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Freedom and occupation are incompatible.

A real solution relates to


treating human beings in the Middle East just as human beings.

Israel (70 Years Later):


Part 3
The Finale
We live in a new year of 2019.
Things have changed with nations
and wars, but the same goal of
liberation remains. This last part of
the Israel series will trace Israeli
history form the 1980’s to the
present. The story of Yitzhak
Rabin, which was about a man who
wanted reconciliation, and the
continued plight of the Palestinians
will be described in this prose.
Nothing changes without
courageous activism. Right now,
many courageous people have
stood up for both Palestinian
liberation and ultimate peace in the
Middle East. In the final analysis,
the worth of a Palestinian life is the
same as the worth of an Israeli life.
That truth must be embraced by all
people.
The 1980's
On June 30, 1981, the Israeli air force destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor that France was building for Iraq.
Three weeks later, Begin won yet again, in the 1981 elections (48 seats came for the Likud Party and 47 seats
came for the Labour Party). Ariel Sharon was made defense minister. The new government annexed the
Golan Heights and banned the national airline from flying on Shabbat. By the 1980's, a diverse set of high-
tech industries had developed in Israel. Decades after the 1948 war, Israel's border with Lebanon was quiet
as compared to its borders with other neighbors. Yet, the 1969 Cairo agreement inspired many from the PLO
to attack Israel from South Lebanon. That area was governed by the PLO independent of the Lebanese
government. It was known as "Fatahland" as Fatah was the largest faction in the PLO. The Palestinian military
shelled the Israeli north. They attacked the town of Kiryat Shmona, which was a Likud stronghold inhabited
mostly by Jewish people who had fled Arabic nations. There was a lack of control over the Palestinian areas.
This was one major cause of the civil war in Lebanon. By June 1982, there was the attempted assassination of
Shlomo Argov or the ambassador to Britain. That was used as a pretext for an Israeli invasion. Israel wanted
to drive the PLO out of the southern half of Lebanon. The controversial Ariel Sharon agreed with the Chief of
Staff Raphael Eitan to expand the invasion deep into Lebanon, but the cabinet had only authorized a 40 km.
deep invasion. The invasion is called the 1982 Lebanon War. The Israeli army occupied Beirut, which was the
only time an Arabic capital was occupied by Israel.

Some of the Shia and Christian population of South Lebanon welcomed the Israelis, as PLO forces had
maltreated them, but Lebanese resentment of Israeli occupation grew over time and the Shia became
gradually radicalized under Iranian guidance. Constant casualties among Israeli soldiers and Lebanese
civilians led to growing opposition to the war in Israel. It is no secret that Sharon committed war crimes in
the Lebanon war. By August of 1982, the PLO withdrew its forces from Lebanon (moving to Runisia). Israel
helped engineer the election of the new Lebanese President Bashir Gemayel, who agreed to recognize Israel
and sign a peace treaty.
Gemayal was assassinated before an agreement could be signed, and one day later Phalangist Christian
forces led by Elie Hobeika entered two Palestinian refugee camps and massacred the Palestinian occupants.
The massacres led to the biggest demonstration ever in Israel against the war, with as many as 400,000
people (almost 10% of the population) gathering in Tel Aviv. In 1983, an Israeli public inquiry found that
Israel's defense minister, Sharon, was indirectly but personally responsible for the massacres. It also
recommended that he never again be allowed to hold the post (it did not forbid him from being Prime
Minister). In 1983, the May 17 Agreement was signed between Israel and Lebanon, paving the way for an
Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory through a few stages. Israel continued to operate against the PLO
until its eventual departure in 1985, and kept a small force stationed in Southern Lebanon in support of the
South Lebanon Army until May 2000.

