10 jan 2020
The National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements stated, in its latest periodic-report regarding the boycott of Israel, that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement achieved remarkable successes, over the past year, at the domestic, regional and international levels, seeking to impose international isolation over the apartheid regime that has been established by Israel in the occupied territories, including areas within the 1948 lines of historic Palestine, now recognized as Israel.
Subsequently, with regard to the International Criminal Court (ICC) resolution to investigate Israeli war crimes, it was noted that Israel is very concerned with the progress of the movement, as well as with follow-ups to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s intention to publish, at the beginning of 2020, the so-called “black list” of companies working in Israeli settlements constructed in the occupied Palestinian Territories since the 1967 aggression — which, in turn, leads to boycotting and certainly forcing the proprietors to leave the West Bank.
From within the spectrum of achieved successes, by the BDS Movement, rose the European Union High Court’s ruling — made possible through efforts exerted by the boycott movement, related associations, and human rights organizations — to label goods which are manufactured or produced in settlements, which are illegal and constitute a major obstacle for peace, and then exported to the EU’s States.
Likewise, the step-up in support of 8 million European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) has extended to the BDS Movement, through suspending the partnership agreement signed between the European Union and Israel, as the latter is in gross and continual violation of human rights in Palestine.
Also worth mentioning is the Laborers’ Unions of Britain, which represents 48 unions and some 6,000,000 people who voted to end arms trade with Israel.
Although Israelis maneuver to disclose real numbers of the heavy agricultural, commercial, industrial, and military losses to the Israeli Government, as well as the great damages to its academic, commercial and media-related fields, with regard to continued BDS campaigns, they have been mobilized, along with other Zionist lobbies and parties, to call for the American administration’s interference, in order to enact laws — especially in Europe — for countering and criminalizing the BDS Movement.
In its periodical report on BDS affairs, the National Bureau for Defending the Land and Resisting Settlements tackled the most prominent activities and events carried out by various human rights organizations, solidarity committees, and BDS activists, through last December, 2019. The highlights are as follows:
In Europe, the Palestinian Community in Madrid, in cooperation with BDS activists, raised anti-settlement banners and flags of Palestine during “an economic normalization symposium,” under the title “Peace Islands,” referring to Israeli settlements and settlers in their attempt to prettify and legalize the constructions before Spanish society. But, finally, the organizers were forced to cancel the demonstration. In Madrid, activists of the international boycott movement also placed posters, in the streets of the Spanish capital, against a visiting settler delegation, and also widely circulated posters of the President of the West Bank Settlements Council, Yossi Dagan, showing him building a wall with the bodies of slain Palestinians, nearby.
In Belgium, the Prime Minister of Wallonia, Elio de Robo, and the former Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium, as well as two local Belgian organizations, refrained from visiting Israel with a trade delegation as they came to understand just how Israel violates International Law and remains a barrier to peace. Also worth mentioning is Brussels’ Foreign Minister of Trade, Pascal Smith, tweeting: “The step is a great victory for supporters of BDS activists.”
In Austria, the BDS Movement affirmed that its pro-Palestine activities and events are stepping up, as the Palestinian cause is a just one, stressing that the movement’s activities are directed against the Israeli occupation’s practices, but not against Jews in general. This assertion comes at a time when Austrian parties are preparing to vote on a parliamentary draft bill which condemns all forms of hostility against Jews, including “anti-Semitism related to Israel.” The draft is scheduled to be voted on next month, in condemnation of the BDS movement’s economic and cultural boycott to Israel, as it calls for boycotting Israeli products and companies, as well as Israeli artists, scientists, and athletes, in conjunction.
In the United Kingdom, the head of the Solidarity Campaign for Palestine, Bin Jamal, emphasized that the boycott campaign seeks to “hold Israel responsible for violating the International Law, and the rights of the Palestinians.” He added: “The failure to take such action against Israel is merely a collusion.” For this, Israelis are engaged in a number of international campaigns to introduce laws against BDS. So, it acts with impunity.
He further added: “All those who believe in International Law, Human Rights, and Freedom of Expression have to strongly oppose such maneuver[s].” Bin Jamal and the boycott activists’ statements in the United Kingdom came in response to the new British government headed by Boris Johnson and his intention to prevent universities and local councils from organizing any activity against Israeli apartheid.
