By Vic Rosenthal
Take up the White Man’s burden, The savage wars of peace—
Fill full the mouth of Famine And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hopes to nought. –Rudyard Kipling, 1899
The other day I was talking with friends and the discussion turned to the unique situation of Israel as a nation-state that constantly has to justify its existence. Other countries may be engaged in struggles over who will be the dictator, president or ruling party, but I can’t think of another one whose very being is controversial.
For example, last year Iranian ‘Supreme Leader’ Ali Khamenei called for the destruction of the “barbaric, wolflike & infanticidal regime of Israel” and the dispersal of the Jews that had emigrated to Israel from some other place:
All the original people of Palestine including Muslims, Christians and Jews wherever they are, in Palestine or in refugee camps in other countries or just anywhere else take part in a public and organized referendum. Naturally the Jewish immigrants who have been persuaded into emigration to Palestine do not have the right to take part in the referendum. … the ensuing government … will decide whether the non-Palestinian emigrants … can continue living in Palestine or should return to their home countries.
This is illuminating, because it exposes the narrative that underlies most anti-Israel arguments. You know, when you say “Israel is completely legitimate under international law” and they say “who cares, you stole Palestinian land and colonized the indigenous inhabitants.”
That is the line that always ends the discussion. Israel is gay-friendly? Who cares, you are just bringing that up to distract us from your crimes against the Palestinian people. Israel is a democracy? Who cares, it’s built on someone else’s property. Because Israel is said to be a “settler-colonial state,” a European interloper parasitizing an indigenous Middle Eastern people, we have no moral or legal right to be here.
In the 19th century, colonialism was considered legitimate. “Take up the White Man’s burden,” wrote Kipling, and do the natives a favor despite their often violently-expressed ingratitude. But today, there is no greater national sin than exploitation of indigenous peoples.
There is only one small flaw in this argument, so beloved by leftists and academics: the Jewish people are indigenous to the Land of Israel, and the so-called ‘Palestinians’ are the colonists, invaders and occupiers of other people’s land. Like so much of their rhetoric, Arabs calling themselves ‘indigenous’ to our land is a precise inversion of reality, an employment of the big lie technique.
Here is one modern definition of ‘indigenous people’:
Indigenous communities, peoples and nations are those which, having a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their territories, consider themselves distinct from other sectors of the societies now prevailing on those territories, or parts of them. They form at present non-dominant sectors of society and are determined to preserve, develop and transmit to future generations their ancestral territories, and their ethnic identity, as the basis of their continued existence as peoples, in accordance with their own cultural patterns, social institutions and legal system.
This historical continuity may consist of the continuation, for an extended period reaching into the present of one or more of the following factors:
- Occupation of ancestral lands, or at least of part of them
- Common ancestry with the original occupants of these lands
- Culture in general, or in specific manifestations (such as religion, living under a tribal system, membership of an indigenous community, dress, means of livelihood, lifestyle, etc.)
- Language (whether used as the only language, as mother-tongue, as the habitual means of communication at home or in the family, or as the main, preferred, habitual, general or normal language)
- Residence in certain parts of the country, or in certain regions of the world
- Other relevant factors.
The Jewish people in Israel are occupying their ancestral lands, and they have a common ancestry with the only ‘original inhabitants’ that still exist as a people. There are no more Philistines, Jebusites, Hivites, etc. (despite the fantasies of the Arabs). There are still Jews, with a religion, culture and language whose connection to the original inhabitants is well-documented.
It is true that the Jewish population of Israel and Judea fluctuated throughout the centuries, as the land was invaded and colonized by Romans, Arabs, Ottomans, British, etc. But the continuity was unbroken while the Jewish people suffered the vicissitudes of an indigenous people oppressed by colonial powers. Some Jews remained in the land and others went into exile throughout the world, but our peoplehood persisted.
The Arabs consider Western support for the establishment of a Jewish state a colonialist usurpation of their indigenous rights. But in fact it was the recognition, by Balfour and others, of the truly indigenous status of the Jewish people that justified the formalization of the Jewish people’s right to the land, from the river to the sea, which was ultimately expressed by the Mandate for Palestine.
The Mandate for the first time concretized our moral right to the land as its historical owners into a legal right under international law. It is ironic that Israel, whose right to exist is seen as controversial, actually has a stronger moral and legal justification for its sovereignty than others – like Jordan, truly created by colonial fiat, or Saudi Arabia, the product of violent conquest.
On the other hand, the so-called ‘Palestinians’ – although they make wild claims to be descended from ‘original’ inhabitants like Canaanites or Philistines – are primarily descendents of people who migrated into the land, a few going back as far as the Arab conquest in the 7th century. Most of them, however, arrived after Muhammad Ali’s expedition from Egypt into Syria around 1830; and the migration accelerated after the Zionists began to improve and develop the land in the 1880s.
Jewish nationalism has existed for thousands of years. But a strictly ‘Palestinian’ consciousness did not develop among the Arabs in the region until they began to confront what they saw as the threat of Jewish sovereignty in the early 20th century; and even then, much of the opposition to a Jewish state was based on a more diffuse Arab nationalism. A distinct Palestinian people didn’t emerge until the mid-1960s with the advent of the PLO. And the central tenet of ‘Palestinian’ culture is its violent hatred for and struggle against Jewish sovereignty.