By September 1983, Begin resigned. He was succeeded by Yitzhak Shamir as prime minister. The 1984
election was inconclusive. So, there was a power sharing agreement between Shimon Peres of the Alignment
(44 seats) and Shamir of Likud (41 seats). Pereswas prime minister from 1984 to 1986. Shamir was prime
minister from 1986 to 1988. There was discrimination against the Sephardi Ultra-Orthodox Jewish people by
the Ashkenzai Ultra-Orthodox establishment and this was opposed by political activist Aryeh Deri. He left the
Agudat Israel party. They joined former chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in forming Shas, a new party aimed at the
non-Ashkenazi Ultra-Orthodox vote. The party won 4 seats in the first election it contested and over the next
twenty years was the third largest party in the Knesset. Shas established a nationwide network of free
Sephardi Orthodox schools. In 1984, during a severe famine in Ethiopia, 8,000 Ethiopian Jewish people were
secretly transported to Israel. In 1986, Natan Sharansky, a famous Russian human rights activist and Zionist
refusenik (denied an exit visa), was released from the Gulag in return for two Soviet spies. In June of 1985,
Israel withdrew most of its troops from Lebanon. It left a residual Israeli force. There was an Israeli-supported
militia in southern Lebanon as a "security zone" and buffer against attacks on its northern territory. Since
then, the IDF fought for many years against the Shia organization Hezbollah. In July of 1985, Israel's inflation
was buttressed by complex index linking of salaries.

It has reached 480% per annum and was the highest in the world. Peres introduced emergency control of
prices and cut government expenditure successfully bringing inflation under control. The currency (known as
the old Israeli shekel) was replaced and renamed the Israeli new shekel at a rate of 1,000 old shkalim = 1 new
shekel. In October 1985, Israel responded to a Palestinian terrorist attack in Cyprus by bombing the PLO
headquarters in Tunis. Growing Israeli settlement and continuing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza
Strip, led to the first Palestinian Intifada (uprising) in 1987, which lasted until the Madrid Conference of
1991, despite Israeli attempts to suppress it. The intifada was about Palestinian people, who were hurting
from poverty, discrimination, and oppression, desiring liberation. Human rights abuses by Israeli troops led a
group of Israelis to form B'Tselem, an organization devoted to improving awareness and compliance with
human rights requirements in Israel. Technology grew in Israel with satellites.
Olso
In 1990, Shimon Peres was defeated by Shamir. In 1990, the Soviet Union allowed Soviet Jewish people into
Israel. 1 million Soviet Jewish people came into Israel. By the Persian Gulf War, Iraq attacked Israel with 39
Scud missiles. Iraq invaded Kuwait. Israel gave gas masks to both Israeli and Palestinian populations. Patriot
defense batteries from America and the Netherlands were used as protection against the scuds sent into
Israel. On May 1991, during a 36-hour period, 15,000 Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish people) were secretly
airlifted to Israel. The coalition's victory in the Gulf War opened new possibilities for regional peace, and on
October 1991 the US President, George H.W. Bush, and Soviet Union Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev, jointly
convened a historic meeting in Madrid of Israeli, Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian, and Palestinian leaders. Shamir
opposed the idea but agreed in return for loan guarantees to help with absorption of immigrants from the
former Soviet Union. His participation in the conference led to the collapse of his (right-wing) coalition.

After the 1992 elections, Yitzhak Rabin won a big election along with the Labour Party. The Labour Party won
a large victory in 44 seats. Rabin at first didn't want to deal with the PLO. The pro-peace Zionist party Meretz
won 12 seats. Arabic and communist parties won a number of 5 seats. Parties wanting peace had a small
majority in the Knesset. Afterwards, a direct election of a prime minister existed. On July 25, 1993, Israel
carried a week long military operation in Lebanon to attack Hezbollah positions. By September 13, 1993,
Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed the Oslo Accords (a Declaration of Principles)
on the South Lawn of the White House. The principles established objectives relating to a transfer of
authority from Israel to an interim Palestinian Authority, as a prelude to a final treaty establishing a
Palestinian state, in exchange for mutual recognition. The DOP established May 1999 as the date by which a
permanent status agreement for the West Bank and Gaza Strip would take effect. In February 1994, Baruch
Goldstein, a follower of the Kach party, killed 29 Palestinians and wounded 125 at the Cave of the Patriarchs
in Hebron, which became known as the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre. Kach had been barred from
participation in the 1992 elections (on the grounds that the movement was racist). It was subsequently made
illegal. Israel and the PLO signed the Gaza–Jericho Agreement in May 1994, and the Agreement on
Preparatory Transfer of Powers and Responsibilities in August, which began the process of transferring
authority from Israel to the Palestinians. On July 25, 1994, Jordan and Israel signed the Washington
Declaration, which formally ended the state of war that had existed between them since 1948 and on
October 26, the Israel–Jordan Treaty of Peace, witnessed by US President Bill Clinton.

