only able to set with the compllcity of the Israeli Defence Force. The count of vicars varies between 700 (the coficial trach fig ure and 3,500 (in the inquiry launched by the Israch journalis Kapeloul)
The coct igure con never be determined, The Irterational Committee of the Red Cross buried approsmately 1,000 people in comrunal graves. Others were laid to rest in the cerneteries of Beirut by their families. But the milta members themselves buried a large number of corpses beneath buildozed buldings,
At the fek of this sickering operation was the then brael Defence Secretary - and current Prime Mirister Artel Sharon Twenty years ago: the gruesome aftermath of the fascist slaughter authorised by Sharon
refers to as an "act of genocide" then as Mineter without Portfalo nately not successiu. The evidence against him was clear enough to force a Commission of Inquiry set up by the brael Knesset (Parlament) into the events to hold him personally responsible for the events, which a United Nations resolution of December 1982
While masave protests, including 400,000 marching in brae toef when the news of the slaughter was broadcast forced the inqury to be set up and subsequently ensured Sharon's resigna ton a Minister of Defence, he remained in the governmentObviously he has subsequently relurred to evert higher office and carried on his murderous actions agunst the Palestriars
The campaign for justice for the victims continues today, An attempt was trade to have Sharon along with other Israelis and Lebanese tried as a war criminal in Belgum that was unfortuOn June 26 2002, a Belgan court agreed that they did have jurisdiction over these crimes but that they were unable to pro ceed while those accused were not on Belgian sol