In Sweden, Group 194 issued a formal response to the Tobias Center for Political Research — which is supported by the same Zionist lobby that attacked Director of the Center for Human Development Samer Manna’s visit to the Swedish Parliament — condemning the suspicious pens. Within this context, the group also promised to take appropriate legal measures against those who harm both the Palestinian cause and Palestinian–Swedish relations. It was noted that the Tobias report reviewed Mana’s calls for boycotting Israel economically, culturally, and academically, as an effective tool to counter Zionist apartheid regime and its terrorism.
In Greece, large angry rallies came out into streets of Athens, moving toward the Israeli embassy, refusing Israeli occupation PM Netanyahu’s visit, and demanding the cancellation of the natural gas pipeline deal (EASTMED); the gas, which was stolen from the Palestinian Natural resources, by the Israeli occupation, and then sold to Europe through Greece and Cyprus, consequently links the Greek economy with that of the Israeli occupation, directly.
In America, BDS activities at American universities have recently increased, according to periodic reports of Jewish students in various American academic institutions. However, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s view on the Arab League’s recent statement, which rejected the American resolution which considers the Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories as legal, and not in violation of International Law, now poses an unprecedented level of incitement. Pompeo tweeted: “It is time for Arab States to give up the boycott, and to work with Israel.”
For his part, the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs and Likud party member, Gilad Erdan, has launched a violent attack against Palestinian NGOs, calling on the European Union to stop funding them, accusing them of having a relationship with terrorist groups, and citing their close relationship with BDS.
Furthermore, Erdan sent a letter to the new European Union FM, Joseph Burrell, asking him to be sure that the EU’s funds are not misused.
In Palestine, the BDS Movement has renewed its calls to put pressure on Microsoft to end its investments in the Israeli company “Annie Vision,” as it works in developing a biological identification technique used to monitor the Palestinians. Within that context, the Palestinian Consumer Protection Council also called for confronting the Israeli occupation government’s resolution to withhold tax revenues, as the issue is purely a Palestinian matter.
~ Mah’d Zaban/ NBPRS/ PNN
Subsequently, with regard to the International Criminal Court (ICC) resolution to investigate Israeli war crimes, it was noted that Israel is very concerned with the progress of the movement, as well as with follow-ups to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s intention to publish, at the beginning of 2020, the so-called “black list” of companies working in Israeli settlements constructed in the occupied Palestinian Territories since the 1967 aggression — which, in turn, leads to boycotting and certainly forcing the proprietors to leave the West Bank.
From within the spectrum of achieved successes, by the BDS Movement, rose the European Union High Court’s ruling — made possible through efforts exerted by the boycott movement, related associations, and human rights organizations — to label goods which are manufactured or produced in settlements, which are illegal and constitute a major obstacle for peace, and then exported to the EU’s States.
Likewise, the step-up in support of 8 million European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) has extended to the BDS Movement, through suspending the partnership agreement signed between the European Union and Israel, as the latter is in gross and continual violation of human rights in Palestine.
Also worth mentioning is the Laborers’ Unions of Britain, which represents 48 unions and some 6,000,000 people who voted to end arms trade with Israel.
Although Israelis maneuver to disclose real numbers of the heavy agricultural, commercial, industrial, and military losses to the Israeli Government, as well as the great damages to its academic, commercial and media-related fields, with regard to continued BDS campaigns, they have been mobilized, along with other Zionist lobbies and parties, to call for the American administration’s interference, in order to enact laws — especially in Europe — for countering and criminalizing the BDS Movement.
In its periodical report on BDS affairs, the National Bureau for Defending the Land and Resisting Settlements tackled the most prominent activities and events carried out by various human rights organizations, solidarity committees, and BDS activists, through last December, 2019. The highlights are as follows:
In Europe, the Palestinian Community in Madrid, in cooperation with BDS activists, raised anti-settlement banners and flags of Palestine during “an economic normalization symposium,” under the title “Peace Islands,” referring to Israeli settlements and settlers in their attempt to prettify and legalize the constructions before Spanish society. But, finally, the organizers were forced to cancel the demonstration. In Madrid, activists of the international boycott movement also placed posters, in the streets of the Spanish capital, against a visiting settler delegation, and also widely circulated posters of the President of the West Bank Settlements Council, Yossi Dagan, showing him building a wall with the bodies of slain Palestinians, nearby.