On September 28, 1995, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat signed the Israel-
Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It was signed in Washington, D.C. President
Bill Clinton witnessed it. He did so on the relief of America, Russia, Egypt, Norway, and the European Union.
This was part of the stage of negotiations between Israel and the PLO. The agreement allowed the PLO
leadership to relocate to the occupied territories and granted the autonomy to the Palestinians. They wanted
more talks in dealing with the final status. In return, Palestinians promised to abstain from terror and
changed the Palestinian National Covenant which once called for the expulsion of all Jewish people who
migrated after 1917 and the eliminated of Israel. This agreement was opposed by Hamas and other
Palestinian factions. Some used suicide bomber attacks at Israel.

Yitzah Rabin
Rabin created a barrier as a means to surround Gaza to try to stop attacks. There was a separation increasing
among Israel and the Palestinian territories. So, a labor shortage came about in Israel, mainly in the
construction industry. So, Israeli firms started to import laborers from the Philippines, Thailand, China, and
Romania. Some of these workers stayed without visas. More Africans started to come into Israel too. By
November 4, 1995, a far right wing religious zealot and Zionist opponent of the Oslo Accords assassinated
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Yitzahak Rabin was going into a more progressive direction and possibly
agreeing to a Palestinian state. That is why the murderer killed Rabin. The murderer killed the Peace Process
for over 20 years. In February of 1996, Rabin’s successor was Shimon Peres as Prime Minister.
The Oslo Peace Accords in 1993
“We, like you, are people who want to
build a home, to plant a tree, to love, live
side by side with you in dignity, in
empathy, as human beings, as free men.
We are today giving peace a chance and
again saying to you in a clear voice:
Enough.” -YITZHAK RABIN
Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, and Yasser
Arafat are here during the Oslo Accords
on September 13, 1993

The Oslo Accords changed Middle Unfortunately, not even the Oslo After the historical handshake with
Eastern history forever. Oslo I was Accords created a Palestinian state. Yasser Arafat Rabin said, on behalf
signed in Washington, D.C. while Palestinians, Israelis, and of the Israeli people, "We who have
the Oslo II Accord was signed at Norwegians had political leaders fought against you, the
Taba, Egypt in 1995. The Oslo and negotiators involved in the Palestinians, we say to you today,
process started after secret process. The Oslo Accords created in a loud and a clear voice, enough
negotiations in Oslo, resulting in the Palestinian National Authority. of blood and tears ... enough!”
the recognition by the PLO of the Prior to the signing of the accords, During this term of office, Rabin
State of Israel and the recognition Rabin received a letter from PLO also oversaw the signing of the
by Israel of the PLO as the chairman Yasser Arafat renouncing Israel–Jordan peace treaty in 1994.
representative of the Palestinian violence and officially recognizing
people and as a partner in Israel, and on the same day,
negotiations. The most important September 9, 1993, Rabin sent
questions relate to the borders of Arafat a letter officially recognizing
Israel and Palestine, Israeli the PLO.
settlements, the status of Jerusalem,
Israel's military presence in and
control over remaining territories
after Israel's recognition of
Palestinian autonomy, and the
Palestinian right of return.

This is the grave of Yitzhak Rabin on December 1995.

