On 15 October 2013, the New York Times featured an op-ed piece from the Israeli Minister of Intelligence entitled ‘How Palestinian Hate Prevents Peace.’ Publishing such disinformation harms the New York Times’ readership, since the Intelligence Minster deliberately omits historical context and social realities from his commentary.
Rudimentary knowledge of recent history shreds the Intelligence Minister’s pablum. To begin with, Zionism and Judaism are completely different. Zionism is a fabricated ideology of aggression, which was created in the late 1800s, whose implementation colonizes much of the Eastern Mediterranean. Judaism, on the other hand, is a religion of peace.
With this fresh breath of history, one is now able to properly assess the following assertions from the Israeli Intelligence Minister:
“The Palestinian Authority’s television and radio stations, public schools, summer camps, children’s magazines and Web sites are being used to drive home four core messages. First, that the existence of a Jewish state (regardless of its borders) is illegitimate because there is no Jewish people and no Jewish history in this piece of land. Second, that Jews and Zionists are horrible creatures that corrupt those in their vicinity. Third, that Palestinians must continue to struggle until the inevitable replacement of Israel by an Arab-Palestinian state. And fourth, that all forms of resistance are honorable and valid, even if some forms of violence are not always expedient.”
When spreading the above decontextualized inaccuracies, the Intelligence Minister has resorted to a revolting trick: deliberately conflating Judaism and Zionism in order to garner support from U.S. readership. In reality, Palestinian grievances are aimed specifically against Zionist oppressors, not against Judaism, Jews, or any specific religion. There is nothing anti-Semitic about self-determination or about wanting to live free from military occupation. Calling criticism of Israel “anti-Semitic” demeans Jews everywhere and dilutes shared histories worldwide.
The Minister also fails to mention that it is the obligation of the occupying power, Israel, to care for the women, men and children under military occupation. This includes refraining from forcibly transferring the people it occupies and refraining from collectively punishing those under its control. Yet Israel does both on a daily basis, often through ceaseless colonialism. Israel’s other violations of international law are not featured in the Minister’s New York Times opinion piece.
The Israeli Intelligence Minister takes issue with Mahmoud Abbas attending a presentation of an Egyptian poet and various other acts of “incitement” against the “Jewish state and the Jewish people.” Again, Palestinian grievances have nothing to do with Judaism. This grand misdirection distracts from the core issue: Palestinians are fighting an anti-colonial struggle against undemocratic, racist ethno-religious ideology.
The Minister alleges Palestinian media reminds “viewers that Palestine extends ‘from Eilat to Rosh Hanikra’ — that is, not just the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but the entire land of Israel.” The Minister deliberately omits his support for colonizing “Judea and Samaria,” otherwise known as the West Bank. Fetid hypocrisy at its finest.
The Minister cites two gestures of Israeli goodwill, which he defines as “a courageous attempt to build trust and improve the atmosphere surrounding the negotiations”: a) Israel’s “anguished decision on July 28 to release over 100 convicted terrorists” b) efforts to help the Palestinian economy.
These “terrorists” were convicted in the court of Zionist colonialism, which detains indefinitely, punishes arbitrarily, and prioritizes ethno-religious supremacy for colonial purposes. This is hardly a fair arbiter, Minister. As you know, the word “terrorist” is often used by those in power against those who resist imperial agendas.
By “Israeli efforts to help the Palestinian economy,” one may presume the Intelligence Minister is referring to this recent U.S. plan, a Band-Aid on gaping colonial sores. In other news, ending military occupation and settler colonialism, and allowing for commercial self-determination has a chance to positively affect the Palestinian economy over the long-term. The Minister has removed this option from the table.
He chimes in reminding us, “Palestinian leaders must now reciprocate by immediately and fully halting their encouragement and sponsorship of hatred.” Duly noted, sir. Fait accompli. He then threatens reconciliation, stating “Israelis will become more skeptical about the peace process and we in the Israeli government will have greater difficulty taking the additional confidence-building steps that we have been considering,” unless “Palestinian leaders” stop inciting hatred.
The Israeli Intelligence Minister, who also works as Minister of Strategic Affairs, knows exactly what he’s doing. In a strategic capacity, he’s trying to milk the Palestinian Authority of any remaining vestiges of anti-colonialism. In doing so, he finesses the PA into facilitating the final stages of a colonial agenda: mandatory silence as Judea and Samaria are gradually wrested into Zionist control. Meanwhile, resistance is deemed hatred – a classic imperial ruse.
Christian Sorensen for Media Roots
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