In Belgium, the Prime Minister of Wallonia, Elio de Robo, and the former Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium, as well as two local Belgian organizations, refrained from visiting Israel with a trade delegation as they came to understand just how Israel violates International Law and remains a barrier to peace. Also worth mentioning is Brussels’ Foreign Minister of Trade, Pascal Smith, tweeting: “The step is a great victory for supporters of BDS activists.”
In Austria, the BDS Movement affirmed that its pro-Palestine activities and events are stepping up, as the Palestinian cause is a just one, stressing that the movement’s activities are directed against the Israeli occupation’s practices, but not against Jews in general. This assertion comes at a time when Austrian parties are preparing to vote on a parliamentary draft bill which condemns all forms of hostility against Jews, including “anti-Semitism related to Israel.” The draft is scheduled to be voted on next month, in condemnation of the BDS movement’s economic and cultural boycott to Israel, as it calls for boycotting Israeli products and companies, as well as Israeli artists, scientists, and athletes, in conjunction.
In the United Kingdom, the head of the Solidarity Campaign for Palestine, Bin Jamal, emphasized that the boycott campaign seeks to “hold Israel responsible for violating the International Law, and the rights of the Palestinians.” He added: “The failure to take such action against Israel is merely a collusion.” For this, Israelis are engaged in a number of international campaigns to introduce laws against BDS. So, it acts with impunity.
He further added: “All those who believe in International Law, Human Rights, and Freedom of Expression have to strongly oppose such maneuver[s].” Bin Jamal and the boycott activists’ statements in the United Kingdom came in response to the new British government headed by Boris Johnson and his intention to prevent universities and local councils from organizing any activity against Israeli apartheid.
In Sweden, Group 194 issued a formal response to the Tobias Center for Political Research — which is supported by the same Zionist lobby that attacked Director of the Center for Human Development Samer Manna’s visit to the Swedish Parliament — condemning the suspicious pens. Within this context, the group also promised to take appropriate legal measures against those who harm both the Palestinian cause and Palestinian–Swedish relations. It was noted that the Tobias report reviewed Mana’s calls for boycotting Israel economically, culturally, and academically, as an effective tool to counter Zionist apartheid regime and its terrorism.
In Greece, large angry rallies came out into streets of Athens, moving toward the Israeli embassy, refusing Israeli occupation PM Netanyahu’s visit, and demanding the cancellation of the natural gas pipeline deal (EASTMED); the gas, which was stolen from the Palestinian Natural resources, by the Israeli occupation, and then sold to Europe through Greece and Cyprus, consequently links the Greek economy with that of the Israeli occupation, directly.
In America, BDS activities at American universities have recently increased, according to periodic reports of Jewish students in various American academic institutions. However, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s view on the Arab League’s recent statement, which rejected the American resolution which considers the Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories as legal, and not in violation of International Law, now poses an unprecedented level of incitement. Pompeo tweeted: “It is time for Arab States to give up the boycott, and to work with Israel.”
For his part, the Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs and Likud party member, Gilad Erdan, has launched a violent attack against Palestinian NGOs, calling on the European Union to stop funding them, accusing them of having a relationship with terrorist groups, and citing their close relationship with BDS.
Furthermore, Erdan sent a letter to the new European Union FM, Joseph Burrell, asking him to be sure that the EU’s funds are not misused.
In Palestine, the BDS Movement has renewed its calls to put pressure on Microsoft to end its investments in the Israeli company “Annie Vision,” as it works in developing a biological identification technique used to monitor the Palestinians. Within that context, the Palestinian Consumer Protection Council also called for confronting the Israeli occupation government’s resolution to withhold tax revenues, as the issue is purely a Palestinian matter.
~ Mah’d Zaban/ NBPRS/ PNN
9 jan 2020
The legislation puts into law 'Memorandum of Understanding' reached between Israelis and Americans 4 years ago; the bill was rushed due to growing tensions in the Mideast and includes provision that bans boycotting Israel
Republican and Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation on Thursday to provide $3.3 billion in annual aid to Israel, seeking to put into law an aid agreement between the two countries reached in 2016 amid concern over rising Middle East tensions.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Chris Coons co-sponsored the bill, a standalone provision of a broader measure that stalled a year ago.
The measure that stalled last year included some provisions broadly supported by members of both parties, including the aid, but it also included a plank that would have let state and local governments punish Americans for boycotting Israel.
Opponents, including many Democrats, saw that provision as an impingement of free speech.