These human beings were the 20th year


anniversary of the passing of Rabin in
2015. The picture is from UPI
Photo/Israel Hdari/HO.
The late 1990's
In April of 1996, Israel attacked southern Lebanon as a result of Hezbollah’s Katyusha rocket attacks on the
Israeli population centers along the border. In May of 1996, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was the new
Prime Minister. He was a Likud Party leader. There were many suicide bombings. Netanyahu was a hardliner
and disagreed with the Oslo Accords. He continued its implementation. He also saw a slowdown of the
Peace Process. He pledged to gradually reduce U.S. aid to Israel. In September 1996, Palestinians had a
rebellion over the creation of an exit in the Western Wall tunnel. About 80 people were killed weeks later. In
January 1997 Netanyahu signed the Hebron Protocol with the Palestinian Authority, resulting in the
redeployment of Israeli forces in Hebron and the turnover of civilian authority in much of the area to the
Palestinian Authority. In the election of July 1999, Ehud Barak of the Labour Party became Prime Minister.
His party was the largest in the Knesset with 26 seats. In September 1999 the Supreme Court of Israel ruled
that the use of torture in interrogation of Palestinian prisoners was illegal. It is no secret that back then and
today, the Palestinian people are oppressed by many Israeli forces.
The early 21st century
On March 21, 2000, Pope John Paul II came into Israel for a historic visit. By May 25, 2000, Israel unilaterally
withdrew its remaining forces from the security zone in southern Lebanon. Thousands of members of the
South Lebanon Army and their families left with the Israelis. The UN Secretary-General concluded that, as of
June 16, 2000, Israel had withdrawn its forces from Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council
Resolution 425. Lebanon claimed that Israel continues to occupy Lebanese territory called "Sheba'a Farms"
(however this area was governed by Syria until 1967 when Israel took control). The Sheba'a Farms provided
Hezbollah with a ruse to maintain warfare with Israel. The Lebanese government, in contravention of the UN
Security Council resolution, did not assert sovereignty in the area, which came under Hezbollah control. In
the Fall of 2000, talks were held at Camp David to reach a final agreement on the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Ehud Barak offered to meet most of the Palestinian terms requests for territory and political concessions,
including Arabic parts of east Jerusalem; however, Arafat abandoned the talks without making a counter
proposal. After Israel left South Lebanon, Israel became a member of the Western European and Others
Group at the United Nations.

Before this, Israel was the only nation in the UN that wasn’t a member of any group. The Arabic states
wouldn’t allow it to join the Asia group. That meant that it couldn’t be a member of the Security Council or
appoint anyone to the International Court and other key UN roles. Since December 2013, it has been a
permanent member of the group. In July 2000, Aryeh Deri was sentenced to 3 years in prison for bribe
taking. Deri is regarded as the mastermind behind the rise of Shas and was a government minister at the age
of 24. Political manipulation meant the investigation lasted for years. Deri subsequently sued a Police Officer
who alleged that he was linked to the traffic-accident death of a witness, who was run over in New York by a
driver who had once been in the employ of an associate of Deri. One of the most nefarious mistakes of Ariel
Sharon was when he visited the Al-Aqsa compound or the Temple Mount. This was a provocative act that
caused the Palestinian al-Aqsa intifada. David Samuels and Khaled Abu Toameh have stated that the
uprising was planned much earlier. In October 2000, Palestinians destroyed Joseph's Tomb, a Jewish shrine in
Nablus.
The Arrow missile, a missile designed to destroy ballistic missiles, including Scud missiles, was first deployed
by Israel. In 2001, with the Peace Process increasingly in disarray, Ehud Barak called a special election for
Prime Minister. Barak hoped a victory would give him renewed authority in negotiations with the
Palestinians. Instead opposition leader Ariel Sharon was elected PM. After this election, the system of directly
electing the Premier was abandoned. From 2001 to the present, the peace process for all purposes is gone.
The failure of the peace process was evident. Israel continued occupation. Also, many forms of terrorism
existed from Hezbollah, the IDF, and other groups. Many Palestinians lost confidence in the Palestinian
Authority. Many Israelis wanted to disengage from the Palestinians. There were continued suicide bomb
attacks including the Passover Massacre. Then, Israel launched the Operation Defensive Shield in March of
2002.

Sharon began to build a barrier around the West Bank, which was overtly racist and authoritarian. Around
this time, the Israeli town of Sderot and other Israeli communities near Gaza was subject to shelling and
mortar bomb attacks from Gaza. Thousands of Jewish people from Latin America came into Israel due to the
economic crises in those nations. By January of 2003, there were separate elections held for the Knesset.
Likud run most the seats. An anti-religion party, Shinui, led by media pundit Tommy Lapid, won 15 seats on
a secularist platform, making it the third largest party (ahead of orthodox Shas). Internal fighting led to
Shinui's demise at the next election. In 2004, the Black Hebrews were granted permanent residency in Israel.
The group had begun migrating to Israel 25 years earlier from the United States, but had not been
recognized as Jewish by the state and hence not granted citizenship under Israel's Law of Return. They had
settled in Israel without official status.

