Israel has “forcefully” evicted its settlers from the Gaza Strip as per schedules it had announced a few months ago. Tel Aviv has proved its critics as well as the skeptics wrong. The apprehension that in the last moment Israel would find one or another excuse to allow its settlements to carry on has proved equally to be misplaced. It appears as the “unthinkable” has been accomplished.
International observers were quick to note and point out the Israeli forces’ benign way of dealing with the Jewish settlers and protesters who resisted their eviction from the Gaza Strip. People were surprised if it was the same Israeli force which would fire at and kill Palestinians without any reason and provocation. The settlers not only resisted their forcible eviction but also quarreled with the forces. Any yet there was neither tear-gassing nor firing; instead the Israeli forces took utmost care so that no settler was physically harmed or injured. Further no bulldozers were employed to destroy the houses of protesting Jews; contrast it with how Palestinian homes are bulldozed at mere suspicion. Often such heinous acts were carried out to punish the innocent parents of fighters and “suicide bombers”.
But the most important aspect of the whole drama is the fact that the inglorious concept of Greater Israel has received the kind of death it deserved. Since late 19th century the Zionists embarked upon the project of creating a homeland for Jews in Palestine. Britain, ignoring the Arab sentiments and opposition promised them the land which rightfully belonged to the Palestinians. Later on Britain facilitated huge illegal Jewish immigration into Palestine and thus made it possible for the Jews to create the State of Israel in 1948. By the time Britain, bruised badly during World War Two, had weakened beyond recovery. The US, then, entered the scene and gave all the support to Israel that it needed to occupy Arab lands, erect illegal settlements therein and suppress the Palestinians with a heavy hand.
Ironically Ariel Sharaon, the current Israeli Prime Minister, has been the most hawkish Jewish leader who always favoured and supported the settlement of Jews in occupied Palestinian lands. It would have been really painful for him to dismantle his long-cherished dream. However, the withdrawal from Gaza does not mark the end of Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian lands. There are far more such settlements in West Bank, and the map of Jerusalem has been changed to almost make it a Jewish city. The Arab quarter of the city is surrounded by Jewish settlements or huge Israeli colonies, built on illegally occupied Palestinian lands. Thousands and thousands of Israelis live in these colonies. No one can know for sure when these settlements will be dismantled.
But the dismantlement of settlements in Palestine holds a great lesson for Israel and its main supporter, the United States. Despite all their efforts and in spite of all the inhuman atrocities they committed against the Palestinians, they have been forced to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Just a few years back no one would have even dreamed of a Jewish withdrawal from there, not because some Arab army may have defeated and forced them into a retreat, but because a handful Mujahideen and the common people refused to be their slaves. You can win a battle or a war, you can paralyse a nation’s army but you can never conquer its spirit, and as long as it is alive, it has every chance of emerging victorious. The struggle for Palestine is not yet over. Indeed the war game is going on and the Palestinians are still to travel a long distance before they would realize their cherished goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state. One hopes their current victory would encourage them to work even harder for a greater success. Mere power and brutal use of force have never succeeded in history. Israel’s failure in suppressing the Palestinian aspirations is revealing, and the Anglo-American forces in Iraq will be well-advised to end their futile occupation. We are living in 21st century when people are aware and educated. The era of colonization, imperialism or neo-imperialism is over. This is the time to respect national sovereignties and boundaries. This is the time to respect the nationalist aspirations of all people. This is also the time to realize that no nation can be suppressed for ever. The Israelis are learning this lesson in a bitter way. They had thought that their military power would break the bone of Palestinian resistance. The Anglo-American forces also think on similar line. But surely soon will they realize that while occupying a land is a difficult task, maintaining the occupation is a far more risky and bloody business.
[August, 2005]
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