Common Sense for the Twenty-First Century

Palestine

39 Palestine July 2, 2002 How many times does government policy truly represent the wishes of its people? I would say, rarely. When we hear of some new, vicious and vengeful policy, our question in conscience is always, “Are we not better than that?” I see no reason why governments cannot act in the same spirit as movements of international solidarity. As we examine the make up of the solidarity affinity groups in Palestine , we find that a substantial percent of the activists are either Jewish internationals or Israelis. The relationship between Palestinians and solidarity Israelis is one of warmth and respect. It is similar to the relationship between the African Americans and the thousands of white citizens who ventured to the south in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. The Israeli press refers to Gaza as a large prison. A third of the area was taken over by some 7,000 Israeli settlers. The remainder is home to a million Palestinians. Where do Palestinians get food? Some 80% of Gaza’s residents depend on their sustenance from The United Nations, the European Union, or other sources of international relief. The majority of Palestinians will only be able to maintain a reasonable life through the help of international aid. The current Israeli plan is to return to the concept of military administration as during the pre-Oslo years. The destruction of the Palestinian authority began in April of this year. From that time on, the towns and villages of the West Bank have been completely sealed. Even exit by foot, which was previously possible, is now blocked. Soldiers and snipers prevent any unauthorized walking into agricultural fields to places of work, study or medical treatment. Why is Israel pressuring the European Union to stop its aid to Palestine ? This aid includes the salaries of teachers and health workers. The Israeli government is also on a campaign to defund the UN aid program of 400 million dollars per year that is feeding the town and cities of Palestine during the current siege. 40 Prime Minister Sharon continues an analogy between the occupied territories and the war in Afghanistan. The analogy is revealing; at the outset of the US war with Afghanistan, the U.S. demanded that Pakistan stop truck convoys of food and fuel to the Afghani people during our siege of that country. Afghanistan was on a lifeline and we just cut the lifeline. We must insist that Palestine continue to receive food and medical aid from the United Nations, from the European Union or from any other nations, civic groups, church or private sources. This is also a critical moment to keep our eyes open for any misguided members of the U.S. Congress or administration who are attempting to support starvation tactics of forbidding food and medical aid to Palestine. Starving a people is no way to create a just and lasting peace. ...