Yasser Arafat and others have done their best to deny Jewish provenance in the land of Israel, claiming that there was no Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and so forth. But the archaeological evidence – which continues to be discovered – is overwhelming, despite pseudo-academic attempts to refute it.
Unfortunately, it’s not only our enemies who have adopted the upside-down narrative of indigenous Arabs and colonizing Jews. When our own government rests its argument for our continued presence in Judea and Samaria on security considerations rather than our moral and legal right to the land, it is as if someone has stolen your car and then asks to keep it because he needs a car to drive to work.
When our own government agrees to limit construction in certain parts of the land of Israel or agrees that any ‘settlements’ we keep after a peace agreement must be swapped for other bits of land, the implication is that we do not truly own the land even though we control it. But while we certainly may decide that we want to waive the right to some of our land in the interest of peace – assuming that this is possible – we are not morally obligated to do so.
The Europeans, with a history of being colonial oppressors, smugly insist that we are morally obligated to give away part (or all) of our country. But we are not them. Although some of our ancestors were exiled to Europe and other places, we did not give up our peoplehood in exile. We belong to the land of Israel and it belongs to us.
The Zionists did not arrive as colonists from Europe after 1945 and dispossess the long-rooted Palestinian people, as their narrative tells us. The true story is that Jews were here all along, an oppressed and colonized indigenous people like many others. One of our distinctions, though, is that we succeeded in throwing out the European colonialists and achieving the self-determination that is the highest political goal of an indigenous people.
Now it’s up to us to keep it against those, like Khamenei, who wish to end it.
bernard ross Said:
Yamit82 has gone mad with loneliness.
@ yamit82:
yamit82 Said:
I see you have gone quite mad living alone, in the cave , in the Chinate Mts. of Texas.
@ yamit82:
yes, I agree they cant stand with themselves and they are full of envy and are habituated to the shtetl obedient Jew who dance to their tune. this is obvious in their arrogant demands and meddling in Israel. However, what is unexplained is the unnecessary compliance of the GOI with all the smears, libels, meddling and insults. Their is no group or nation on earth, even the weakest, who allow such behavior on their own land….. which is why I question the motives of the GOI as to whether they are in agreement with the behavior in order to move the Israeli population towards repudiating settlement and YS. The eu population like most masses are spoon fed their beliefs and behind this spoon feeding we see an orchestrated, organized campaign of disinformation about Israel and the Jews. This is carried on by the institutional govs of europe in collaboration with the BDS churches and their almost exclusive manipulation of the information network media. None of it is accidental… just as the old campaigns by thieving govs and churches of europe were not accidental or coincidental. There is an intentional structure which repeats itself and it begins with spreading lies about Jews(Israel). In my view the individuals and institutions involved in this MO deserve death, misery, chaos, suffering and torture in the same way that Hitler and the church deserved it in the past. Many Jews feel an affinity with europe and do not recognize the structured MO, ignoring it and considering it to be coincidental. BBC is not making mistakes, it is intentionally spreading lies that incite the murders of Jews. As such they deserve the fate of IS head chopping and muslim terror, the same fate they are trying to perpetrate on the Jews.
bernard ross Said:
Just one of many popular conspiracy theories gleaned from the net… 🙂 Sorry Israelidecision making is never strategic but ad hock governments that fall and change every 2-3 years cannot behave or plan strategically….
The West is unwilling to stand with Israel, but the West is also
unwilling to stand with the West. The Europeans and this American
administration refuse to acknowledge Islamic terrorism, much less fight it.
If the French and the Dutch won’t condemn Muslims who are destroying France and the Netherlands, it’s unrealistic to expect them to support Israeli self-defense.
Some of their hostility toward Israel is anti-Semitism, but
I suspect that some of it comes from shame. The Israelis have been far more willing to fight back, and that must make the Europeans feel really
inadequate. Europeans have traditionally viewed Jews as being patsies, so
it must kill them that the roles have been reversed. I can’t prove it, but
I think envy plays a huge role in the criticism of Israel. If true, that
means the more criticism of Israel the better. When Israel bombed the
Iraqi reactor, it was a case of “Condemn me now. Thank me (in hushed
tones) later.” The same thing will be true with combating Muslim terrorism. Israel must lead the way because everyone else has flinched. Heavy unfair burden,but when it’s sink or swim you just have to stop bitching and swim.
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iran/Ehud-Barak-Steinitz-Yaalon-got-cold-feet-just-before-Israel-was-about-to-attack-Iran-412867
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/israel-isolated-arab-nations-rally-behind-john-kerry-over-iran-nuclear-deal-1513954
bernard ross Said:
The West is unwilling to stand with Israel, but the West is also unwilling to stand with the West. The Europeans and this American administration refuse to acknowledge Islamic terrorism, much less fight it.
If the French and the Dutch won’t condemn Muslims who are destroying France and the Netherlands, it’s unrealistic to expect them to support Israeli self-defense.
