[Peace-discuss] NIMN Statement on Sharon

[David Green]

Ariel Sharon's Impact on the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict

Not In My Name (NIMN) is a predominantly Jewish group
opposed to the Israeli Occupation.  We believe that,
as Ariel Sharon's role in Middle East politics comes
to an end, it is time to take a critical look at his
impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

NIMN spokesperson, Joel Finkel, explained, "Of course,
we understand that Ariel Sharon’s illness has caused
great concern and anxiety for many people.  However,
not all Israelis, and not all Jews, think that he was
a good leader.  He refused to negotiate with
Palestinians and promoted unilateral policies that
were destructive to both Israeli and Palestinian
societies."

Sharon's military and political career included
atrocities.  He commanded Israeli troops that
massacred sixty nine Palestinian civilians in Qibya in
1953.  The Israeli Kahan Commission found him
personally responsible for the massacres at the Sabra
and Chatila refuge camps during Israel's war on
Lebanon in 1982, which, as Defense Minister, Sharon
planned and led.  Sharon ordered the bombing of a
Palestinian apartment building, murdering sleeping
women and children, on July 22, 2003, which sabotaged
an impending Palestinian ceasefire.

Sharon was the chief architect of Israel's illegal
settlement movement, and he directed the construction
of the Apartheid Wall inside the West Bank, which
expands Israel's borders by stealing Palestinian land
and resources.  Throughout the current Palestinian
Intifada, Sharon’s strategy included the intentional
destruction of Palestinian civil society and
infrastructure, the uprooting of olive groves and
orchards, and the demolition of homes.  

"Given this history, and not withstanding the Gaza
Disengagement, we don’t think that Ariel Sharon ever
became a peacemaker, as many people believe," said
Finkel.  "Disengaging from Gaza was part of an overall
process of disengaging from Palestinians.  This
allowed Israel to impose its own, one-sided,
unilateral decisions without having to work with, or
negotiate with, Palestinians."

NIMN supports Israelis and Palestinians who work
together in non-violent resistance to the Occupation
in spite of Sharon's policies that are designed to
keep them apart.  At the same time, we support those
courageous Israelis who are working for a complete
Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories
that it has occupied since the 1967 war.   

We continue to oppose the Israeli Occupation," Finkel
said, "and we hope our task will be more fruitful
given the political openings made possible by Sharon's
passing from the scene.  But we recognize that Sharon
is just one individual, and the Occupation, the
settlements, and the Wall are Israeli government
policies that are sustained by the U.S. government."

Through our tax dollars, American citizens are
underwriting the Occupation while much-needed domestic
programs go unfunded.  We call for an immediate
suspension of all U.S. support for the Occupation,
which forecloses any chance of Palestinian
self-determination, thus depriving both Israelis and
Palestinians of the lasting peace they both deserve,
and imposing upon them permanent war. 

Not In My Name continues our weekly End the Occupation
vigils each Sunday from Noon to 1:00pm at Water Tower
Park (830 N Michigan).  We welcome the active
participation of all people of good will who support
our views.



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