BANJUL, GAMBIA — On 24 June 2014, only the U.S. voted ‘No’ – while its European allies in the Human Rights Council abstained – to a vote to “urgently dispatch an independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate all violations” of international law “in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip, in the context of the military operations conducted since 13 June 2014.”
The question is, why would the U.S. vote – and Europe abstain – against an investigation into a Human Rights issue? Are the lives of Palestinians unimportant as to require an inquiry? Should Israel have the liberty to commit crimes against Palestinians with impunity and without retribution? Are America and Europe interested in the promotion and protection of human rights and peace in the world?
This vote was meant to lunch an independent probe on both sides – Israel and Palestine. Clearly, not even the Palestinian armed groups were exempted, yet, the U.S. and Europe decided to renege on their promise for ensuring the equal treatment of all peoples in the eyes of the Law. What are they afraid of?
The Israeli campaign in Palestine has been recognized by the rest of the world as immoral and criminal. It is a direct affront to the conscience of mankind. The claim by the U.S., Israel, the UK and their EU allies that Hamas is a terror group, and Israel has a right to defend itself is both racist and unjust.
The fact is that Palestinians have a right, like any nation, to defend the territorial integrity of their lands. If Mexico occupies parts of Texas, the U.S. will fight back. More, to keep this very fear at bay and keep away any illegal migration from South America, the U.S. built a huge wall to protect the border with Mexico. If Morocco were to occupy parts of England today, the British will deploy the full force of their abilities to repel the Moroccan invasion.
Israel has unlawfully and illegally occupied the lands of Palestinians for the past 60 years by military force. While laying claim to Gaza, Israel has for the past 9 years subjected the people of Palestine to indiscriminate mass violence. To reduce and confuse the Palestinian story with the indiscriminate attempts by individuals and groups to protect themselves – homemade rockets flying into Israel –from Israeli Armed Forces is only a direct attempt to ignore the fact.
Hamas was only created in 1987 as a direct result of the Israeli occupation. The other Palestinian territory, West Bank has no armed groups or tunnels, yet it is not doing any better than Gaza under Israel because every day Israel murders a Palestinian in Ramallah or Hebron for merely throwing stones. So the argument that Israel is defending itself or that Hamas is a terror group that fires rockets into Israel is racist, unjust and criminal.
The assertions seek to preserve the indefensible actions of Israel. Rather, Israel is the one party unleashing violence on poor Palestinians. It is dishonest and unjust for anyone to complain about the Palestinian resistance while ignoring the intolerable violence emanating from Israel, especially for the better part of the last 60 years. If there is anyone to be contained, it is Israel, not Palestine.
Nothing could be further from the correct labeling of the Palestinian Crisis is the past decades. This qualifies to be officially considered the Palestinian Holocaust!
Thus the U.S. and the EU countries, posing themselves as the ‘international community’ and defending Israel under the guise of the ‘fight against terror’ are engaged in an irresponsible act that only serves to jeopardize the security and stability of the world. But why do Western nations do this? The time has come for truth-seeking.
It appears that European people generally have a tendency to discount the rights and lives of other peoples in pursuit of their own selfish interest. By Europeans I mean Caucasians from Europe who consciously and deliberately invaded foreign lands (the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, former Apartheid South Africa, Rhodesia, Kenya, Namibia and South America as well as others).
In history, we have seen how these people as a collective invade, seize, dominate, oppress, exploit, enslave and colonize other peoples’ lands. And when the enslaved and colonized seek to liberate themselves, Europeans have denied them this right by not only fighting against them, but also labeling them as terrorists and violent. We have to remember that the British, French, Belgians, Italians, Spanish, Portuguese and the Dutch among others have called freedom fighters in various parts of Africa, notably Kenya, Ghana, Congo, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Algeria or Guinea Bissau, and their leaders, terrorists and violent.
It is also clear that Europeans have used disproportionate violence, committed heinous massacres and poisoned indigenous peoples in India, Australia, Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Jamaica, New Zealand and Brazil among others just to contain and entrench slavery and colonialism. Yet these Europeans have never described their own actions as terror and violence even though they were the ones who decided to attack peace-loving populations around the world.
This longtime European worldview, albeit distorted, is what is presently feeding the response of present-day Europeans towards other peoples and events around the world. Many of us have decent friends, colleagues and partners from European, and I think we need to awaken their sense of justice and honesty to the crimes their people have committed in their history against others, so that they can impress upon their governments to stop the bloodbath.
I have had many European friends who are decent human beings. But as a collective, I must state the fact that Europeans are harming the world. The average European citizen must free himself or herself from the distortions of the facts of history by their governments, including big businesses, universities, experts and technocrats. For example, by listening to the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry or Prime Minster Benyamin Netanyahu or David Cameroun or President Barack Obama (a Europeanized African) or many European experts – former generals and analysts – one would see how they have been quite eloquent and straight-faced in misinforming the world about the Israeli onslaught against Palestine.
