In the new issue of News from Within, we have an interview with Zachariah Zbeidi, head of the Jenin Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and one of the top people on Israel's most wanted list.
To read the whole interview, click on the link: http://www.newsfromwithin.org/free_articles/Life%20is%20Tough_Watson.pdf
------------------------------------------------- Life is Tough Calling the Shots in Jenin: An Interview with Zachariah Zbeidi
By: Max Watson
Zachariah Zbeidi became leader of the Jenin Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade after the Jenin refugee camp was invaded in April 2002 and many of his comrades were killed or captured in that battle. He is now one of the more prominent and notorious leaders of the armed resistance. The support Zbeidi recently gave to Abu Mazen in his election campaign was seen as a crucial element to their campaign. Now, with a ceasefire (‘hudna’), which the Jenin Brigades have signed on to and kept (and with still more important elections to come), the young militant holds an increasingly influential position in the region.
In return for visible political support, Zbeidi has recently been guaranteed more money from the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the families of fighters and ‘martyrs’, after threatening to close down the PA buildings in Jenin. In many ways, Zbeidi calls the shots in Jenin.
We ask him about the conditions of the latest ceasefire; his relationship with Abu Mazen; the internal struggle within Fatah; the threat of Hamas in the upcoming elections; his views on working with Israelis (from Arna Mer-Khamis to Tali Fahima); international solidarity; and whether the ‘Martyrs Brigade’ will resume deliberately targeting Israeli citizens if the peace talks fail once again.
[...]
As leader of the Jenin Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, agreement to abide by the current ceasefire there is in large part reliant on his word. So what exactly are the conditions of the current truce?
“Israel must stick to the peace process; release the Palestinian political prisoners; stay out of the Palestinian cities; stop building the Wall; stop the assassinations and invasions; remove the checkpoints and allow Palestinians freedom of movement,” he recites.
Zbeidi is quick to point out, however, “None of these demands have been met by Israel. Not one of them.”
“We wish to have a Palestinian state. The US and the EU made a promise to Abu Mazen: The world must keep that promise and to put more pressure on Israel. Israel must pay the political price that they owe.”
“As Palestinians, we did everything we promised to do. It’s their turn to keep to their word. They wanted us to keep to a ceasefire, and we did. We were told to merge our security forces, and we did. We were told we must have elections, and we held elections. We were told to merge the movements inside the PLO and we also did that… Nothing else was demanded from us. But what has Israel done?”
“They are still creating settlements, continuing with their policies of assassinations, annexations, building the Wall, maintaining the checkpoints, and not releasing prisoners.”
What about the removal of settlements in Gaza? Is this seen as some kind of victory; as Israel making some kind of concession?
“Until now this has only been played out in the media, but nothing has actually happened in reality.”
So how long can the ceasefire last if Israel meets these demands?
“Forever! We want peace but it depends on Israel. That question should be directed at them.”
[...]
What about the right of return for refugees? The Geneva Initiative, for example, talks about quotas of numbers who could have the right of return, and those who don’t could have full compensation. Is this a potential gesture of compromise on behalf of the Palestinians?
“There is a right for refugees to return to their homes after war. This is the fundamental issue and the law is clear on this.”
Zbeidi points out, as many proponents of the right of return do, that there are many refugees who wouldn’t want to come back: “How many non-Palestinian Arabs are there in the US or the UK? They have the right to go back to their countries, and yet they stay there. The right of return is a right, but how many actually want to come back is another issue. The most important thing is that all of them have a right to go back. But less than a quarter would actually want to return.”
[...]
Does he think that targeting Israeli civilians has helped the Palestinian cause?
“Nothing helps a cause by the use of war. The problem is there is no other choice. Israel is using this choice against us, forcing us to choose war. The suicide attacks by ‘self sacrificing’ fighters—they have no other choice. This is the last resort for them. The Japanese kamikazes had no other way to attack the gun ships of the US, so they sacrificed themselves. They had no other choice, and we learned a lesson from them.”
Again, Zbeidi puts things in a global context, comparing the destruction in Palestine with the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York. “For each tower that was demolished in those attacks, a country was invaded—Afghanistan and Iraq got a tower each! But there wasn’t even an investigation for the destruction of Jenin camp.”
Over 600 houses, he points out, were demolished—many with several stories—and over 400 tanks invaded their city. “Imagine if the destruction in Jenin camp happened in Tel Aviv at the hands of the Palestinians… what would happen to us in response?”