From 2004 onward, they received citizen's rights. The Sharon government created the desalinization plants
to end Israeli drought. Some of these plants were among the largest of their kind in the world. Operation
Rainbow was executed in May 2004 by Israel. It was done to act in Gaza to create a safer environment for IDF
soldiers along the Philadelphi Route. By September 30, 2004, Israel carried out Operation Days of Penitence
in northern Gaza. Israel wanted to destroy the launching sites of Palestinian rockets used to attack Israeli
towns. In 2005, all Jewish settlers were evacuated from Gaza (some forcibly) and their homes demolished.
Disengagement from the Gaza Strip was completed on September 12, 2005. Military disengagement from
the northern West Bank was completed ten days later. In 2005, Sharon left the Likud and formed a new party
called Kadima, which accepted that the peace process would lead to creation of a Palestinian state. He was
joined by many leading figures from both Likud and Labour.
In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election. Hamas experienced this win during the free
Palestinian elections. Hamas’ leaders rejected all agreements signed with Israel. They refused to recognize
Israel’s right to exist. They refused to end terror and some occasionally claimed that the Holocaust was a
Jewish conspiracy (which is disrespectful, evil, and wrong period). The withdrawal and Hamas victory left the
status of Gaza unclear, Israel claimed it was no longer an occupying power but continued to control air and
sea access to Gaza although it did not exercise sovereignty on the ground. Egypt insisted that it was still
occupied and refused to open border crossings with Gaza, although it was free to do so. The truth is that
Gaza is occupied by Israeli forces. By April 2006, Ariel Sharon was incapacitated by a severe hemorrhagic
stroke and Ehud Olmert became Prime Minister.

Ehud Olmert was elected Prime Minister of Israel and of his Party Kadima. This was during the 2006 Israeli
legislative election. Israel and Iran has been more confrontational since 2005 when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
was elected president of Iran. Many Israeli analysts falsely believe that Iran is creating a nuclear weapon to
attack Israel. Iran supports Hezbollah. Hezbollah and Israel have attacked each other. On March 14, 2006,
Israel carried out an operation in the Palestinian Authority prison of Jericho in order to capture Ahmad
Sa'adat and several Palestinian Arab prisoners located there who assassinated Israeli politician Rehavam
Ze'evi in 2001. The operation was conducted as a result of the expressed intentions of the newly elected
Hamas government to release these prisoners. On June 25, 2006, a Hamas force crossed the border from
Gaza and attacked tanks, capturing Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, sparking clashes in Gaza. On July 12, Hezbollah
attacked Israel from Lebanon, shelled Israeli towns, and attacked a border patrol. Hamas took two dead or
badly wounded Israeli soldiers. These incidents led Israel to initiate the Second Lebanon War, which lasted
through August 2006. Israeli forces entered some villages in Southern Lebanon, while the air force attacked
targets all across the country. Israel only made limited ground gains until the launch of Operation Changing
Direction 11, which lasted for 3 days with disputed results.

Shortly before a UN ceasefire came into effect, Israeli troops captured Wadi Saluki. The war concluded with
Hezbollah evacuating its forces from Southern Lebanon, while the IDF remained until its positions could be
handed over to the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL. More Africans came into Israel to escape Darfur in
2007. Many Africans face racism and discrimination in Israel. An American billionaire casino owner, Sheldon
Adelson, set up a free newspaper Israel Hayom with the express intention of reducing the influence of the
dominant (centre-left) newspaper Yediot Ahronot and causing a right-ward shift in Israeli politics by
supporting Netanyahu. Hamas in June of 2007 took over the Gaza Strip. Israel and Egypt used a partial
blockade of Gaza. On September 6, 2007, the Israeli Air Force destroyed a nuclear reactor in Syria. On
February 28, 2008, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the constant firing of Qassam
rockets by Hamas militants. On July 16, 2008, Hezbollah swapped the bodies of Israeli soldiers Ehud
Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, kidnapped in 2006, in exchange for the Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar, four
Hezbollah prisoners, and the bodies of 199 Palestinian Arab and Lebanese fighters.

