[Peace-discuss] Assasinations---

[Morton K.Brussel]

[FYI, a pretty good and succinct perspective.]

On extrajudial executions and Zionist colonial interests
Mazin Qumsiyeh
Qumsiyeh.org

As the fourth strongest army in the world, Israel could have arrested 
the quadriplegic and partially blind spiritual elder of the Islamic 
Resistance Movement (Hamas). But history shows that such extrajudicial 
executions (200 so far) create instability and a cycle of revenge that 
is calculated to serve Zionist colonization efforts.

Political Zionism started in 1845 with a British feasibility study for 
Jewish colonization in Palestine to further British interests in 
weakening the Ottoman Empire and establish
connections to colonial holdings in India.  The adoption of this 
political (as opposed to
religious or cultural) Zionism by a small but very influential segment 
of Ashkenazi Jews in Europe was deemed crucial for success. Zionism 
remained marginal among Jews until it capitalized on the atrocities of 
WWII. Early advocates of Zionism did not shy away from using the term 
colonization to describe their activities or to describe the use of 
violence to achieve their goals because natives will always resist such 
efforts.    This violence against native Palestinians started in 1917 
when the Zionist Herbert Samuel was appointed as
British high commissioner.  He made it clear with violent action that 
the end result will be
the creation of a Jewish state in a land that had less than 6% Jewish 
population.

Most native Jews, including the Palestinian Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, 
were opposed to
Zionism at the time. Before 1917 Palestinian Christians, Muslims, and 
Jews coexisted in
relative harmony.  Violence between 1917 and 1949 resulted in the 
establishment of a
Jewish state and the ethnic cleansing of 530 Palestinian villages and 
towns.  Israel rejected International law by adopting exclusionary laws 
that prevent refugees from returning while offering automatic 
citizenship to Jews (including converts) from anywhere in the world. 
Zionists expected resistance of Palestinian Christians and Muslims. 
800,000 were made refugees by 1949 (now nearly 5 million including 
Yassin's family).  Israeli leaders from Ben Gurion to Sharon have 
always used the "Zionist response" to resistance: overwhelming violence 
and increased colonization.

It was Zionist Jews who first to plant bombs in market places (1930s), 
first bomb civilian
neighborhoods using aircraft (1947), first sent mail letter bombs 
(1940s), and first to
hijack (1954) and shoot down (1973) civilian airplanes.  As our biased 
mainstream US
media keeps emphasizing, Palestinians also engaged in expected violent 
resistance.
Violence is a symptom and was used to further colonization efforts 
whether in Palestine or
in America (against Native Americans).   It is not a coincidence that 
the major waves of
expulsions of Palestinians occurred between October 1947 to January 
1949 and in June
1967.  It is not a coincidence that in the name of "security", Israel 
destroyed over 3000
Palestinian homes rendering some 15,000 civilians homeless most in the 
most desirable
land.  The Apartheid wall being built with the excuse of the violence 
is not separating
Israel from the occupied areas but is surrounding Palestinians in small 
cantons to starve
them and force them to leave. Thus, Zionist leaders deem violence and 
escalation a sound strategy because, as the first Prime Minister of 
Israel admitted, peace would mean having to restore rights to native 
people.

Israel's assassination of Sheikh Yassin was described as stupid (Gush 
Shalom), horrendous mistake (Yossi Beilin), contrary to International 
law (Amnesty International and the European Union), and a war crime 
(Israeli liberal leaders). I think such actions remove any doubt about 
the fact that political Zionism is incompatible with peace in the 21st 
century. As for us here, Israel's strong lobby in congress drained us 
of over $100 billion in direct aid and much more indirectly.   It is 
responsible for the low standing of the US around the world.   The 
price tag is much higher in lives lost: American, Israeli, Palestinian, 
Iraqi, and others.

Just like South Africa shed apartheid, Israel must shed Zionism and 
become a country for
people of all religions rather than a country for and by Jews.  The 
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (including the right of refugees to return) provides the 
most logical road
map to peace.  The American public can no longer afford to allow our 
government to keep
supporting violence and war against the will of the international 
community.  Only then
will we begin to rectify historic injustices and bring peace at home 
and abroad.