http://www.infopal.org/palnews/updates/tr.htm
GREEN LIGHT TO SLAUGHTER
By Tanya Reinhart, October 21, 00.
Z Magazine
In the Sharm-al-Sheikh summit last week, Barak got from the US his
green light to slaughter. To judge by the Israeli media, what we have
seen so far is just the prelude. "The most important will come in the
middle of next week, when...Israel will have to consider taking the
initiative, rather than merely responding to events". ('Haaretz', Amos
Harel, Oct 19.00)
Bits and pieces of the "initiative" have been revealed: It includes
entering PA areas "to confiscate weapons", and 'inevitable' air
raidings. There is talk about the Palestinian Kosovo, with 2000-3000
Palestinians dead. As usual, the blame for this slaughter is put in
advance on Arafat, who, the story goes, wants his people to be
slaughtered, to gain international sympathy.
Another aspect of what is being planned has started already, with very
little coverage, under the calm title of 'evacuation'. Palestinian
residents of 'areas of conflict' near Jewish settlements have been
called to evacuate their homes "for their own protection". So far this
happened in el-Bireh (7.10), Beit-Jallah (18.10) and the Askar refugee
camp near Nablus (19.10). And this is just the beginning. In more
direct words - transfer under the pretext of war.
The military preparations and training for the Israeli attack have
started already in June, when Barak first informed Israeli media that
"there is a danger of a Palestinian unrest, following the model of
Southern Lebanon". But to get there, it was first necessary to
manifest Barak's unprecedented eagerness for peace. The model was
rehearsed on Syria earlier this year: Intensive "peace talks" at the
end of which Barak declared that there is no partner for peace. The
camp David "peace round" was sufficient to convince the obedient
Israeli media that the same is true of the Palestinians. All that was
still needed was US approval.
US APPROVAL.
For three weeks now, Barak has been dragging full execution, waiting
for US green light. As reported in early October, "Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Barak is appealing to the United States for approval of
a massive offensive against Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority. So
far, the United States has appealed to Barak for more time" (World
Tribune, Oct 9).
We may have been fooled to believe he won't get US approval this time.
There is so much opposition to Israel's acts throughout the world. The
Arab world is storming with demonstrations. US embassies had to close
temporarily, and the Yemen explosion was some indication of the
burning soil.
The US was first cautious - not even the customary vetoing of the
security council resolution. CNN - the most direct seismograph of the
White House - betrayed the hesitations. There was a week when sharp
criticism of Israel was allowed in their news, along with the standard
pro-Israeli propaganda, and even Edward Said got a full-length
interview, probably for the first time in CNN's history. But no more!
- The three weeks of deliberations did end with a green light.
Intensive diplomacy of threats and promises convinced the US that
the Arab regimes can still be relied upon to stand their people's
pressure. They expect the Arab-league summit to end up as a harmless
ceremony. They believe that when it ends, the tanks can start talking,
undisturbed.
For the US, this is a dangerous game. But what's at stake here is not
just its automatic backing of Israel. The explosive Arab anger has
been directed at the US no less than Israel. The rational move for
the US would have been to cool things off for now, to stop Barak. But
that has never been the US strategy. They can't tolerate even the
slight disobedience of loyal servants. They have to show who is the
master.
ARAFAT'S ROLE.
In the Sharm-al-Sheikh summit, Arafat complied again. We may have been
fooled to believe that this time, under the pressure of his people, he
is going to change. But it is too late for him to change. The tragedy
of the Palestinian people is that the person who in the past
symbolized their struggle in the world's eyes has turned into an
executer of the Israeli occupation.
The substantial issue which was worked out in the summit, behind the
public show of "cease fire", was the security agreement, which
guarantees Arafat's continued commitment to do the security job for
Israel, namely, prevent Palestinian retaliations inside Israel. As
reported in 'haaretz', "its implementation will be overseen by CIA
chief George Tenet and the CIA representative in Tel Aviv. This
agreement will, for the first time, involve CIA observers in the field
in addition to CIA participation in Israeli-Palestinian meetings."
('haaretz', Aluf Ben, oct 18.00)
Indeed, just a day after the summit, Israeli undercover unit seized
eight Palestinians who were in the crowd that lynched two Israeli
soldiers a week before.
"The operation was carried out with the connivance of some members of
the Palestinian security forces, who apparently tipped off the
Israelis where to find the men." 'The Telegraph' (U.K.), Alan Phillips
in Jerusalem, 19 October 2000,
The official propaganda in Israel is that Arafat is responsible for
the uprising, and "he is not a real partner for peace". Not only does
this provide the continuous justification for the planned slaughter,
but it is also the biggest service Israel can offer in return for
Arafat's compliance. Israel's constant 'dissatisfaction' with Arafat
is his only claim for credibility.
When Israel intensified its murder of unarmed demonstrators, on Friday
the 20th (with 10 dead in one day) Arafat's spokesman, Arikaat, was
interviewed pleading no other then the US to investigate and to
protect the Palestinians. This follows another concession of Arafat at
Sharm- al-Sheikh. -No more pleas to the international community. From
now on, little red ridinghood can only call the woolf to protect her.
If there is anything that could still prevent the blood-shed, it is
international intervention. International inspectors, UN forces, or
even just NGO volunteers present in the area could potentially slow
down Israeli forces. It is therefore extremely important now to
understand Arafat's collaborating role, and to remember that it is
Israel, rather than the Palestinian people, who view the US as the
'neutral moderator'.
Tanya Reinhart
Tel Aviv University and the university of Utrecht.