The era of Netanyahu


Olmert was investigated for corruption. He stepped down as Prime Minister on July 30, 2008. Israel attacked
the Gaza Strip from December 2008 to January 2009 in Operation Cast Lead in respond from Hamas using
rocket attacks. By 2009 to the present, Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel. On May 31, 2010, an
international incident broke out in the Mediterranean Sea when foreign activists trying to break the maritime
blockade over Gaza, clashed with Israeli troops. During the struggle, nine Turkish activists were killed. In late
September 2010, there were direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians without success. As a
defensive countermeasure to the rocket threat against Israel's civilian population, at the end of March 2011
Israel began to operate the advanced mobile air defense system "Iron Dome" in the southern region of Israel
and along the border with the Gaza Strip. On July 14, 2011, the largest social protest in the history of Israel
began in which hundreds of thousands of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious
backgrounds in Israel protested against the continuing rise in the cost of living (particularly housing) and the
deterioration of public services in the country (such as health and education).

The peak of the demonstrations took place on September 3, 2011, in which about 400,000 people
demonstrated across the country. Hamas and Israel made a deal on October 2011 in which a kidnapped
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was released in exchange for 1,027 Palestinians and Arabic-Israeli prisoners. In July
2013, as a "good will gesture" to restart peace talks with the Palestinian Authority, Israel agreed to release
104 Palestinian prisoners, most of whom had been in jail since before the 1993 Oslo Accords, including
militants who had killed Israeli civilians. On April 2014, Israel suspended peace talks after Hamas and Fatah
agreed to form a unity government. Israel and Hamas battle each other again in 2014. Tensions continue
after Trump in a provocative, extreme fashion wanted to make Jerusalem the headquarters of the Embassy in
Israel. The peace process is over for now as Trump has threatened to cut aid to Palestine. With extremists like
Netanyahu (who wants to get rid of African migrants in Israel) and Trump (who ignores Palestinian suffering),
it may take years and decades for real peace to exist in the Middle East. Netanyahu in 2018 is experiencing a
scandal and has been accused, even by people in Israel, of financial corruption. He reaped what he has sown.
Now, peace in the Middle East is still what we're fighting for.

