Democratic Palestine : 3 (ص 10)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 3 (ص 10)
- المحتوى
-
Land, The Central Issue
of Zionist Strategy
March 30th marked the eighth anniversary of the Day of the Land. The historical background of this
day relates to the struggle against land confiscation in the Galilee. In the commemoration of this day, the
Galilee symbolizes all Palestinian and Arab land. On this day, we also commemorate the martyrdom of
six Palestinians, who were killed by the Zionists on March 30, 1976, in the Galilee. They in turn represent
the hundreds of martyrs who have fallen in defense of their land and national rights.
The question of land has always been the central theme of
Zionism’s strategy and plans. The Zionists’ ambitions for con-
trolling the land and resources of the area have been cloaked
under their basic myth: the false concept of «a land without
people for a people without a land». In its search for a state, the
Zionist movement eventually chose Palestine as opposed to
other proposed sites. This choice was in accordance witn
imperialist aims and interests in the Middle East. Yet the
Zionists still adhere to their myth, and this has led to five wars
and subjected the entire region to chronic instability, which
threatens world peace.
Since its establishment in May 1948, the Zionist state has
derived the bulk of its socio-economic and military policies
from the principle of land appropriation. This includes the
promotion of Jewish immigration, the expulsion of native
Palestinians and the waging of expansionist wars. From the
time of the first Zionist Congress in 1897, the Jewish Agency
employed all its resources to buy land in order to establish
Jewish settlements. The original Zionist land acquisitions were
from feudalists and-absentee landlords, such as the Lebanese
Sursok family, who made the biggest single land sale. Since
the Palestinian peasants on the whole refused to sell, only
about 8% of Palestine’s land was owned by Jews by 1947.
Thus, Zionism’s built-in logic of violent aggression came into
force as the primary means of obtaining «a land without a.
people». The ultimate thrust of this logic is genocidal, as has
been evidenced by repeated Zionist massacres from Deir Yas-
sin in 1948, to Sabra-Shatila in 1982.
immigration - expansion - emigration
Through collaboration with the British colonialists, Jewish
immigration to Palestine increased in preparation for usurping
and colonizing the land. To this day, Jewish immigration and
emptying the land of the original inhabitants is the most impor-
tant element of Zionist strategy, which aims to control the land
in order to create «Greater Israel». The Zionists’ adoption of
this goal made all Palestinian and Arab land a target. The con-
cept of «Greater Israel» was not born in an era of Israeli ‘supre-
macy’, nor as a result of the 1967 expansion, but was present
prior to the establishment of the Zionist entity. In 1937, Ben
10
Gurion, who was to become the first Premier of ‘Israel’, submit-
ted a report to the Zionist Congress, which outlined the bound-
aries of the planned state as including:
- South Lebanon to the Litani River
- Southern Syria passing through Homs, Hama and the Assi
River
- The east bank of the Jordan River
- All of Mandate Palestine
- The Sinai
The successively adopted laws, which serve as the Israeli
constitution, make no mention of the state’s boundaries. Obvi-
ously, Ben Gurion, and the Zionist leadership generally, vie-
wed the borders established in 1948 as only a step towards the
boundaries of «Greater Israel».
Zionist strategy has proceeded in accordance with a clear
formula: immigration (of Jews) - expansion - emigration (of
‘Palestinian Arabs). Between immigration and expansion
comes aggression and land confiscation to impose a new de
facto situation until the next cycle starts. Since expansion is a
central aim, military power is a central means. Besides being
used to drive Palestinians out, aggression draws large con-
tributions from Jews around the world and the imperialist
states, who extend economic support prior to a new war.
Aggression also increases the flow oof immigration which may
have been receding. Thus, the flow of immigration on - expan-
sion - emigration is applied; military power confiscates the
land; the money contributed is invested; and the new immig-
rants settle in the newly usurped land.
If we quickly review the reasons for the June 1967 aggres-
sion and ensuing aggressions, we find the following specific
reasons in addition to Zionism’s inherent racism and expan-
sionism:
- the Israeli state’s small geographical area;
- the noticeable decrease of immigration prior to the 1967
invasion;
- the decrease in Israeli exports;
- the rise in unemployment and financial ‘deficit, and the
decrease in economic growth.
Ever since the 1967 aggression, the Israeli authorities
have been working to confiscate the occupied land, especially
in the West Bank, chiefly under false «security» pretexts or - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 3
- تاريخ
- مايو ١٩٨٤
- المنشئ
- الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
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