Palestine's suffering and the misery of Yasser Arafat<\/p>\n
The following is an interview with Dr. Azzam Tamimi, director
\nof the Institute of Islamic Political Thought, on the recent
\nsuicide bombing in Tel Aviv. He spoke to The Jakarta Post's Santi
\nSoekanto in London.<\/p>\n
Question: The Israelis are outraged over the recent suicide
\nbombing in Tel Aviv. Will there be an open war as the western
\nmedia have predicted?<\/p>\n
Answer: If "open war" means involving other countries in the
\nregion, this is unlikely in the foreseeable future. The Arab
\ncountries bordering Palestine -- Egypt, Jordan and Syria -- are
\nnot ready for war and have been avoiding direct confrontation as
\nthey feel ... far more inferior to Israel's military position.<\/p>\n
However, as far as the situation inside Palestine is
\nconcerned, the prospects of peace have never been more bleak ...
\nThe Palestinians have learned the tough way that the Israelis
\nwould be willing to give them back the land occupied in 1967 only
\nif forced to do so by causing them pain and suffering, just as
\nHizbollah did in Lebanon. So the uprising is likely to continue
\nand that will mean more bloodshed on both sides.<\/p>\n
Q: What will be the impact of Israel's plans to intensify the
\nsiege of Palestinian cities in the West Bank and Gaza, and to
\nclose the airport in the territory?<\/p>\n
A: This is not the first time the Palestinians have suffered due
\nto Israeli restrictions and siege. Although such measures
\nincrease the hardship Palestinians' hardship, (the measures)
\ndefinitely fail to solve Israel's problems ...<\/p>\n
Many Palestinians are willing to offer their lives for their
\ncause; and by making life more miserable for the population as a
\nwhole, the number of those willing to sacrifice themselves to
\nkill those who live a lavish lifestyle in their own homes and
\nlands will only increase. The Israelis, by virtue of the blind
\nsupport they receive from the United States and Britain, have
\nbeen acting most unwisely. It is the Israelis who are pushing
\nmore and more Palestinians to rage and explosion.<\/p>\n
Q: What do you think of Yasser Arafat's stance?<\/p>\n
A: Arafat is a very miserable person. He bet on peace and there
\nis no peace on the horizon. His entire history of national
\nstruggle and patriotism has been wasted. Many Palestinians feel
\nthis man has deceived them or at least let them down. Such
\nfeelings are shared by many of his own movement's members (Al-
\nFatah) who insist on keeping the intifida going.<\/p>\n
Arafat is expected by the Israelis to control his own people
\nfor the sake of Israel's peace and security but clearly neither
\nhe nor anybody else can provide such service to Israel without
\ncausing a civil war among the Palestinians themselves. Arafat has
\none last chance to repent and tell the Israelis that unless they
\nwithdraw from all the areas occupied in 1967 there is nothing he
\ncan do. He can add, should he have the courage to say so, "if the
\nIsraelis do not like it let them go to hell."<\/p>\n
Q: Some scholars have predicted that following Sharon's election
\nand growing discontent over the Palestinian Authority,
\nPalestinians are now more supportive of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
\nWill that also mean support for open violence against Israel?<\/p>\n
A: More and more Palestinians today believe that only jihad is
\nthe way forward. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are no longer alone in
\nthis. Most Fatah members led by Arafat believe so, too.<\/p>\n
Q: What avenues or solutions are available for both sides?<\/p>\n
A: In the short term, only full Israeli withdrawal from all the
\nareas occupied in 1967 and total evacuation of all Jewish
\nsettlements built in this area, may bring some peace -- for a
\nwhile -- to the region.<\/p>\n
However, in the long term, Israel has no future, and the Jews
\nwho support Israel and Zionism, and especially those who have
\nchosen to migrate to Palestine to occupy the lands and homes of
\nthe Palestinians, should reconsider their positions. Eventually,
\nPalestine will return to the Muslims as it did after more than a
\ncentury of occupation by the Crusaders about 10 centuries ago.<\/p>\n
Q: What should other Muslim communities do?<\/p>\n
A: The Zionist project is an imperialist project directed against
\nIslam and the Muslims in the first place. Palestine is holy to
\nall Muslims and does not belong to the Palestinians nor to the
\nArabs. Therefore, Muslims around the world have a religious duty
\nto stand up to aggression and oppression and to do all they can
\nto liberate this dear Muslim land.<\/p>\n
Until it is possible for Muslims to participate directly in
\nthe jihad of liberation, they can pray for their brothers and
\nsisters in Palestine so that Allah may provide them with courage
\nand steadfastness and the willingness to sacrifice more and more.<\/p>\n
Muslims should also donate generously to the cause of taking
\ncare of the victims of Israel, the orphans, the widows and the
\nimpoverished families. Muslims should also seek to change public
\nopinion of what goes on in Palestine.<\/p>\n
The world media, including CNN and BBC, are very biased toward
\nthe Zionists and they usually report half of the truth ... Hamas
\nand Islamic Jihad should be recognized as national liberation
\nmovements, not as terrorists.<\/p>\n
Finally, the Muslims, especially those in Indonesia, should
\ndemand their governments stop all covert as well as overt
\ncommunication with Israel. It breaks the heart of Palestinians to
\nsee leaders such as Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia boast about
\ntheir friendship with Zionist leaders.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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