By early May of 2018, Trump and Netanyahu (who are


allies and men filled with scandals) made Jerusalem the
location of the new U.S. embassy. It was once in Tel Aviv.
This was historic and controversial since no major
negotiations caused this to occur among the Palestinians.
Trump doesn't give a care about the plight of the Palestinians.
While there is no justification for terrorists to kill Israelis, there
is also no justification for Palestinians to be murdered by
Israeli military terrorists either. Many journalists in Gaza have
been shot by military Israeli forces recently. The Palestinians
have a long history of experiencing unjust occupation,
discrimination, and racism. There is racism in Israel too where Netanyahu here is allying with the
black African migrants are forcibly removed and black Israeli Hungarian leader Prime Minister Viktor
residents experience racism on a daily basis. This is real. I'm Orbán. Both of them are similar in many
not just typing these words. I have researched this information ways. They are controversial people and
for over 10 years. One Israeli Sephradi rabbi Rabbi Yitzhak they are far right extremists. Despite
Yosef made racists comments against African Americans too. Orban’s claim of not being anti-Semitic, he
He believes that non-Jewish people in Israel must follow the gave a speech that praised the Nazi
Noahide laws which is ludicrous. He made a sexist remark collaborator Miklos Horthy, Hungary’s
about secular women as well. He is a deception. From the Six World War II leader, as an “exceptional
Day War to the infitadas, the history of the Israeli/Palestine
statesman.” Netanyahu by supporting
conflict has been filled with occupation, bloodshed, and other
Viktor, who crackdowns on refugees, who
believes in reactionary lies, agrees with a
problems.
law that expands overtime made by
employers, and is on the wrong side of
Regardless of the Trump lies, the protesters in Gaza are not
history makes Netanyahu ideologically
collectively Hamas agents. Many of them have sincerity in
antithetical all freedom loving people
desiring Palestinian liberation. Israel is basically an worldwide.
ethnocentric state. Israel came about after one of the worst
crimes in human history which is the Holocaust. Many early Israeli leaders were descendants of refugees
from Poland and Eastern Europe (back then Stalin's pogroms caused many Jewish people to come into Israel.
Stalinism isn't socialism, but totalitarianism). Massive economic inequality exists in both Israel and Palestine.
Also, Israelis include Yemeni, Iraqi, Sephardi, and Mizarahi Jewish people. 70 years since 1948 (which is called
the Nabka or the catastrophe by Palestinians) or the year when Israel was formed has been filled with
controversy indeed. There is no solution to this crisis unless an international plan exists where both Jewish
and Arabic people work together to build working class liberation and liberation in general for those who
live in the region excluding occupation & oppression.
Conclusion and Reflections
One of the most controversial histories in world history revolves around Israel. I inquired about its culture
and social realities for a long time. I am blessed enough to know the truth. For thousands of years, a plethora
of ethnic groups and civilizations have been developing plus growing in Israel from ancient Israeli Kingdoms,
ancient Egypt domination, and to reign of the Assyrian Empire. Scholars have used archaeology to discover
the secrets of Israel continuously. It's a land where three large monotheistic religions flourish to this very day.
These religions (i.e. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) have their stories based there or huge religious
structures reside in its boundaries. Moses, the Lord Jesus Christ, and Muhammad are praised by billions
internationally. Jewish people and Arabic people (plus other human beings of diverse colors) call Israel their
home. Yet, massive bloodshed has transpired within its territories too. The Bar Kokhba revolt and the various
intifadas were very bloody indeed. Historically, tons of Jewish people have experienced genocide, pogroms,
religious scapegoating, expulsions from nations, and discrimination for thousands of years. That was wrong
period. The nation of Israel’s historical events and actions has been vigorously debated back then and
presently. The Zionist movement, the events of the Second World War (which dealt with long battles and the
evil Holocaust), and the Aliyahs overtly facilitated the creation of Israel in 1948. The British Empire endorsed
the 1917 Balfour Declaration which desired a Jewish national homeland in Palestine. The British played both
sides of the streets by supporting Jewish nationalism at times and Arabic nationalism at other occasions
(Some British authorities expelled, hanged, and assaulted Arabic persons who dissented with them). The
British, after World War II , supported a bi-national state, but both sides rejected this proposal.
I disagree with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (during early January 2019)
for previously rescinding an award they planned to give to Dr. Angela Davis,
because Angela Davis defends Palestinian human rights. Defending the humanity
of Palestinian people is not anti-Semitic and Davis has also heroically fought the
prison industrial complex for decades. The evil anti-BDS campaign is about
intimidation not freedom of speech. Many brave Jewish people are also in favor of
Palestinian liberation too. Now, the same Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has
recently rescinded its policy toward Davis. Dr. Angela Davis was born and raised in
Birmingham, Alabama. This is her city.
So, the British Empire allowed the United Nations to deal with the Middle Eastern conflict. During the 20th
century, the land of Israel has been transformed from being dominated by imperial entities from the
Ottoman Empire and the British Empire to being an ethnocentric country dominated by Jewish people (along
with Arabic people inhabiting the land as well). The aftermath of the events of 1948 caused about 750,000
Palestinians to be expelled from their own homes. The humanity of the Palestinians must be absolutely
respected. Many Palestinians have experienced unjust occupations, murders, rapes, checkpoints,
discrimination, racism, and other atrocities for decades at the hands of those (from the IDF to other Israeli
military forces) who seek remorseless conformity to oppression instead of astonishing justice. Many Israelis
have suffered suicide bomb attacks and other forms of murder which have no justification either. In the
strongest terms possible, I will forever condemn anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
Remembering the Tragedy in
This work is about
Israel, but it always
Pittsburgh
important to The Pittsburgh synagogue massacre was the deadliest attack on the Jewish
condemn anti- community in the history of the United States. While we have different views
Semitism regardless on the Middle East, we will always condemn anti-Semitism and hate of any
of where it is located. manifestation.
Last year, a murderer
killed innocent human up for the oppressed too. people, an end to anti- was elected in Brazil. He
beings at a Pittsburgh Part of that responsibility Semitism, and rejecting hates progressives and
synagogue. It happened is about voting. Voting imperialism are views that has made that known
on October 27, 2018 at deals with education, how we accept 100 percent. overtly. He was a
the Tree of Life tax dollars are allocated, Hate crimes in America defender of the US-
synagogue. The murderer which judges rule on have jumped 20 percent backed, 21-year military
was at the Squirrell Hill cases, and other state since 2016. The dictatorship that ruled
neighborhood when he plus local political intervening years Brazil until 1985. Jair has
did his evil actions. matters. Trump has a between 2016 and 2018 demonized the poor as
saw rising indicators of unworthy of having
The Overview antisemitism in children. He is so evil that
American public life, he said that his own
The people in including a 57% rise in daughter was conceived
the synagogue anti-Semitic incidents by a moment of
were having in 2017. Hate crimes "weakness." He is totally
Shabbat have grown against reprehensible. During this
morning Muslims and African time, leaders have to lead.
services. 46 Americans too as
year old Robert documented by the FBI.
Gregory Bowers This is shocking news
This image showed people visiting the but not surprising.
(who hated the memorials to victims of the mass
HIAS or the While one so-called
shooting outside the Tree of Life President Trump now
Hebrew synagogue on November 4, 2018.
Immigrant Aid has recently
Society helping condemned anti-
known history of using Remembrance
migrants and immigrants) his speeches to incite Semitism, he has called
for violence against Also, it is important to
is the name of the violence and use ad-
murderer. Many hominem attacks against protesters without recognize the names of
protesters were in people who disagree with apology. He has the victims. Those who
slandered the media passed away were Joyce
Pittsburgh to let their his obscene rhetoric. Fienberg, Richard
voices to be heard in While Trump refuses to constantly. The evil of
Gottfried, Rose Mallinger,
expressing opposition to tone down his hate anti-Semitism has existed
for thousands of years Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil
the xenophobia, sexism, speech, we won't tone
Rosenthal, David
and racism displayed by down our progressive and it has increased in
Rosenthal, Bernice Simon,
Donald Trump. We, who views. Clean water, clean America. Hate crimes
against Jewish Americans Sylvan Simon, Daniel
are Americans, have this air, help to the elderly, an
responsibility to not only eradication have increased too. This Stein, Melvin Wax, and
of police
speak of democratic brutality, problem extends to Brazil. Irving Younger.
economic
freedoms. We have to investments to help the Recently, a racist
protect them and stand poor, freedom for black President Jair Bolsonaro
She is the journalist Rula Jebreal. She is a great woman with great
insights on issues.
Israeli leadership today has allied with Western imperialists in desiring control over Middle Eastern regional
resources (in opposition to the Shia Iranian interests). Even Israel and the royals of Saudi Arabia are in unison
in resisting Iranian geopolitical aims. Nevertheless, there are sincere Palestinians and sincere Israelis who
aspire real peace (not racism, not xenophobia, not terrorism, not colonialism, and not other cruel injustices).
The progressive elements of the peace movement in the Middle East must be supported and harnessed in
establishing peace and justice for all in the region completely. Lucy Talgieh and other Palestinians activists
have made it their lives' work to engage in social activism, so authentic liberation is enacted. Talia Sasson is
an Israeli lawyer who is for impartial egalitarianism in the region.
Past and Current Events about the
Middle East

