Who can put Sharon down

We have to distinguish between democracy and bills of rights. In the States, in Canada and Israel, the people have the right to express their opinions and to stage vigils and demonstrations. This is thanks to the bill of rights. As to democracy, there is none. There is no democracy in the states, in Canada or the US. The privileged people who control the big corporations, own the media and can control the opinions of the population. So, what follows is in the nature of an explanation, and not in the nature of defending the Jewish population. I will therefore tell you what the Israeli think they know, whether it corresponds to the truth or not: 1) They know that, the day the partition became effective, all the Arab states attacked Israel with the intention to destroy it. I know how false this is. I know also that, were it true, it would have been only natural since the Israeli were guilty of implanting a foreign population in the Palestinian land. It is false because at the time, a British general (Glubb) was heading the Jordanian army (giving a clear indication at the amount of independence enjoyed by the Jordanian government), and the Egyptian army, in order to invade Israel, had to request the permission of the British army for crossing the Canal zone which was occupied by that country. However, the Israeli do not know that much. All they know is that they had to defend their country against all the Arab countries. 2) They know, and that is true, that for long years, the PLO's policy was to not recognise the existence of Israel, and express the intention of installing in Palestine a single state. There were some differences as to the fate of the post-1948 Jewish population. 3) They know that HAMAS does not hide its policy of establishing a single Islamic Palestinian state from which would be expelled all the post-1948 Jews. 4) This "knowledge" is reinforced by Israeli's state propaganda aimed at infusing fear in the minds of the Israelis. 5) Therefore , the Israelis are scared. When they hear about suicide-bombers attacking Jewish innocent people inside Israel, the Israeli people conclude that the Palestinians are not only against the occupation, but are against the existence of Israel, against the right of the Israelis to remain in Israel. The Israeli state endeavours at exaggerating and perpetuating that feeling among the population. Now comes the critical question: WHO CAN PUT DOWN SHARON? The nonexistent Palestinian army cannot do that The neighbouring Arab countries cannot do that The US DOES NOT WANT to do that The international public opinion cannot do that (not respected by the arrogant Sharon who enjoys his own military strength and the support of the US) The United Nation cannot do that (how many of its decisions are ignored by Israel?) The suicide bombers cannot do that. On the contrary, they provide Sharon with all the needed false pretexts to go on his rampage. They also reinforce the support Sharon has of the Israeli population The fact that the Palestinian cause is just, cannot do that. It did not help Panama being bombed by Bush the father (with thousands of innocent victims) it does not help Iraq whose infrastructure has been destroyed and whose children are dying from the blockade. It seems that nothing can bring Sharon down. But that is not true. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL CAN PUT SHARON DOWN. And it does not do that because, contrary to what you say, THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY IN ISRAEL (nor in the US). I mean by that that the Israeli population is being manipulated into supporting a leadership whose will for peace is inexistant. However, in spite of the odds, in spite of the media manipulation, you know that hundreds of Israeli soldiers have refused to serve in the occupation army. Many Israeli University professors have signed a petition asking all university in the world to cut their ties with the Israeli universities. There are Israeli organisations who go to the territories to act as protective shields against Israeli attacks there are those who loudly proclaim "NOT IN MY NAME". All that is still very little, but reveals an important facet of the Israeli population. I reproach the PA to have waited for salvation to come from the US, instead of addressing the false but justifiable fears of the Israeli people. You are telling me that Palestinians must now reclaim the whole of Palestine, including the Israel of pre-1967. Have you taken into consideration that Israel has the atomic bomb? Can you corner atomic Israel into accepting to globally emigrate from Israel? I doubt Palestinians can do it, even without considering the Israeli atomic power. Palestinian will never be able to muster any support for such an aim. On the contrary, if such an aim becomes that of the majority of the population, it will enable Sharon to do the opposite, to displace the whole Palestinian population out of what remains of its land. It is a tragedy for the Palestinian people that they could not distinguish between what is rightfully theirs, and what they possibly can achieve. Other people who have done such a mistake have lost it all. Please, please, listen to me and channel your anger through wisdom, not through wishful thinking. If you recognise that only the Israeli population can bring down Sharon (or his successor), then you have to take this fact into account. Had Arafat understood the importance of demystifying the Israeli people, instead of waiting for the US's help, Sharon would not even have come to power.
Clement Leibovitz
e-mail: info@cleibovitz.org

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