Rubio and Coons introduced the bill amid increased tensions in the Middle East after President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and Tehran retaliated with a missile attack on an Iraqi base housing U.S. soldiers.
On Thursday, the region remained on edge as Iran spurned Trump's call for a new nuclear pact and its commanders threatened more attacks.
The bill would put into law a "Memorandum of Understanding" reached between Israel and the Obama administration from four years ago that was the biggest pledge of U.S. military assistance made to any country.
In statements emailed to Reuters, Rubio said Israel faces "unprecedented threats" and Coons said: "The events of the past few days are a stark reminder of the importance of U.S. assistance to Israel's security."
Republican and Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation on Thursday to provide $3.3 billion in annual aid to Israel, seeking to put into law an aid agreement between the two countries reached in 2016 amid concern over rising Middle East tensions.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Chris Coons co-sponsored the bill, a standalone provision of a broader measure that stalled a year ago.
The measure that stalled last year included some provisions broadly supported by members of both parties, including the aid, but it also included a plank that would have let state and local governments punish Americans for boycotting Israel.
Opponents, including many Democrats, saw that provision as an impingement of free speech.
Rubio and Coons introduced the bill amid increased tensions in the Middle East after President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and Tehran retaliated with a missile attack on an Iraqi base housing U.S. soldiers.
On Thursday, the region remained on edge as Iran spurned Trump's call for a new nuclear pact and its commanders threatened more attacks.
The bill would put into law a "Memorandum of Understanding" reached between Israel and the Obama administration from four years ago that was the biggest pledge of U.S. military assistance made to any country.
In statements emailed to Reuters, Rubio said Israel faces "unprecedented threats" and Coons said: "The events of the past few days are a stark reminder of the importance of U.S. assistance to Israel's security."
5 jan 2020
Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) / Brazil
Wednesday, 50+ Brazilian groups won a victory for Palestinians and for demilitarizing Brazil, mobilizing opposition in Brazil’s Parliament to filibuster a bill to strengthen military and scientific cooperation with Israel. We salute them as this struggle continues into 2020.
We thank 50+ Brazilian groups that together frustrated Bolsonaro’s military alliance with apartheid Israel. Opposition in Brazil’s parliament successfully filibustered a bill to strengthen military and scientific cooperation with Israel, proposed by MP Eduardo Bolsonaro, the president’s son.
The struggle will continue in 2020 to fully derail the agreements and end Brazil’s military ties with Israel. Brazilian movements stated that this cooperation fuels not only Israeli apartheid, but “more militarization and police violence, aggravating a reality that is already desperate, especially for blacks, young people and residents of the favelas.”
Tweet BDS movement@BDSmovement
Wednesday, 50+ Brazilian groups won a victory for Palestinians and for demilitarizing Brazil, mobilizing opposition in Brazil’s Parliament to filibuster a bill to strengthen military and scientific cooperation with Israel. We salute them as this struggle continues into 2020.
Wednesday, 50+ Brazilian groups won a victory for Palestinians and for demilitarizing Brazil, mobilizing opposition in Brazil’s Parliament to filibuster a bill to strengthen military and scientific cooperation with Israel. We salute them as this struggle continues into 2020.
We thank 50+ Brazilian groups that together frustrated Bolsonaro’s military alliance with apartheid Israel. Opposition in Brazil’s parliament successfully filibustered a bill to strengthen military and scientific cooperation with Israel, proposed by MP Eduardo Bolsonaro, the president’s son.
The struggle will continue in 2020 to fully derail the agreements and end Brazil’s military ties with Israel. Brazilian movements stated that this cooperation fuels not only Israeli apartheid, but “more militarization and police violence, aggravating a reality that is already desperate, especially for blacks, young people and residents of the favelas.”
Tweet BDS movement@BDSmovement
Wednesday, 50+ Brazilian groups won a victory for Palestinians and for demilitarizing Brazil, mobilizing opposition in Brazil’s Parliament to filibuster a bill to strengthen military and scientific cooperation with Israel. We salute them as this struggle continues into 2020.
3 jan 2020
By Ramzy Baroud for Middle East Monitor
At a talk I delivered in Northern England in March 2018, I proposed that the best response to falsified accusations of antisemitism, which are often lobbed against pro-Palestinian communities and intellectuals everywhere, is to draw even closer to the Palestinian narrative.
In fact, my proposal was not meant to be a sentimental response in any way.