This was in 1920 when This picture showed David Ben- Mahmoud Abbas (Abu
there was the arrival of Sir Gurion proclaiming Israeli Maeen) is the President of
Herbert Samuel, H.B.M. independence beneath a large the Palestinian Authority
High Commissioner with portrait of Theodor Herzl, who was since 2005. He has been
Col. Lawrence, Emir the founder of modern Zionism. involved heavily in
Abdullah, Air Marshal modern Middle Eastern
Salmond, and Sir Wyndham history.
Deedes.

The journalist Rula Jebreal has eloquently and heroically outlined the necessity of presenting fair media
coverage as it relates to Israel and Palestine (as she has rightfully criticized the biased corporate media's
coverage involving the Middle East). She said that tons of the residents of Gaza lack access to clean drinking
water, which is a total shame. Rula Jebrael is a Palestinian scholar and foreign policy analyst. She is a novelist
and a woman whose bravery is admirable. Rula Jebreal is also fluent in four languages: Arabic, Hebrew,
English and Italian. She's a genius. We want African immigrants in Israel to be respected of their human
rights excluding massive deportation. We desire black people in Israel in general to be truly free. We desire
total Palestinian liberation without Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip or the West Bank. We demand that
Benjamin Netanyahu, who is an ally of the bigot Donald Trump, to be held accountable for his financial
corruption. Not to mention that progressive Israelis should work with Palestinians in forming a real solution
too. In the end, we want equality, freedom, and no imperialism in the Middle East (among all of the human
beings who inhabit there). This is our unabashed, direct objective.
By Timothy

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