Some of their hostility toward Israel is anti-Semitism, but I suspect that some of it comes from shame. The Israelis have been far more willing to fight back, and that must make the Europeans feel really inadequate. Europeans have traditionally viewed Jews as being patsies, so it must kill them that the roles have been reversed. I can’t prove it, but I think envy plays a huge role in the criticism of Israel. If true, that means the more criticism of Israel the better. When Israel bombed the Iraqi reactor, it was a case of “Condemn me now. Thank me (in hushed tones) later.” The same thing will be true with combating Muslim terrorism. Israel must lead the way because everyone else has flinched. Heavy unfair burden,but when it’s sink or swim you just have to stop bitching and swim.
yamit82 Said:
huh?? Fill me in, I dont get it?
bernard ross Said:
Yes to all.
@ bernard ross:
Stephen King Murdered John Lennon 😛
here is the real story which has been unfolding for years as I predicted. Years back the rumor was that gaza would come under the egyptians and the PA would confederate with Jordan after achieving a state and Jordan would negotiate with israel on security issues under the umbrella of the Israel Jordan treaty. I believe the following agenda has been in play for a few years but the street has to be slowly moved to the finale years still down the road. Egypt is the GCC proxy hamas enforcer, qatar is the GCC rep and financier to develop gaza just as it was prior to portective edge and since pillars of defense. I beleive that BB has an understanding to move slowly to this position with the belief that Israel will get more land out of C and give no official link between gaza and west bank. The idea being that in time the population will become used to the new paradigm and both sides will over time accomodate their streets. The pals will get some of C as time goes on and any change in the understandings will leave the west bank state in charge only of what they control and israel in charge of what it controls. It will be made to look like unorchestrated developments but I beleive that BB’s, Abbas and GCC behavior over the past few years show otherwise. The pals are given faux “states”, rhetoric, terrorist salaries etc, but get nothing beyond what Israel gives them. In this scenario BB allows abbas the fake trappings to wave to the crowd for his resistance credentials. Gaza and Israel will have a truce which will become a status quo as everyone in gaza including hamas will materially benefit.
rhetoric in bold, they have been dealing in rhetoric for years. I am suspecting that their last “attempt” may have been a way of bringing war driven population to fatigue of war. They accomplished nothing and inflicted few casualties on Israel
I think both sides leadership knew this, accept this and want this… but it is not yet acceptable to the “street”.
The trend indicates to me that the plan mooted some years ago of gaza under the egyptian thumb and PA under the Jordanians may be the same one unfolding very slowly now. The MO appears to be facts on the ground, rhetoric and BS notwithstanding.
The English do not need venal motivations to hate Jews. Britain was virulently anti-Semitic even before anti-Semitism became the world’s favorite pastime. And as long as you are praying for the demise of Jew haters, please put the worthless French at the top of your list. I was booted off Chess.com today when I responded less than lovingly to a couple of Frogs who were bashing the evil baby-killing “Sionists”. I still contend that there is absolutely nothing vulgar or profane about posting “The Guillotine For The French Nazi Surrender Monkeys! May They Spew Their Jew Hatred In The Hottest Dungeon In Hell!!” Just seems to be common sense.
obvviously there is a global campaign against Israel and the Jews, shouldnt those engaged in incitement based on lies be liquidated in any way possible, or should one try and convince them with rational “argument”? Which is more effective?
I have been watching for years the orchestrated campaign of the BBC against the Jews, their intentional printing of lies and withholding of truth which has incited pogroms and murder of Jews. Wouldn’t a just and moral universe destroy the BBC and all those taking part in this intentional murderous incitement of pogrom against the Jews? Wouldn’t I have been extremely happy to hear of the Goebbels propaganda machine destroyed with all the participants incinerated in fire???? Why would I think any differently of the BBC who are murdering Jews in order to satisfy their subscribers to BBC arabic. Were it to happen I would never hypocritically condemn such an outcome as I view them as the attempted murderers of my children and family.
I wonder who such articles and arguments are targeted towards? if its for the foreigners, euros and BDS crowd then it is a futile endeavor as the unconvinced cannot become convinced nor should Jews feel the need to justify themselves to the most despicable of human collectives: the euro/christian collective. They already know that they hijacked the Jewish bible and culture, revised it to make a foundation for their fairy tales, claimed to replace the Jews, torured and slaughtered Jews for thousands of years. Why convince them of anything? the energy is much better spent of sabotaging and destroying them as one would do towards any enemy who demonstrated a will to kill you for 2000 years. Support IS to invade europe, support Vlad to gobble europe, subsidize pals to europe, secrete bio wmd in their cities, employ lawfare to beat them at their own game, use covert terror squads to assassinate dangerous budding hitlers who incite with lies, use all dirty covert tricks possible for their destruction, etc etc etc.
My view is that peace for Israel lies in the advent of chaos and misery in europe in the same way that arab spring chaos and misery in surrounding lands brought relative peace and security to Israel. That until this proven pathologically insane collective is harnessed, incarcerated or destroyed the Jews wil never have peace.
Yah but that ain’t going to happen until we stop this crap about having to drive to work and insist that it’s our car!