By Stephen Lendman
Israel has strong US-led Western support. Security Council Resolution 2334, affirming the illegality of its settlements, changed nothing on the ground – nor will it any time ahead as far as it’s reasonable to predict.
Eventual Palestinian self-determination based on pre-June 1967 borders is another matter entirely. The possibility of it happening any time ahead concerns Israel most of all.
Longstanding state policy calls for maximum land with minimum Arabs – dispossessing them extrajudicially for exclusive Jewish development, achieving the goal through one bulldozed Palestinian home at a time, eliminating entire communities longer term, settlement expansions continuing unabated on stolen land.
A near-century ago, the World Zionist Organization’s plan for a Jewish state included:
• historic Palestine;
• South Lebanon up to Sidon and the Litani River;
• Syria’s Golan Heights, Hauran Plain and Deraa; and
• control of the Hijaz Railway from Deraa to Amman, Jordan as well as the Gulf of Aqaba.
Some Zionists wanted more – land from the Nile in the West to the Euphrates in the East, comprising Palestine, Lebanon, Western Syria and Southern Turkey.
Hardliner Ze’ev Jabotinsky opposed peaceful coexistence with Arabs, calling it unattainable. Arguing for “an iron wall of (superior) Jewish military force,” his idea was to discourage Arab hopes of destroying Israel – followed by a negotiated settlement based on Israeli-dictated terms.
Ben-Gurion sided with Jabotinsky. Israel’s war of independence followed, seizing 78% of historic Palestine, the rest in June 1967.
Unresolved conflict persists by design. Peace and stability defeat Israel’s longterm objectives. Middle East expert Joseph Massad once said:
“The logic goes as follows: Israel has the right to occupy Palestinian land, lay siege to (its) populations in Bantustans surrounded by an apartheid wall, starve the population, cut them off from fuel and electricity, uproot their trees and crops, and launch periodic raids and targeted assassinations against them and their elected leadership, and if (resistance is encountered, Israel is entitled to slaughter) them en masse (because it’s just) ‘defending.’ itself as it must and should.”
Arabs are considered inferior, undeserving of rights, so “Israel has the right to oppress them and does so to defend itself, but were (they) to defend themselves against Israel’s oppression, Israel (has) the right to defend itself against their legitimate defense” without restraint or regard for the laws of war and humanitarian considerations.
Israel doesn’t negotiate. It demands, imposing its will by brute force. For decades, Palestinians endured ruthless occupation harshness, slow-motion genocide, exacting a terrible toll with no prospect in sight for relief – no matter which wing of US duopoly rule is in power.
Deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes said John Kerry intends “lay(ing) out a comprehensive vision for” conflict resolution before stepping down on January 20.
A January 15 French peace conference is scheduled, involving dozens of international foreign ministers. A conflict resolution plan will be drafted for adoption by the Quartet and Security Council before Obama leaves office on January 20 if things go as planned.
Israel is hysterical over the prospect of other nations dictating terms it wants sole authority over to maintain oppressive status quo conditions.
According to an unnamed senior Israeli official, “(t)he effort now is to see how to prevent such a move at the Paris conference.”
Ultranationalist Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman was over-the-top, calling what’s planned “a modern version of the (19th century) Dreyfus trial…(T)his time, the whole people of Israel and the whole State of Israel will be in the guilty dock.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said his country is “determined to hold (the) conference…to reaffirm the necessity of a two-state solution.”
Years ago it was possible. No longer with Israel controlling over 60% of West Bank land, calling Jerusalem its exclusive capital, and continuing unabated settlement expansions on stolen Palestinian land.
Whatever comes out of Paris in January, nothing on the ground will change – especially with Trump succeeding Obama in short order, intending to be the most “pro-Israel president ever.”
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.” http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.