Ending the Occupation of Palestine: The Verbal Obstacles

Amb. Edward Peck

Posted January 7, 2008 | 04:41 PM (EST)

Searching for something that might be meaningful and potentially productive in the overall context of the title, I offer a recommendation: Think about the words we use.

For just a moment, consider the basic issues related to Palestine. Then think about how those issues are consistently buried in bland, euphemistic, totally misleading words and phrases, perhaps generated for the very purposes they have so resoundingly achieved: obscuring and distorting the reality of what is being done in Palestine and to the Palestinians, suppressed in their own homeland.

Think about the words used during the recent Annapolis photo-op. They were a major reason for its fully predictable total failure, and a principal contribution to every previous failure by America to present itself as, and achieve the goals of an honest broker.

Essentially, the final agreement was to consider beginning discussions that might lead to a start in undertaking further efforts to get around to doing something. To underline the true nature of this seminal achievement, the meeting was promptly followed by Israel announcing construction of 370 additional houses in the Har Homa settlement in Occupied Palestine, and the demolition of six more homes in Arab East Jerusalem. Now that's real statesmanship.

Think. Every use of the phrase 'Occupied Territories' suggests that there are alternative views, and implicitly denies that it is Occupied Palestine. That is the only correct description of the core problem, a source of profound global concern. 'Occupied Palestine' must be clearly identified in all statements made on the subject, or else a biased, one-sided view is presented.

Think about the endless, totally inapplicable references to 'ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict'. Conflicts occur between sovereign states that have armies to defend their territories. Palestinians have neither an army nor territory. What they do have is 40+ years of a very repressive, illegal occupation. An 'occupation' is not a 'conflict', and that word should never be used.

Consider this fact: Under the United Nations charter, armed occupation is illegal; armed resistance to an occupation is recognized as legitimate.

Think. The principal objective of all the non-meetings is ending the occupation. References to 'searching for peace' ignore the compelling fact that there is now a sort of peace, but no legality under international law, no justice, freedom or hope. The occupation is the cause of the problem. Peace can and will result only after Israel withdraws -- and, unlike its 'withdrawal' from Gaza, permits the Palestinians to live normal lives.

Think. There cannot be anything even vaguely resembling "Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.' When democratically-elected representatives of the Palestinian prisoners meet with their Jewish jailers to beg for small improvements in the dreadful quality of life inside the prison, no rational, reasonable person could possibly describe that as 'negotiation.' Armed occupiers do not 'negotiate' with the prostrate occupied. That is an oxymoron, a completely misleading concept, use of that word must be discontinued.

The same stigma applies to "Israeli-Palestinian meetings -- or agreements -- or discussions." These words attempt to establish a mental image of some kind of parity, of an equality between the two sides. Nothing could be farther from reality: the powerful and the powerless have diametrically divergent weight, before, during or after any face to face session.

Think about Israel's numerous and outspoken supporters, outraged that anyone would dare use 'apartheid' to describe the manifold restrictions and controls imposed on Occupied Palestine, in particular the massive, illegal wall being built to confiscate further Palestinian land. They insist that it be called a Separation Wall. Now think how to say 'separation' in Afrikaans: apartheid.

None of us should want anything bad to happen to a single Israeli -- or to a single Palestinian. Above all, none of us wants anything bad to happen to a single American. But terrible things have happened, are happening, and will happen, to all three groups. They will happen to Americans -- and I hope I am wrong -- because far too many people to ignore firmly believe our massive military, unstinting financial and solid, unwavering political support for Israel facilitate the endless chain of inhumane and illegal actions taken by Israel in Occupied Palestine. And they are right.

On an hourly basis, America is seen as directly linked to blatant, repetitious violations of every single principle for which we -- and Israel -- endlessly insist we stand: freedom, justice, human rights, dignity, international law, democracy -- and hope.

This is deadly, dangerous hypocrisy. It has undermined our status, our respect, reputation, honor, self-image, and moral standing. The Occupation of Palestine must end, for the sake of everyone, but especially for the sake of those most directly affected. The Palestinians, living in fear and repression, want to live in freedom; the Israelis, brutalized by brutalizing, want to live in peace and security; the Americans, feared and distrusted, want to regain a role in helping to encourage an ever wider realm of freedom, peace and security. Those commendable, mutually supportive goals cannot be achieved while Palestine remains occupied, crushed under the heel of the Israeli settlers and military.

The gains, the manifold benefits from ending the occupation may not be as rapid, profound, or visible as everyone would wish, but they will be infinitely preferable to the alternative. Continuation of the present oppression and dispossession is totally unacceptable to the overwhelming majority of the peoples in the region, including Israelis. Without equivocation, history shows that the inevitable result will be infinitely less desirable. Again, I profoundly hope I am wrong, but greatly fear I will be right.

URL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/edward-peck/ending-the-occupation-of-_b_80300.html