The fact is, Israelis are not even Middle Easterners. They are Europeans. Jews are mere followers of a religion. They are not a nation like the Arabs, the Persians, the Lebanese, the Turks or the Hebrews who are the indigenous peoples of the Middle East. The fact that these Europeans speak Hebrew – and assuming Judaism – as their mother-tongue is like Blacks in Sudan whose mother tongue is now Arabic, yet they are not Arabs.
Similarly, Blacks in Jamaica or Brazil speak English or Portuguese respectively as a first language, but they are not indigenous English or Portuguese. Their genealogy is African (or Black), and they cannot go to England or Portugal to claim any land as their birthright.
Honest Europeans need to review the worldview of their respective nations and position themselves on the path of justice and humanity, which has eluded them for centuries and counting. They need to pursue their interests without having to destroy the interests, rights and lives of others. If they do not have the capacity to do this, then they have become a liability on the peace and security of the whole world.
There is no doubt that Europeans have made significant contributions to world civilizations – some technology and some unnecessary gadgets – and they have advanced the course of human history in many diverse ways. What the world expects is for the peoples of European origin to show the world that they too are committed to the protection of human rights, democracy and peace in the world.
Israel is the creation of the West, nothing more. The West must ensure that Israel exists only in ensuring the peace, security, protection and the rights of the people of Palestine as well. Anything short of this highlights the immorality of the Balfour Declaration – the UN Resolution 181 that created the State of Israel – and goes to buttress the ongoing military, financial and political support provided by the West to Israel.
Otherwise, Israel cannot exist if Palestine does not exist.
No nation, no person and no living being should exist at the detriment of the other. No religion, including Judaism and civilized society supports this position. Thus the West must contain Israel to ensure that Palestinians live in peace and dignity in order for Israel to also find the peace and dignity that has eluded it because of its inhumanity to Palestinians.
Another insightful essay on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Or is it the Israeli Colonial Occupation of Palestinian Lands?
This guy madi has done a great job of painting the conflict in the most direct of indictments of the party at fault. No beating about the bush – setting out right from start to call a spade a spade. This is what we must continue to do. We must set the Gold Standard of morality ourselves!
I realize that every time we set a gold standard, we are tricked into getting rid of it and accepting empty moral talk – democracy and freedom – which is based on nothing but the Federal Reserve.
Hmmm… Two nations – Israel and the US – have hijacked the whole world. Alas, for what? Material gain. “Time will tell” indeed!
You are not very seriously thinking this way. Are you? Please think your way through what you are saying! I have not patience for such blanket statement about the two nations that are actually doing something about Islamic Terrorism in the world. Please Narmer, look at the facts on the ground not what people tell you and what you think you should believe.
I have no idea what you are talking about. What facts? The reality on the ground shows that Palestine would be safer if some Europeans didn’t descend on it in the Name of Yahweh to destabilize it. Or? These are are facts. If the US never invaded Iraq and Libya these two nations would be better off. Terrorism would be this thick! These the facts Madi Jobarteh is referring to. Please name what facts I am missing. Thanks!
Thanks for telling the truth Mr. Jobarteh! You say what people are afraid to say!
Brave guy this man Madi. Are you sure it’s safe to be this open with the truth? What the US and Israel has done to the world is sad. They haven destroyed everything left of culture and humanity. They must be arraigned before the Criminal Court and punished. Palestine must be free. Free Palestine!
“Otherwise, Israel cannot exist if Palestine does not exist.” This sums the resolve of the rest of the world against the crazy people of the world who have the world hijacked. I am appalled by the actions of Israel in that region. I am disgusted! These are the chosen people. Sh*t! That’s what they are!
Vern so do you think Madi, from Gambia, is happier living in the Gambia or would he prefer to live in a real democracy as the US? You think Madi would pick the Islamic State of Gambia over the United States? Really? You kidding? If Israel were this sh*t you so shamelessly claim you think Palestinian women could even receive a real education with those paternalistic men walking around like their there’s nothing left to do in the world?
Of course I am sure I prefer my Ghana over the US. I cannot speak for Madi but I have no idea how this improves your argument Mr. Friend?
Don’t be naive people. Israel is the best thing that happened to that part of the world. Without Israel there would be no peace in that region. Without the US there would be no peace int he world. What is this nonsense about? The US has done more for the world than the primitive world could have helped here to do. But sure, blame, blame, blame. What Madi must think about is this simple. Would Madi be better off in a world where Russia and Macho Putin rules it? Is this Africa Madi basks in ready for some communism? Really?
Why is this a choice between the US and Russia. Can you imagine another possibility? Or you fill the US must be everywhere otherwise the Russians would fill the space? This US posture of fear in foreign policy is only a US insecurity. No one else shares this sentiment.
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