“Reclaiming the Palestinian narrative” has been the main theme in most of my public speeches and writings in recent years. All of my books, much of my academic studies and research have largely focused on positioning the Palestinian people – their rights, their history, their culture, and their political aspirations – at the very core of any genuine understanding of the Palestinian struggle, against Israeli colonialism and apartheid.
Ture, there was nothing particularly special about my talk in Northern England. I had already delivered a version of that speech in other parts of the UK, Europe and elsewhere. But what made that event memorable is a conversation I had with a passionate activist, who introduced himself as an advisor to the office of the head of the British Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn.
Although the activist agreed with me regarding the need to embrace the Palestinian narrative, he insisted that the best way for Corbyn to deflect anti-Semitic accusations, which have dogged his leadership since day one, is for Labour to issue a sweeping and decisive condemnation of antisemitism, so that Corbyn may silence his critics and he is finally able to focus on the pressing subject of Palestinian rights.
I was doubtful. I explained to the animated and self-assured activist that Zionist manipulation and misuse of antisemitism is a phenomenon that has preceded Corbyn by many decades, and will always be there as long as the Israeli government finds the need to distract from its war crimes against Palestinians and to crush pro-Palestinian solidarity worldwide.
I explained to him that while anti-Jewish racism is a real phenomenon that must be confronted, “antisemitism” as defined by Israel and its Zionist allies is not a moral question that is meant to be solved by a press release, no matter how strongly-worded. Rather, it is a smokescreen, with the ultimate aim is of distracting from the real conversation, that being the crimes of military occupation, racism, and apartheid in Palestine.
In other words, no amount of talking, debating or defending oneself can possibly convince the Zionists that demanding an end to the Israeli military occupation in Palestine or the dismantling of the Israeli apartheid regime, or genuine criticism of the policies of Israel’s right-wing government are not, in fact, acts of antisemitism.
Alas, the activist insisted that a strong statement that would clarify Labour’s position on antisemitism would finally absolve Corbyn and protect his legacy against the undeserved smearing.
The rest is history. Labour went into a witch-hunt, to catch the “true” anti-Semites among its members. The unprecedented purge has reached many good people who have dedicated years in serving their communities and defending human rights in Palestine and elsewhere.
The statement to end all statements was followed by many others. Numerous articles and arguments were written and made in defense of Corbyn. To no avail. Only few days before Labour lost the general election in December, the Simon Wiesenthal Center named Corbyn, one of Britain’s most sincere and well-intentioned leaders in the modern era, as the “top anti-Semite of 2019”. So much for engaging the Zionists.
It doesn’t matter whether Corbyn’s party lost the elections in part because of Zionist smearing and unfounded anti-Semitic accusations. What, for me, as a Palestinian intellectual who has hoped that Corbyn’s leadership will constitute a paradigm shift regarding the country’s attitude towards Israel and Palestine truly matters, is the fact that the Zionists have indeed succeeded in keeping the conversation focused on Israeli priorities and Zionist sensibilities.
It saddens me that while Palestine should have occupied the center stage, at least during Corbyn’s leadership years, it was still marginalized as if solidarity with Palestine has become a political liability to anyone hoping to win an election, not just in the UK but anywhere in the West as well.
I find it puzzling, indeed disturbing, that Israel, directly or otherwise, is able to determine the nature of any discussion on Palestine in the West, not only within typical mainstream platforms but within pro-Palestinians circles as well. For example, I have heard repeatedly, activists questioning whether the one-state solution is at all possible because “Israel simply would never accept it”.
I often challenge my audiences to base their solidarity with Palestine on real love, support, and admiration for the Palestinian people, for their history, their anti-colonial struggle, and the thousands of heroes and heroines who have sacrificed their own lives so that their people may live in freedom.
How many of us can name Palestine’s top poets, artists, feminists, football players, singers, and historians? How familiar are we, really, with Palestinian geography, the intricacies of its politics, and the richness of its culture?
Even in platforms that are sympathetic to the Palestinian struggle, there is an inherent fear that such sympathy could be misconstrued as antisemitism to the extent that Palestinian voices are often neglected, if not at all supplanted with anti-Zionist Jewish voices. I see this happening quite often, and it is becoming a common occurrence even within Middle Eastern media that supposedly champions the Palestinian cause.
