Israel Shahak vs. Zionism

Asim Hamdan, Senior columnist, Al Madina and Arab News, ARAB NEWS

A number of Arab quasi-intellectuals such as Adonis, Mohamoud Darwish, Samih Al-Qasim, Al-Afif Al-Akhdar and Mohammed Al-Harbi have avoided exposing the evils of racist Zionism. A number of western intellectuals who freed themselves from anti-Semitism and double loyalty are dedicated to stripping bare Zionism and its crimes. Among those is Raja Jaroudi who took the lead in exposing Zionism at the time Israel was murdering Palestinians including infants and the elderly.

These quasi-intellectuals who have adopted, untruthfully, in the past decades 'nationalism' and have criticized Arab establishments for not performing their duties are revealing their real faces.

Adonis, for instance, bears a grudge against the Palestinian, Mahmoud Darwish, who played the song of 'liberated homeland', now criticizes those who denounce Zionism.

There are a number of Jewish intellectuals who never stopped criticizing Zionism and always opposed its ideology and objectives.

They began opposing Zionism at the inception of 'The Israeli League for Human Rights' at the beginning of the 1970's.

Intellectual Jews opposing Zionism include Elmer Berger, Norton Mezvinsky, Mosh Menuhin, Mick Ashley, Israel Shahak and Maxime Rodinson. Israel Shahak was the head of the league in1970 and he was the first Jew to record detailed information about the number of children, elderly and woman killed, including Arab villages demolished by Hagana and Stern terrorist movements.

Israel Shahk's records showed a total of 385 of 475 villages were demolished at the founding of Israel in 1948. He sacrificed his life when he translated research published in 1982 in Kivunim magazine. Shahak published the research after it was leaked by the International Zionism League during the period of three major terrorists: Begin, Itan and Sharon who invaded Lebanon and murdered the innocent at Sabra and Shatila.

Sharon is now preparing for the final reoccupation of Palestinian territories and may go to war with some neighboring Arab countries. Of course, he is supported by US.

The US administration can be classified as the first enemy of Arabs and Muslims and it is evident that the US administration gives no importance to its ARab-related interests in the region.

The following comes from a report entitled 'The Zionist Plan for the Middle East':

'The plans of Zionism are to foster hatred between Muslims themselves and exploit the religious sects in the Arab and Islamic Worlds.

In Egypt, create problems and disturbances between Muslims and Christians and to encourage the establishment of a Christian State similar to Lebanon.

Break the unity of Arab Berbers in Morocco and Algeria. Encourage hatred between Kurds, Persians and Arabs and exploit the conflicts between Morocco and Algeria in their disputes. Increase disputes between Sunni and Shia'a Muslims and between Arab liberals'.

Khalil Nakhlah, who wrote the Arabic preamble, said' Israel Shahak indicated the weakness of the Arab Establishment in its efforts to resist the expansion of Israeli racism. All is due to a lack of consolidation and unified stances'.

This is true to a large extent. The Arabs have failed to understand Israel's way of thinking as well as the policy of western interests.

Many Islamic and Arab groups are at odds over trivial matters. The Jews - religious and secular, despite their problems and disputes - have three common aims: Judaism is the religion, Zionism the ideology and the Arabs are enemies!

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s bell, massachusetts, usa
My country has suffered a tragic act from despicable “things” (they cannot be called “persons”). And, though we hurt, you should know that we stand tall and stand unified together as citizens of this country, and of the world.

I spent time today trying to understand where such hatred could come from. I know some stems from ignorance. I know some stems from some type of fanaticism. I know that some stems from the desire for monetary wealth.

On the Internet I came across your column. I realize from your writing, that you are an educated person. However, I cannot help but note your obvious hatred of the USA, Israel, people of the Hebrew faith, and probably anyone who is not a fanatical follower of Islam. Islam is a great religion. It is unfortunate that your kind of persons gives it such a bad reputation among much of the free world.

It is written that you studied in the United States. I guess you were not too proud that you could stay away from the greatest country in the world. I wonder why you did not study in Iran or Iraq? Perhaps the Taliban would like to now welcome and teach you? I think you would be one of their most avid disciples.

It amazes me that you can write, “The US administration can be classified as the first enemy of Arabs and Muslims and it is evident that the US administration gives no importance to its ARab-related interests in the region.” I ask where were you when Americans put their lives on the line to defend people like you in your great country? Were you too busy writing about your hatred that you spew out, that you did not notice?

I am aware that there are many fanatic “things” that shriek that the Saudis should never have allowed Christians and Jews to have been on their soil. Guess what? On this day, many of us are questioning why we defended people like you.

There is nothing in the Koran that preaches or teaches hate! Neither is written anything that preaches or teaches hate in the Torah or New Testament! Where did you learn this kind of thing?

May you be blessed to learn to write about love for your fellow man. Until then I am sorry for you being what you appear to be.

I await your response.

Hassan, London, UK
This is a comment from the article above:

'The US administration can be classified as the first enemy of Arabs and Muslims and it is evident that the US administration gives no importance to its ARab-related interests in the region'.

My point is this:

If America was in any doubt that it could loose its interests in the Arab world, it would obviously take more care of its actions and words towards the Arab world. The question is why doesn't America care if its actions please or displease the Arab people?

I think it is due to these points:

1. The Arab nations are hostages for America because there is fear between them. One nation does not trust the other. This clearly evident since the Gulf war that the Arab Union has become just a name since 1991.

2. The gulf Arabs are rich oil countries have big and they have enemies around them such as Iran, Russia, Turkey, Israel, Iraq, etc and they clinging to America for protection and they care little what happens in the rest of the Arab world.

3. The only leverage that the Arab countries have against America and the West is to stop the export of oil to these countries. These countries have oil reserves and this would not affect them much in the short term while the economics of the Arab countries, specially the Gulf States, depends on oil sales.

4. The Arab world are ruled by families (kings and princes) who are only interested in maintaining the wealthy life style and are not concerned that much what happens in the rest of the Muslim world, except on few occasions when the feeling of the Arab population rises. On such occasions few of our kings and princes manage to lift their eye borrow to try and see what is happening around them. Of course they have harsh security apparatus which control the population for them.

Alex Sanchez, Bellingham Wa., USA
Its ironic that you claim that the Jews have three common aims.

What religion is Arabian?What is Arabian Ideology ? And who is the Arabian sworn enemy?

Also it Sounds like the standard you wish to hold America to,doesnt apply to yourselves.

when you say that America only cares for her own interests and not the interests of Arabs , or other countries for that matter, whose interests are represented by Arabs?

Which countries do Arabian people represent and help.How have the Arab people helped the Palestinians, have they opened their borders and given them opportunities for jobs and livlihood? How often have we read of refugees and boat people desperately trying to get to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or U.A.E.?

Dont get me wrong,the Arabian countries and people have qualities that make them special and unique in the world.Historically They have an opportunity to change the world for the better, thru economic and social means available to only an elect few.

The sensational rhetoric and hatred for the Jewish people has given me a deaf ear to your pleadings.I would feel the same if the Arabian people were treated with the same disdain and vehement hatred by others. Perhaps the recent problems associated with being Muslim in America should teach you a lesson. No man is less or more than another.You cannot turn a blind eye to your own view of your neighbor and then cry foul about being treated wrong yourselves.

Who has the double standard?