Jenka's journal

thoughts on the state of israel, while sitting inside the prison called palestine
even though the state of israel was created in the 20th century, it seems the state operates using 19th-century logic. the logic that justified colonialism and imperialism, saying, "we took over this land with the force of arms, now we have the right to do what we want with it". in the 20th century, with the two world wars, it seemed that the human family came to some understanding that this isn't correct logic, that all people have the right to self-determination, that one state CAN'T just TAKE OVER another state with the force of arms and annex it as part of their state. germany can't just take over poland, france and half the countries in europe and expect that to be acceptable to the world community. the countries of europe can't just take over the countries in africa and expect that it will be ok. it's not ok -- hence the Geneva Convention, the International Convention on Human Rights, the International Court of Justice, and the various rights agreements made by the community of nations known as the United Nations.

but yet, the government of the state of israel and the supporters of that government continue to use the 19th-century logic. although the state itself was created out of a recommendation from the united nations in 1947, the state that resulted from the UN recommendation hardly resembled the one set out on paper by the UN. by the end of 1948, when the dust settled from the expulsion of the palestinian population from what had been their homes, but what was now 'the jewish state', the 'state of israel' had taken over more than the 55% that had been alotted to them in the united nations recommendation. but that wasn't enough. by 1967, the state of israel, which had slowly been creeping outward with the building of illegal settlements on palestinian land, launched a 'pre-emptive strike' on egypt, sparking a war with surrounding nations (most of them cracking at the seams with palestinian refugees who had previously lived in what had become the state of israel)....when the dust settled from that war, the state of israel had taken 73% of the land, and occupied the rest.

now, most countries would have had a peace agreement with the other side at that point, and determined the terms of the peace, including borders. but the 19th-century logic kicked in, and there was no peace agreement, no treaty, no handshake, but a military occupation of the 'conquered land' (ie. the other 27% of palestine) that continues until today.

why don't people see how completely fucked up this is?? in the words of my friend peter hazen, 'profanity doesn't even begin to cover it'. it is so totally, completely and obviously FUCKED that in order not to see it, people need to stick their heads in the sand, cover their eyes and ears and keep repeating to themselves lies, over and over again, and hope the lies will stick.

my palestinian friends are a lot like young people anywhere.....they do regular things, go to school, have jobs, get married, have kids......play cards on saturday nights, tell dirty jokes, drink beer (this is a christian area.....muslims don't drink -- except some young muslim guys who come to this area to sneak a few drinks now and then)...

but many have never been outside of a five-mile radius of their home. they cannot travel outside their local area, let alone out of the country, due to the israeli military occupation.

they live in a prison called palestine, under military occupation by a foreign power. the israeli military has been in charge here since 1967, and the martial law they impose is the only law that counts.

i sit drinking coffee with a palestinian friend, on a veranda outside his home, with sheep being herded past by an elderly shepherd, and olive and lemon trees growing in terraces beside us. pointing to a hill in the distance, I ask, "what's behind that hill?"

"I don't know", he answers, "I've never been there".

...if a person were to drive in that direction, they would come to an israeli checkpoint, beyond which palestinians from this town cannot pass. somewhere in that direction, they know, there is an ancient castle - the Herodian hill, home to Herod, the man who killed Jesus. their ancestors knew that hill, and knew the history, having lived it, and passed it on to their children.....but these, the modern Palestinians, do not even know what is beyond the next hill.

the young guys drive their cars around, around and around, within the five-mile radius, bored and angry......the restaurants and hangouts are pretty much all closed, due to the israeli chokehold that has put an end to most of the businesses in the area.

israel calls the shots here. reactions, like the kidnappings of foreigners when the US and UK colluded with israel in a shameful attack on a prison last week, are just that - reactions.

"The course of the fence - which until now has been a security fence - will be in line with the new course of the permanent border. There may be cases in which we move the fence eastward, there may be cases in which we move the fence westward, in line with what we agree upon. We will solidify Israel as a Jewish state, one in which there is a solid and stable Jewish majority, a majority which is not in danger. The idea is an 'ingathering' of settlers into large settlement blocs, and thickening these settlement blocs. I don't want to get into their precise definitions now, but everyone knows that Gush Etzion will remain within the state of Israel, and the Ariel bloc will remain within the state of Israel, and the Jerusalem Envelope [the city and its environs] will be part of the state, as well as Ma'ale Adumim."
-excerpt from a speech by ehud olmert, the acting israeli prime minister

Life in Occupied Palestine by Stephen Lendman
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/17007/1/

A Wall which Kills Life and Land:
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/12860/79/

The Wall: The Unmentionable Reality:
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/16982/79/

"The Nightmare Comes True" by Israeli peace activist Uri Avnery:
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/12056/117/

New settlements expansion in East J'lem funded by US Israelis:
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/16208/1/

This is a listing of articles about the Wall and non-violent protests against it:
http://www.imemc.org/content/blogcategory/169/

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