This phenomenon is largely linked to Palestine and Palestine only. While the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and the civil rights struggle in the United States – as was the case of many genuine anti-colonial liberation movements around the world – have strategically used intersectionality to link with other groups, locally, nationally or internationally, the movements themselves relied on black voices as true representatives of their peoples’ struggles.
Historically, Palestinians haven’t always been marginalized within their own discourse. Once upon a time, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), despite of its many shortcomings and mistakes, provided unified Palestinian political discourse which served as a litmus test for any individual, group or government regarding their position on Palestinian rights and freedom.
The Oslo accords ended all of that; it fragmented the Palestinian discourse, as it has also divided the Palestinian people. Since then, the message emanating from Palestine has become muddled, factionalised and often self-defeating. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) has done a tremendous job in bringing some clarity by attempting to articulate a universal Palestinian discourse.
However, BDS is yet to yield a centralised political strategy that communicated through a democratically elected Palestinian body. As long as the PLO persists in its inertia, and without a truly democratic alternative, the crisis of the Palestinian political discourse is likely to continue.
Concurrently, the Zionists must not be allowed to determine the nature of our solidarity with the Palestinian people. While true Palestinian solidarity requires the complete rejection of all forms of racism, including antisemitism, the pro-Israel camp must be sidelined entirely from any conversation pertaining to the values and morality of what it means to be “pro-Palestine”.
To be anti-Zionist is not the same as being pro-Palestine, the former emanating from the rejection of racist, Zionist ideas and the latter indicating real connection and bond with Palestine and her people.
To be pro-Palestine is also to respect the centrality of the Palestinian voice, because without the Palestinian narrative there can be no real or meaningful solidarity, and because, ultimately it will be the Palestinian people who will liberate themselves.
“I am not a liberator,” the iconic South American revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, once said. “Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves”.
Author: Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. He has authored a number of books on the Palestinian struggle including ‘The Last Earth: A Palestinian Story’ (Pluto Press, London). Baroud has a Ph.D. in Palestine Studies from the University of Exeter and is a Non-Resident Scholar at Orfalea Centre for Global and International Studies, University of California Santa Barbara. His website is www.ramzybaroud.net.
At a talk I delivered in Northern England in March 2018, I proposed that the best response to falsified accusations of antisemitism, which are often lobbed against pro-Palestinian communities and intellectuals everywhere, is to draw even closer to the Palestinian narrative.
In fact, my proposal was not meant to be a sentimental response in any way.
“Reclaiming the Palestinian narrative” has been the main theme in most of my public speeches and writings in recent years. All of my books, much of my academic studies and research have largely focused on positioning the Palestinian people – their rights, their history, their culture, and their political aspirations – at the very core of any genuine understanding of the Palestinian struggle, against Israeli colonialism and apartheid.
Ture, there was nothing particularly special about my talk in Northern England. I had already delivered a version of that speech in other parts of the UK, Europe and elsewhere. But what made that event memorable is a conversation I had with a passionate activist, who introduced himself as an advisor to the office of the head of the British Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn.
Although the activist agreed with me regarding the need to embrace the Palestinian narrative, he insisted that the best way for Corbyn to deflect anti-Semitic accusations, which have dogged his leadership since day one, is for Labour to issue a sweeping and decisive condemnation of antisemitism, so that Corbyn may silence his critics and he is finally able to focus on the pressing subject of Palestinian rights.
I was doubtful. I explained to the animated and self-assured activist that Zionist manipulation and misuse of antisemitism is a phenomenon that has preceded Corbyn by many decades, and will always be there as long as the Israeli government finds the need to distract from its war crimes against Palestinians and to crush pro-Palestinian solidarity worldwide.
I explained to him that while anti-Jewish racism is a real phenomenon that must be confronted, “antisemitism” as defined by Israel and its Zionist allies is not a moral question that is meant to be solved by a press release, no matter how strongly-worded. Rather, it is a smokescreen, with the ultimate aim is of distracting from the real conversation, that being the crimes of military occupation, racism, and apartheid in Palestine.
In other words, no amount of talking, debating or defending oneself can possibly convince the Zionists that demanding an end to the Israeli military occupation in Palestine or the dismantling of the Israeli apartheid regime, or genuine criticism of the policies of Israel’s right-wing government are not, in fact, acts of antisemitism.
Alas, the activist insisted that a strong statement that would clarify Labour’s position on antisemitism would finally absolve Corbyn and protect his legacy against the undeserved smearing.
