Al-Ahram weekly in Cairo has an unsettling piece from a writer in Nablus on the recent Israeli raids, which it characterizes as “Gestapo-like behaviour.” Note that these raids were not covered in the U.S. but are the talk of the Arab world. The piece makes the same observation; the outrages–closing down a strip mall, looting computers, shutting beauty parlors and the like–have met with silence outside of the Arab world, with the exception of a brave piece by Gideon Levy in Haaretz and an ad in Haaretz by Gush Shalom called, “Orphans and widows” said to read:
“As part of the actions against
Hamas, the Olmert government is destroying orphanages, schools and
charities in the West Bank. There are no other institutions to take
their place. Orphans, widows and poor people will be thrown into the
street. Will this isolate Hamas? On the contrary.”
Noble Jews! I believe the depravity of Israeli actions in the West Bank is exposed by U.S. actions in Iraq. Think of it this way: the surge has worked so far (as even Mike Massing agrees in the NYRB); earnest generals are doing their utmost to restore civil society; the U.S. is bent on making democracy work in Baghdad. What can the Israelis say for their occupation of 41 years? Both Obama and McCain have lately invoked a radical concept: What do the Iraqi people want? Some day my country will have the courage to ask: What do Palestinians want? Ah, the great neocon nightmare!