The rest is history. Labour went into a witch-hunt, to catch the “true” anti-Semites among its members. The unprecedented purge has reached many good people who have dedicated years in serving their communities and defending human rights in Palestine and elsewhere.
The statement to end all statements was followed by many others. Numerous articles and arguments were written and made in defense of Corbyn. To no avail. Only few days before Labour lost the general election in December, the Simon Wiesenthal Center named Corbyn, one of Britain’s most sincere and well-intentioned leaders in the modern era, as the “top anti-Semite of 2019”. So much for engaging the Zionists.
It doesn’t matter whether Corbyn’s party lost the elections in part because of Zionist smearing and unfounded anti-Semitic accusations. What, for me, as a Palestinian intellectual who has hoped that Corbyn’s leadership will constitute a paradigm shift regarding the country’s attitude towards Israel and Palestine truly matters, is the fact that the Zionists have indeed succeeded in keeping the conversation focused on Israeli priorities and Zionist sensibilities.
It saddens me that while Palestine should have occupied the center stage, at least during Corbyn’s leadership years, it was still marginalized as if solidarity with Palestine has become a political liability to anyone hoping to win an election, not just in the UK but anywhere in the West as well.
I find it puzzling, indeed disturbing, that Israel, directly or otherwise, is able to determine the nature of any discussion on Palestine in the West, not only within typical mainstream platforms but within pro-Palestinians circles as well. For example, I have heard repeatedly, activists questioning whether the one-state solution is at all possible because “Israel simply would never accept it”.
I often challenge my audiences to base their solidarity with Palestine on real love, support, and admiration for the Palestinian people, for their history, their anti-colonial struggle, and the thousands of heroes and heroines who have sacrificed their own lives so that their people may live in freedom.
How many of us can name Palestine’s top poets, artists, feminists, football players, singers, and historians? How familiar are we, really, with Palestinian geography, the intricacies of its politics, and the richness of its culture?
Even in platforms that are sympathetic to the Palestinian struggle, there is an inherent fear that such sympathy could be misconstrued as antisemitism to the extent that Palestinian voices are often neglected, if not at all supplanted with anti-Zionist Jewish voices. I see this happening quite often, and it is becoming a common occurrence even within Middle Eastern media that supposedly champions the Palestinian cause.
This phenomenon is largely linked to Palestine and Palestine only. While the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and the civil rights struggle in the United States – as was the case of many genuine anti-colonial liberation movements around the world – have strategically used intersectionality to link with other groups, locally, nationally or internationally, the movements themselves relied on black voices as true representatives of their peoples’ struggles.
Historically, Palestinians haven’t always been marginalized within their own discourse. Once upon a time, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), despite of its many shortcomings and mistakes, provided unified Palestinian political discourse which served as a litmus test for any individual, group or government regarding their position on Palestinian rights and freedom.
The Oslo accords ended all of that; it fragmented the Palestinian discourse, as it has also divided the Palestinian people. Since then, the message emanating from Palestine has become muddled, factionalised and often self-defeating. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) has done a tremendous job in bringing some clarity by attempting to articulate a universal Palestinian discourse.
However, BDS is yet to yield a centralised political strategy that communicated through a democratically elected Palestinian body. As long as the PLO persists in its inertia, and without a truly democratic alternative, the crisis of the Palestinian political discourse is likely to continue.
Concurrently, the Zionists must not be allowed to determine the nature of our solidarity with the Palestinian people. While true Palestinian solidarity requires the complete rejection of all forms of racism, including antisemitism, the pro-Israel camp must be sidelined entirely from any conversation pertaining to the values and morality of what it means to be “pro-Palestine”.
To be anti-Zionist is not the same as being pro-Palestine, the former emanating from the rejection of racist, Zionist ideas and the latter indicating real connection and bond with Palestine and her people.
To be pro-Palestine is also to respect the centrality of the Palestinian voice, because without the Palestinian narrative there can be no real or meaningful solidarity, and because, ultimately it will be the Palestinian people who will liberate themselves.
“I am not a liberator,” the iconic South American revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, once said. “Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves”.
Author: Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. He has authored a number of books on the Palestinian struggle including ‘The Last Earth: A Palestinian Story’ (Pluto Press, London). Baroud has a Ph.D. in Palestine Studies from the University of Exeter and is a Non-Resident Scholar at Orfalea Centre for Global and International Studies, University of California Santa Barbara. His website is www.ramzybaroud.net.
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